Audubon’s Christmas Bird Count has count circles active following Dec. 25.

The count is the longest-running community science survey in the world.

This holiday season marks the 120th year that volunteers will fan out across the state, the country and much of the Western Hemisphere to count birds.

Each individual count takes place in a 15-mile-wide circle and is led by a compiler responsible for organizing volunteers and submitting observations directly to Audubon. Within each circle, participants tally all birds seen or heard that day, not just the species but total numbers to provide a clear idea of the health of that particular population.

Bird counts in this area scheduled after Christmas Day are:

Dec. 27: Hatteras Count. Pat Moore. 252-995-4777

Dec. 28. Bodie-Pea Island. Jeff Lewis and Al Hooks. 252-216-6336

Dec. 29. Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge. Susan Campbell. 910-695-0651. Note: Party assignments are made well ahead of the count (by email). Compilation is held just after dark at the Refuge Visitor’s Center.

Dec. 30. Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. Contact Jeff Lewis to participate. 252-216-6336.

Dec. 30. Ocracoke Island. Call Peter Vankevich to RSVP. 202-468-2871.

Dec. 31. Portsmouth Island. Peter Vankevich. 202-468-2871. Vankevich writes:

“We will depart from Ocracoke’s Silver Lake Harbor for the boat trip over. This is RSVP and there is a boat fee for Captain Rudy Austin to take us over and back. Contact me for further details. Be prepared for all sorts of weather. I’ve gone from seeing ice in puddles in the village to being bitten by a mosquito around noon.”

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