Register for the Christmas Bird Count

Register for the Christmas Bird Count, Saturday, December 17

Written by Andy McCormick

Registration for the 2022 Eastside Audubon CBC is open and there are still openings for volunteers to join on some CBC teams and feeder watching. Go to https://www.eastsideaudubon.org/christmas-bird-count to become a feeder watcher, join a field team, and join the Zoom celebration. We will have 15 field teams this year. 

ACCEPTING VOLUNTEERS AGAIN

For the past two years under COVID-19 pandemic conditions, Eastside Audubon has conducted the Christmas Bird Count (CBC) with very small teams of one or two people. We were able to maintain continuity in our data collection, which was important, but we missed having full teams in the field. Now, we are resuming having more volunteers join birding teams for this year’s Christmas Bird Count Day on Saturday, December 17.

The CBC is the world’s largest and longest-running community science data collection project. The 2022-2023 count period from December 14 to January 5 marks the 123rd CBC sponsored by the National Audubon Society. It will be Eastside Audubon’s 39th CBC. 

JOIN THE COUNT FOR FUN AND SCIENCE

The EAS CBC is an all-volunteer endeavor and we have three ways for you to participate. Our chapter has 15 teams being led by experienced birders who are accepting 3-5 volunteer participants. We also support at-home feeder watchers who count birds at their home feeder or other location within the 25-mile diameter circle centered on Beaver Lake in Sammamish. Everyone, whether birding or not,  is invited to join the Zoom celebration after the count. 

FOLLOWING COVID-19 PROTOCOL

Eastside Audubon wants to have more people involved in the CBC, but we also want to be careful to protect everyone from possible spikes in COVID-19 and flu infections. We will keep the field teams to 4-6 participants, and we will require wearing of masks while driving in a car for vaccinated people. We are going to postpone the after-count dinner for one more year and will host a Zoom celebration online.  

Whether you participate by joining a field team, watching your feeder at home, or sharing in the experience of the day via Zoom, you can register for the event you want to join here. Registration closes on Dec. 10. 

Volunteer Holiday Gift Wrapping Program Manager Needed!

Volunteer Holiday Gift Wrapping Program Manager Needed!

Do you have an interest in volunteering with Eastside Audubon in leadership capacity?  If so, we want to hear from you!

Eastside Audubon is looking for a volunteer to become our Holiday Gift Wrapping Program Manager.

Background:

Prior to the COVID pandemic, Eastside Audubon would hold an annual holiday gift wrapping booth during the week leading up to Christmas.  Our booth was located inside the REI store in Issaquah.  Our volunteers would wrap gifts in cloth gift bags made by our members or wrapping paper in exchange for donations from shoppers.  We would like to restart that tradition.

About You:

You are an enthusiastic person who can jump in with both feet and represent the chapter.  Building relationships with other volunteers and organizations is your jam.  

About The Position:

This position requires a commitment of a few hours a week, from July through the end of December.  Specific duties can be summed up into 3 categories:

1. Materials. Solicit donations for the cloth to make the gift bags from Eastside Audubon members or organizations in our service area

2. Relationship Development. You will work with REI Issaquah or another business that is willing to host the fundraiser again and schedule the time that our gift wrapping booth will be there.

3. Volunteer Recruitment. Recruit volunteers to sew the gift bags and others to do the gift wrapping. Historically, we have staffed the booth every evening and on the weekend for the week leading up to Christmas.

Don’t let this sound overwhelming.  This is a fun and rewarding part of our fundraising efforts and we will support and guide you 100% of the way!

For more information, please reach out to Jeremy Lucas at Jeremy.lucas79@gmail.com

Get Involved, Meet People, Have Fun!

Get Involved, Meet People, Have Fun!

Eastside Audubon offers a variety of engaging volunteer opportunities for people of all experience levels. Volunteers are important and valued members of the organization and our volunteer positions can enhance your knowledge of conservation, birds, communication, leadership and nonprofit organizations. Whether you have a lifetime interest in nature or are just getting started, Eastside Audubon has a place for you.

Board Secretary

What you’ll do: Attend monthly board meetings (via Zoom) and take meeting minutes.

Requirements: Skill in taking notes and recording them in an electronic document. No prior experience necessary.

Schedule & location: Board meetings are held in the evening on the fourth Tuesday of the month, year round, via Zoom or at the Kirkland office of Eastside Audubon. 

Engagement Coordinator

What you’ll do: Assist the board in recruiting and onboarding new volunteers. Follow up with people who have expressed interest in volunteering to match them with open positions. Help organize volunteer appreciation events.

Requirements: Enjoy talking with and meeting new people. Good organizational skills. No prior experience necessary. 

Schedule & location: Flexible schedule, year round. Work from home or the Eastside Audubon office in Kirkland.