SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Bird watchers are invited to bundle up and scour the city on Sunday, noting all birds from redpolls to ravens, during the annual Christmas Bird Count hosted by Ecology North.

A willow ptarmigan sits in a bush in the December sun near Kam Lake. - Kira Curtis/NNSL photo

"It doesn't take much skill," said Bob Bromley, who organizes the ornithological event. "Just the ability to ID a raven is and asset," he chuckled.

Bromley, a biologist and MLA for Weledeh, said the count can turn up all sorts of gems hidden in the gaggles of clumsy ptarmigans and scavenging ravens.

Previous seekers have spotted black-capped hawks, great horned owls and even a red breasted robin.

The Christmas Day Count started in 1899 in the U.S. by the Audubon Society, but before the days of conservation, this count started as a hunt.

The hunter who could bag the largest number of different species would be declared the winner. Now, with the days of meaningless slaughter behind us, the hunters are now armed with binoculars and note pads.

Bromley said the number of birds is important but so is the number of different species in an area. To make sure they don't miss well hidden winged creatures on the day of the count, Bromley and a small crew note different kinds of birds three days before and three days after count day. They won't be keeping tally on the numbers, but noting every new species they see. This way the more elusive creatures will have trouble avoiding this citizen science census.

The information collected is then entered into a data base with the Audubon Society, in New

York and Bird Studies Canada.

Bromley has been documenting birds in the North for more than 30 years. He has always been interested in birds and worked as a biologist for the GNWT for 16 years. But after years studying he still gets excited talking about the red pine grosbeak he recently saw. Still on his bucket-list of birds to see though is the Northwest Territories territorial bird, the gyrfalcon, that usually spends it's winters in the northern part of the territory.

Hunting parties or individuals interested in trekking a portion of the 15 kilometre wide circle blanketing Yellowknife can meet at 8:30 a.m. Jan. 2 at the Ecology North office There will be tea, coffee and hot chocolate to get everyone geared up, then head out at 9 a.m.. Groups will then reconvene at 4:30 p.m. to tally results.

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