Hundreds of bird-loving Bay Area residents flocked on Sunday to the many parks, shorelines and woods, hoping to spot the winged creatures to help the National Audubon Society complete its annual Christmas count.
LAFAYETTE, CALIF. – DEC. 18: Volunteers search for birds along the trial at the Lafayette Reservoir in Lafayette, Calif., on Sunday, Dec. 19, 2021. Volunteers spent 9 hours walking along the trails of the Lafayette Reservoir counting birds for the 122nd Audubon Christmas Bird Count. The bird count occurs from December 14 through January 5, 2022. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
Our photographers documented several of the approximately 550 amateur ornithologists as they strolled, spotted and numbered birds across a 15-mile count circle that makes up the Oakland portion of a regional bird count started there in 1938. The Oakland circle extends from Treasure Island northeast to the San Pablo Reservoir in Contra Costa County, and south to St. Mary’s College in Moraga and the Oakland International Airport.
That regional count spans nine hours and stretches far enough east to include birds at the Lafayette Reservoir:
LAFAYETTE, CALIF. – DEC. 18: A pelican swims in the water at the Lafayette Reservoir in Lafayette, Calif., on Sunday, Dec. 19, 2021. Volunteers spent 9 hours walking along the trails of the Lafayette Reservoir counting birds for the 122nd Audubon Christmas Bird Count. The bird count occurs from December 14 through January 5, 2022. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group) LAFAYETTE, CALIF. – DEC. 18: From left, volunteers Alison Hill of Lafayette, Diane Appeal, of Walnut Creek and Paula Whitney, of Walnut Creek use binoculars as they count birds at the Lafayette Reservoir in Lafayette, Calif., on Sunday, Dec. 19, 2021. Volunteers spent 9 hours walking along the trails of the Lafayette Reservoir counting birds for the 122nd Audubon Christmas Bird Count. The bird count occurs from Dec. 14 through Jan. 5, 2022. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group) LAFAYETTE, CALIF. – DEC. 18: A Turkey Vulture spreads it’s wings before flight at the Lafayette Reservoir in Lafayette, Calif., on Sunday, Dec. 19, 2021. Volunteers spent nine hours walking along the trails of the Lafayette Reservoir counting birds for the 122nd Audubon Christmas Bird Count. The bird count occurs from Dec. 14 through Jan. 5, 2022. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group) LAFAYETTE, CALIF. – DEC. 18: A Golden-crowned Sparrow is perched on a branch at the Lafayette Reservoir in Lafayette, Calif., on Sunday, Dec. 19, 2021. Volunteers spent 9 hours walking along the trails of the Lafayette Reservoir counting birds for the 122nd Audubon Christmas Bird Count. The bird count occurs from Dec. 14 through Jan. 5, 2022. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
And as far west as the Alameda shoreline:
ALAMEDA, CA – DECEMBER 19: Marjorie Powell uses a spotting scope to survey birds along Robert W. Crown Memorial State Beach on Sunday, Dec. 19, 2021, in Alameda, Calif. Volunteers walked the shoreline recording bird species for the 122nd Audubon Christmas Bird Count. (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group) ALAMEDA, CA – DECEMBER 19: A snowy egret is photographed at Robert W. Crown Memorial State Beach on Sunday, Dec. 19, 2021, in Alameda, Calif. Volunteers walked the shoreline on Sunday, recording bird species for the 122nd Audubon Christmas Bird Count. (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group) ALAMEDA, CA – DECEMBER 19: A sanderling is photographed at Robert W. Crown Memorial State Beach on Sunday, Dec. 19, 2021, in Alameda, Calif. Volunteers walked the shoreline on Sunday, recording bird species for the 122nd Audubon Christmas Bird Count. (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group) ALAMEDA, CA – DECEMBER 19: Volunteers walk along the shoreline of Robert W. Crown Memorial State Beach to survey birds for the 122nd Audubon Christmas Bird Count on Sunday, Dec. 19, 2021, in Alameda, Calif. (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group) ALAMEDA, CA – DECEMBER 19: A snowy egret is photographed at Robert W. Crown Memorial State Beach on Sunday, Dec. 19, 2021, in Alameda, Calif. Volunteers walked the shoreline on Sunday, recording bird species for the 122nd Audubon Christmas Bird Count. (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group)
The nationwide bird count started Dec. 14 and goes through Jan. 5. The last Oakland count recorded more than 186 bird species in 2019. The Oakland and San Francisco counts have ranked among the top 25 nationwide in terms of numbers of species found, according to the Golden Gate Audubon Society.
