Birds: Taking counts that count

By Thelma Dalmas
Published: November 11, 2008

Every November, all of us have the opportunity to contribute information about the birds that share the backyard with us. Even if your idea of fun does not include getting up early in the morning or wandering around outside in cold weather, you can still participate in this annual birding activity.

The Thanksgiving Window Count was initiated in 1966 by the Lynchburg Bird Club. Under the direction of Ernest Edwards, retired professor of biology at Sweet Briar College, the count grew both geographically and in number of participants. In 1996, after 30 consecutive years, the count was temporarily discontinued. It was revived the following year by Susan Wingfield, a member of the Lynchburg Bird Club who coordinated the count through 2006. I have served as compiler since then. 

The procedure for participating is fairly simple. Select a circular area about 15 feet in diameter in a place you can watch easily. In this circle include feeders, bird baths, shrubs and any other items that may attract birds. Now, imagine the circle extending up to an indefinite height. This is your “magic circle” for observation.

Choose a convenient hour on Thanksgiving Day and for 60 consecutive minutes count all of the birds that come into the circle.

You should try to judge the actual number of birds, not the number of visits. Count the birds in the circle at one moment and add others only when you know that they are different individuals. For instance, I have a total of about seven to eight Carolina chickadees that come to my feeders. Of course, these birds make many visits during an hour, but the total number of chickadees that I count would not exceed eight. 

You will need a form on which to record the data. You may contact me at or 1230 Viewmont Drive, Evington, VA 24550, to obtain a copy of the Thanksgiving Window Watch form. A summary of all species seen will be mailed to participants later in the year.

Last year, 145 people from 24 different states participated on the Thanksgiving Count. The top five most frequently reported birds from Virginia were the tufted titmouse, goldfinch, cardinal, Carolina chickadee and mourning dove.

This year, amid the bustle of the holiday, consider devoting an hour to “the magic circle” outside your window with an eye on the beauty of the season.

News and Notes
On Nov. 5, evening grosbeaks were reported from the Blue Ridge Parkway about five miles south of the Peaks of Otter. Two different flocks of birds were observed, an estimate of about 30 individuals. It has been more than five years since I’ve seen an evening grosbeak in Central Virginia, but I am carefully watching my feeder now.

A caller reported spotting a bald eagle near Windsor Hills last Saturday. The two nests near Lynchburg produced at least three young this summer, and sightings of this species are becoming more common around the city. Last year, we found two bald eagles on the Lynchburg Christmas Bird Count.