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Greetings from the Arboretum!
When December rolls around, many beginning birders think that the birding season is quieting down. However, if you don enough layers, there is a very important December bird count that needs as many birders as possible to participate in it.
Going all the way back to Christmas Day, 1900, Frank Chapman and 26 other conservationists initiated the Christmas Bird Count (CBC) as a way of promoting conservation by counting, rather than hunting, birds. The CBC has been running every year since and now happens in over 20 countries in the western hemisphere and it is the longest running Citizen Science project in the world! This event is an early-winter bird census, where hundreds of thousands of volunteers across multiple countries go out over a 24-hour period on one calendar day to count birds.
The Arboretum’s CBC day is Saturday, December 20, 2025. CHA staff will be participating in this program by monitoring density and diversity of bird species seen or heard throughout the grounds. That means we are not only recording the different species we encounter, but also how many of each species are present. This year, we invite our members and the public to come dressed for the weather and prepared with binoculars to participate with us. For more information or to register for free, please email info@hartshornarboretum.org with the subject line: Christmas Bird Count.
Families are also invited to learn more about this scientific survey during one of our Hot Chocolate Hikes on Saturday, December 13 or Sunday, December 14. Enjoy a guided hike through the Arboretum's forest and warm up next to the fire with a cup of hot chocolate, all while learning about and supporting native NJ wildlife.
Lastly, don't forget to mark your calendars for next spring! The Arboretum is thrilled to announce Beak Week—a fun, weeklong birding competition and fundraiser running April 17–24, 2026. Bird lovers of all ages and experience levels are invited to form teams, gather pledges, and see how many species they can spot across New Jersey. It’s a great way for the community to come together, build awareness around conservation, and celebrate the feathered friends who share our environment. Preregister now at: go.rallyup.com/beakweek2026
Whether you're just starting out or a seasoned birder, there’s no better moment to get involved. Help support local wildlife, contribute to real science, and experience the joy of watching nature thrive in our own backyard. Visit hartshornarboretum.org to learn how! If you haven't yet chosen your favorite charity to donate to this year, check out our 2025 Annual Appeal.
Sincerely,
CHA staff
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