Christmas Bird Counts
2024 CBC Information
The Medford CBC will be conducted on December 14, 2024, and the Ashland CBC date is December 21, 2024. See the specific description of each count below for more information. The results of these counts (when available) and previous counts can be seen in the lower right section of this page.
MEDFORD CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT – Last count: Dec. 30, 2023, next count Dec. 14, 2024.
The area for the Medford count is a circle 15 miles in diameter, centered approximately a mile west of the junction of Highway 140 and Highway 62 in White City. The circle is divided into 15 sections with teams of birders, each with an experienced leader, counting birds in each section.
All birders are welcome to participate, and newcomers will be assigned to a group by the Medford count coordinator. Those who live in the count circle and have bird feeders can do a feeder watch and add their sightings to the count. CBC feeder watch instructions and a tally sheet can be obtained by contacting Medford Christmas Bird Count Coordinator Rebekah Bergkoetter.
ASHLAND CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT – Next count: December 21, 2024.
The Ashland CBC took place Sunday, December 17, 2023. The count circle is centered at the northwest corner of Emigrant Lake, including both the northeastern slopes of Mount Ashland and the western slopes of the Cascades (as far east as Little Hyatt Lake). Also included are the steep Siskiyou Mountain woodlands, extensive farmland, grassland and oak savannah habitats in the eastern section, as well as the entirety of the city of Ashland with its parks, gardens and riparian habitats. Count area maps are at www.roguevalleyaudubon.org/cbc-maps-page/
Anyone living in the count circle can participate by doing a feeder watch and adding their sightings to the tally. CBC feeder watch instructions and a tally sheet can be obtained by contacting Cat Gould (contact information below).
Under the guidance of an experienced area leader, teams go from dawn to dusk regardless of weather. While some leaders welcome volunteers of any skill level, others may need experienced, hardy birders who can cope with difficult terrain and a fast pace. Newcomers welcome! Area birds not sighted on count day but within count week (December 14-21st) can be added to the tally.