October 31, 2026
Christmas Bird Count - Part 2 by Melissa Dowland
From Walks with a Naturalist Vol. 1
The following post is taken from Walks with a Naturalist Vol. 1, a collection of nature stories for children by naturalist Melissa Downland and published by the Charlotte Mason Institute. It is used in Alveary's Grade 1 Science curriculum but an enjoyable read for any age.
On our Christmas Bird Count, Mike and I visit lots of different habitats looking for birds. We hope to see as many bird species as we can. Screech owls are one of our favorite birds to find. But they can be hard to find, too!
We look for birds in some thick bushes with vines growing in them. We see a brown thrasher with its long tail and yellow eye hopping beneath the bushes. We see an American robin with its gray back and orange breast pop a berry into its mouth and swallow it. We see a Carolina chickadee hanging from the spiky seed ball of a sweet gum tree. Its black cap makes it look like it is wearing a hat.
We hear a tap-tap-tap on a branch. We see the black and white back of a downy woodpecker using its bill to make a hole in the branch. It is looking for insects to eat. On the ground, we see a small brown bird with a rusty cap that looks like a helmet. It scratches at the ground. It is a chipping sparrow.
Carolina chickadee feeding on sweet gum seeds © MIKE DUNN
We hear something behind us. It sounds like a horse whinnying. Then we hear a vibrating trill. It is a screech owl! We turn around and look. There is a dead tree with a hole in it, the perfect size for a screech owl. Just inside the hole, the little gray owl is perched. It looks at us with its yellow eyes. We are excited and make a note on our bird list: one eastern screech owl!
Eastern screech owl peering out of hole in tree © MIKE DUNN
You can count birds, too! Watch your bird feeder or the trees and shrubs near your house. How many different kinds of birds can you find?
Explore Further
You can share information about the birds you count with scientists, too. Look for a Christmas Bird Count happening near you through your local Audubon society or bird group. Or, participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count that happens every year in February. Another way to share information about your birds is through the eBird website or app. You can even sign up for Project Feederwatch and count birds all through the winter!
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