birds

NB Naturalist Feature: The Christmas Bird Count, North America’s Longest-Running Citizen Science Project

NB Naturalist /

The Christmas Bird Count is North America’s longest-running citizen science project. It started on Christmas Day 1900 and at 9 am on that day, a New Brunswicker, William H. Moore, became Canada’s first Christmas bird counter. 

For the next 50 years, “CBCs” in New Brunswick were patchy and infrequent, only a dozen in all. But since 1956, there have been CBCs, sometimes more than 50 in a year, all over the province.

NB Naturalist Feature: The Christmas Bird Count, North America’s Longest-Running Citizen Science Project Read More »

NB Naturalist Feature: The 2024 Christmas Bird Count in New Brunswick 

NB Naturalist /

About 1000 people participated in 48 Christmas Bird Counts (CBCs) all over New Brunswick in December 2023 and early 2024. 

We spent 1750 hours (equivalent to more than two-hundred 8-hour days) covering 1100 km on foot  and 13,000 km by car in search of wintertime birds. Count Day temperatures averaged -2ºC at the  start and +1 ºC at the end so most count areas had at least some open water.  

By the end of it, we had found 126,000 birds from 139 species plus another two species during each of Count Week and Count Period for a total of 141 species. This is the lowest number of individuals since 2015, but only one less than last year’s recent high of 140 species.

NB Naturalist Feature: The 2024 Christmas Bird Count in New Brunswick  Read More »

NB Naturalist Feature: The 2023 Christmas Bird Count in New Brunswick 

NB Naturalist /

About 1000 people participated in 48 Christmas Bird Counts (CBCs) all over New Brunswick in December 2023 and early 2024. 

We spent 1750 hours (equivalent to more than two-hundred 8-hour days) covering 1100 km on foot  and 13,000 km by car in search of wintertime birds. Count Day temperatures averaged -2ºC at the  start and +1 ºC at the end so most count areas had at least some open water.  

By the end of it, we had found 126,000 birds from 139 species plus another two species during each of Count Week and Count Period for a total of 141 species. This is the lowest number of individuals since 2015, but only one less than last year’s recent high of 140 species.

NB Naturalist Feature: The 2023 Christmas Bird Count in New Brunswick  Read More »

A Summer with Aerial Insectivores

NB Fieldnotes /

This summer, as I was taking a break from this blog and keeping up with the busy season, I had the chance to meet some very interesting insect-eaters. Thanks to Birds Canada’s survey programs, I was able to contribute meaningfully to the conservation efforts for those species, even though the survey I did myself ended up with a total of zero sightings. Read on to learn more about my adventures (sorted by survey) and what you can do to help!

A Summer with Aerial Insectivores Read More »

Coastal Synergy: Blending Living Shorelines with Bank Swallow Habitat

News /

In the fall of 2023, Nature NB embarked on the journey of installing a living shoreline in the Chaleur Region to combat coastal erosion, in collaboration with Birds Canada, Helping Nature Heal, Chaleur Bay Watershed, and Regen Media. However, there was a catch: Bank Swallows in the area relied on the eroding cliff face for nesting. Our Program Manager, Lauren Stead, takes us through a day of hard work on a pilot project that integrates Bank Swallow habitat preservation with living shoreline restoration techniques.

Coastal Synergy: Blending Living Shorelines with Bank Swallow Habitat Read More »

Scroll to Top