Date: 11/21/25 11:05 pm From: Jim Dehnert via groups.io <dehnert...> Subject: [southbaybirds] The Christmas Bird Count in Santa Clara County
The annual Christmas Bird Count (held around Christmas-time, but not on Dec
25th!) is a fun and meaningful way to contribute to one of the
longest-running community science projects in North America. Begun over a
century ago as an alternative to shooting all the birds one could find on
Christmas Day, it collects data that provides insight into bird populations
and trends. Locally, the data indicates the bird species that are rising
and falling in population and those that may be expanding into our area,
showcases unusual birds that show up, and connects the community of birders.
The CBC counts are organized into 15-mile-diameter circles, and the Santa
Clara Valley Bird Alliance organizes four circles in the county. This post
will give you an overview of our count circles and opportunities to
volunteer, and people to contact for each circle. For more information,
start with our web page <https://scvbirdalliance.org/christmas-bird-count>.
Please send general questions to SCVBA Director Matthew Dodder (
<director...>), SCVBA Education & Outreach Manager Carolyn
Knight (<programs...>), or myself (<dehnert...>), and
send circle-specific questions to the relevant circle coordinators below.
Please do NOT respond to the full SBB list.
-
San Jose (Sunday 12/14/2025, Coordinator Mike Azevedo, <geochelone...>).
This Count Circle reaches from the baylands of Alviso to downtown San Jose,
and from Sunnyvale to the Hills to the East. If you are interested in
participating, please complete the San Jose CBC Signup Form
<https://www.mobilize.us/audubon-community-science/event/868368/>.
-
Palo Alto (Monday 12/15/2025, Coordinator Ann Hepenstal, <annhep...>).
This Count Circle encompasses parts of both Santa Clara and San Mateo
Counties, extending from the Bay to the Santa Cruz Mountains with
territories in open space preserves, bayland areas, urban parks, and
neighborhoods.
-
Calero - Morgan Hill (Saturday 12/27/2025, Coordinator Rick Herder,
<rick.herder...>). This Count Circle in south Santa Clara County
stretches across the valley to foothills in both the Coast and Diablo
ranges, and includes several creeks, lakes and wetlands. It covers city and
county parks, open space preserves, water district reservoirs, and private
properties, many not usually open to the public. Annual targets include
both eagles, several falcons, Burrowing Owl, Grasshopper Sparrow, and a
surprising variety of gulls.
-
Mount Hamilton (Friday 1/2/2026, Coordinator Bob Hirt, <bobhirt...>).
This Count Circle is centered around Mount Hamilton, entirely contained in
the East Bay Hills behind Joseph L Grant County Park, and extending south
to a tip of Henry Coe SP.
The preparation for these counts is well underway. Each CBC Circle is
divided up into Sectors, and the Sector Leader further divides up that area
so that the birding teams cover the key spots. Typically a CBC team "owns"
their territory, getting to know the logistics, terrain, and good spots to
find birds. However, each year we have territories open up where we need a
new person to take it on and lead a birding team. Birders at all levels
are welcome and useful. See the web page and contact the circle
coordinators for more information.
=====
If you are interested in other counts in the area, here is some information
on peninsula counts. If anyone responsible for these (or other nearby)
circles would like corrections, additions, elaboration, or removal in the
next iteration of this message, please let me know at <dehnert...>
In San Mateo County, there are two CBC count circles. If you are
interested, contact Chris MacIntosh at <chrismac...> or
<cbc...>, or sign up online at The San Mateo County Bird
Alliance (SMCBA) webpage https://www.sequoia-audubon.org/CBC.html .
-
Crystal Springs (Saturday, 12/20/2025). This Count Circle covers
northern San Mateo County from the SF Bay across the peninsula to Half Moon
Bay. In 2024 112 people tallied 176 species in this circle.
-
Año Nuevo (Saturday, 1/3/2026). This Count Circle covers the
southwestern end of San Mateo County from about La Honda in the north to
Año Nuevo in the SW. In 2024 77 people counted 149 species in this
circle.
San Francisco County is covered by a single circle:
-
San Francisco (Monday 12/29/2025, register here
<https://goldengatebirdalliance.app.neoncrm.com/event.jsp?event=17825&>).
This Count Circle covers San Francisco and a sliver of northern San Mateo
County. The 2024 Count had the highest count in the country for Townsend's
Warblers with 539; White-crowned Sparrows with 3,480; Orchard Oriole with
4; Western Gull with 3,701; Anna's Hummingbird with 1,343; Red-Masked
Parakeets with 208; Common Raven with 1,538 and Hermit Thrush with 395. It
was also one of only three counts in the country to report a Grace's
Warbler, and had the first ever Jouanin's Petrel for a CBC Count in the
United States.
Do not disclose information that identifies the location of nesting birds of any species, to minimize stress on the nesting birds and the risk of vandalism or abuse.
