Each year, small groups of birders venture out for the sole purpose of counting birds from mid-December to early January. This event, known as the Christmas Bird Count (CBC), occurs at Sharon Audubon Center around the second or third Sunday in December from 12:01 a.m. to midnight.

Our count (known as the Trixie Strauss Christmas Bird Count) takes place within a 15-mile circle with its center at Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, thus taking in some of the good birding areas in Sharon, Salisbury, Falls Village, Amenia, and Northeast, New York. Teams from all over the state and all over the country take part in CBC, and all the numbers are compiled and reported to help better understand flock formations and migrations.

Everyone is invited to participate in the Christmas Bird Count. You don't have to be an expert birder to enjoy CBC, either. And, if it's cold outside, you don't even have to get out of the car! "Feeder watchers" are also always appreciated and those who are willing to participate, but not willing to leave the comforts of home, can choose to count birds at your bird feeders, even if only for one hour. Your numbers can then be given to our compiler right after the count and they will be included in the overall CBC report.

We ask anyone who lives in the surrounding towns to fill up your bird feeders to help with our counts!

Forms for the bird feeder count can be picked up at the Sharon Audubon Center the week before CBC takes place.

Visit our event calendar in late November/early December for the current year's CBC posting and more details, or contact the center at 860-364-0520 for more information.