Thirteen groups fanned across the Island Sunday for the annual Christmas Bird Count to see how many species they could identify.
Birders fanned out across the Island in 13 groups Sunday as part of the Christmas Bird Count. The aim was to count as many avian species as they could identify throughout the day.
It is once again time for the Christmas Bird Count, the annual check-in by avian admirers to see which way the wind is blowing for our feathered friends.
There is no such thing as a seagull.
Counting is For The Birds
Black-capped chickadee in West Tisbury.
Black-capped chickadee in West Tisbury.
Dana Bangs and John Clark on the south shore near Oyster Pond.
Dana Bangs and John Clark on the south shore near Oyster Pond.
Flock of Canada geese over Tisbury Great Pond.
Flock of Canada geese over Tisbury Great Pond.
Dana Bangs, John Clark, and Robert Culbert on Tisbury Great Pond.
Dana Bangs, John Clark, and Robert Culbert on Tisbury Great Pond.
Flock of Canada geese over Tisbury Great Pond.
Flock of Canada geese over Tisbury Great Pond.
Dana Bangs and Robert Culbert near Oyster Pond.
Dana Bangs and Robert Culbert near Oyster Pond.
A northern cardinal near Tisbury Great Pond.
A northern cardinal near Tisbury Great Pond.
John Clark and Dana Bangs on Oyster Pond.
John Clark and Dana Bangs on Oyster Pond.
Black-capped chickadee in West Tisbury.
Black-capped chickadee in West Tisbury.
Another bird count team across the cove.
Another bird count team across the cove.
A double-crested cormorant coming in for a landing.
A double-crested cormorant coming in for a landing.
Robert Culbert in West Tisbury.
Robert Culbert in West Tisbury.
Double-crested cormorants on Oyster Pond.
Double-crested cormorants on Oyster Pond.
Robert Culbert on Tisbury Great Pond.
Robert Culbert on Tisbury Great Pond.
A great blue heron flying over Oyster Pond.
A great blue heron flying over Oyster Pond.
Robert Culbert near Oyster Pond.
Robert Culbert near Oyster Pond.
It is once again time for the Christmas Bird Count, the annual check-in by avian admirers to see which way the wind is blowing for our feathered friends.
The Annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count
An eastern bluebird seen on Jow Walker Road.
An eastern bluebird seen on Jow Walker Road.
Robert Culbert of the Long Point team.
Robert Culbert of the Long Point team.
About 150 hooded mergansers were counted at the head of Town Cove.
About 150 hooded mergansers were counted at the head of Town Cove.
Robert Culbert and John Clark walk out to Long Point.
Robert Culbert and John Clark walk out to Long Point.
Several belted kingfishers were seen.
Several belted kingfishers were seen.
Looking for oceanic birds from the dunes.
Looking for oceanic birds from the dunes.
A great blue heron in Tisbury Great Pond near Sepiessa.
A great blue heron in Tisbury Great Pond near Sepiessa.
John Clark walks the field at Scrubby Neck Farm
John Clark walks the field at Scrubby Neck Farm
An immature snowy egret seen.
An immature snowy egret seen.
The Long Point team walks down Joe Walker Road.
The Long Point team walks down Joe Walker Road.
Gulls take off from a frigid Oyster Pond.
Gulls take off from a frigid Oyster Pond.
On the beach near Oyster Pond.
On the beach near Oyster Pond.
A red-breasted nuthatch hops along a branch.
A red-breasted nuthatch hops along a branch.
Robert Culbert is team captain at Long Point.
Robert Culbert is team captain at Long Point.
Prevalent ice made made some species hard to come by.
Prevalent ice made made some species hard to come by.
Walking the strand.
Walking the strand.
Savannah sparrows in the dunes at Long Point.
Savannah sparrows in the dunes at Long Point.
Sunday marked the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count. Across the Northern hemisphere, tens of thousands of birders spent the day collecting data and counting birds. On the Vineyard, teams spread out across the Island to record over 120 species and over 17,000 individual birds.