American Tree Sparrow

This was the best shot I could manage during our bird club's annual Christmas Count, which took place today. Our tree sparrow (Spizella arborea--distinct from Europe's) is a winter bird in our parts. Distance and precipitation (light snow and sleet) made for difficult conditions.

The Christmas Count is a nation-wide event sponsored by the National Audubon Society, as part of wider efforts to record bird populations in order to better support and conserve them. Each local club typically is responsible for a "Count Circle" and its members divide the area up to count all the birds they can find in the count period, usually all spreading out on a single day during the Christmas period. Marylee and I have been doing the count with two or three friends (more expert birders than we) since we moved to Northampton in 2003. Following the day's field work everyone gathers over a potluck supper to tally up the results. It's tiring, but fun and rewarding