Keen-eyed Salmon Arm youth contributed to the local annual Christmas Bird Count.
Held across Canada, the annual event sees children and parents join local naturalists on educational, explorational outings in their home communities.
On Sunday, Dec. 8, the Salmon Arm NatureKids BC club (formerly Young Naturalists Club) explored the Raven Foreshore Trail for the local bird count.
"We had a record number of children come with their parents this year," said Salmon Arm NatureKids' Molly Cooperman in a media release. Counters ranged in age from ages 2 to 18.
"It was a whole family event with several grandparents in attendance," said Cooperman, noting the event was supported by expert nature mentors."We were fortunate to have John and Marcia Woods, Cathy Meakes, Geoff Styles, and Kyle Routledge. They mentored the children and their parents to identify local birds by sight and sound."
One of the best sightings of the count, said Cooperman, was a well camouflaged Wilson香蕉视频直播檚 snipe, which a father spotted near the end of the walk. A Northern shrike, also known as the Butcher bird, was spotted on Christmas Island.
It was also an opportunity for participants to learn the differences between dabbling and diving ducks.
After a three-hour hike covering about three kilometres, the final tally was 14 species and 210 individual birds. Results from the count were entered into eBird, a citizen science database that tracks bird observations world-wide.
Salmon Arm NatureKids BC club events are free and last two or three hours. Families wanting to join the club should contact Cooperman at salmonarm@naturekidsbc.ca or find them on Facebook.