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Winter Bird Count
In the 1800's it was common practice for people in the United States to engage in a holiday tradition known as a "Christmas Side Hunt". Participants would choose sides and head off with their guns on December 25th each year. The side that returned with the most dead birds and mammals "won".
In 1900, ornithologist (and early officer in the Audubon Society) initiated the first "Christmas Bird Census" to count, rather than kill birds on Christmas Day. That first count included 27 birders in 25 locations and registered more than 18,000 birds of 90 species.
This video was shot on December 19, 2009 during the first Winter Bird Count ever in Antioch College's Glen Helen. It features Glen Director, Nick Boutis describing conservation projects and potential collaborations between the College and the Glen.