Nature Done Wright

Incorporating the Celery Farm and Screech Owl Companion blogs

December 25, 2018

The First Christmas Bird Count

Englewood's Frank M. Chapman, creator of the annual Christmas Bird Count, also did the first CBC in Bergen County on Dec. 25, 1900.

He saw 18 species and 320 individuals in four hours. Highlights (for me) included 3 Bob-white, 1 Red-shouldered Hawk, 1 Barred Owl, 150 Tree Sparrows, 55 Myrtle (Yellow-rumped) Warblers and a Bluebird. (This information was gleaned from the CBC archives.)

Chapman also saw a Tufted Titmouse on Dec. 1 and Dec. 20, the first winter records for this species. How times change…

Merry Christmas!