Saturday, December 19


Watch our field teams in action on count day.

What is the Christmas Bird Count?

Every December, thousands of volunteers across the country head outdoors to count birds, helping scientists understand how our feathered neighbors are doing. The Audubon Christmas Bird Count is the oldest and largest community science project in the world, and it depends entirely on volunteers.

On count day, volunteers record every bird they see or hear inside a 15-mile-wide circle. Ours is centered on Beaver Lake in Sammamish and reaches from Marymoor Park to the Issaquah Alps and the Snoqualmie Valley. Despite its name, the count isn't religious and welcomes everyone over 18. By giving just a few hours, you help track trends in bird populations and guide conservation across North America.

Two ways to take part

1. Join a field team

Spend the day exploring local parks, trails and neighborhoods inside the count circle with a team led by an experienced birder. No expertise is required: you'll learn as you go, enjoy time outdoors, and contribute data scientists rely on to monitor bird populations.

Our 14 teams cover Marymoor Park, Lake Sammamish and its trails, the Snoqualmie Valley, Issaquah Creek and the Issaquah Alps.

Questions? Email Andy McCormick

2. Feeder Watch from home

Can't spend the whole day outside? You can still help from home. As a Feeder Watcher, you count the birds that visit your feeder, yard or nearby trees on count day.

To take part, you must live inside the count circle: a circle 15 miles across (7.5-mile radius), centered on Beaver Lake in Sammamish. Your sightings go to National Audubon along with the field teams' counts, and are just as valuable.

First you'll confirm your home is inside the count circle, then register.

Do you live inside our count circle?

Feeder watchers must count from a location inside Eastside Audubon's official Christmas Bird Count circle: 15 miles across (7.5-mile radius), centered on Beaver Lake in Sammamish. Enter your address to check.

Your address is only used to look up its location and is not saved. Map © OpenStreetMap contributors.

About the count

The count began in 1900, when conservationists replaced a holiday bird-shooting contest with a bird census. The 2025–2026 season is the 126th national count and Eastside Audubon's 43rd. Results go to the National Audubon Society and support major studies like the 3 Billion Birds report.

Results

Questions?

Field teams: Andy McCormick · Everything else: office@eastsideaudubon.org · 425-576-8805