For 47 years, Yellowknifers have been gathering during the holiday season to tally the likes of ravens, finches and ptarmigan for the annual Ecology North Christmas bird count. 

This year, the event took place on Jan. 2, with a three-day window before and after the count for birders to participate online. 

Like many of the participants, Reid Hildebrandt has been attending the count for most of his life. This year, he spread his wings as the event鈥檚 coordinator, taking over for longtime organizer Robert Bromley. Hildebrandt said the day went 鈥渆ven better than I could have expected.鈥�

鈥淚t was a good count and a good day,鈥� he said. 

This year鈥檚 2020-21 bird count tied the record for most ever species spotted, 16. 

It was also the first year the group observed a red-breasted nuthatch 鈥� a small, chickadee-like bird, Hildebrandt explains, seen in Old Town.

Participants also spotted high numbers of finches, mid-winter pine grosbeaks, and record numbers of bohemian waxwings 鈥� 130 鈥� and ravens 鈥� 3,093 鈥� mostly seen at the dump.

Willow ptarmigans, Canada jays and house sparrows all had low counts. 

Katherine Thomas, education program manager with Ecology North, also helped to run the event. She said she was pleased with the 13 people who came out for the in-person activity, especially since this was one of the coldest bird counts to date. 

Thomas also commended the counters for having maintained appropriate social distance and wearing their masks indoors. 

As one of the few birding events for Yellowknifers, many participants of the Christmas bird count are regulars at the annual event. They generally already have the areas of town where they like to do their spotting, and take a mentoring role for newcomers, Thomas said.  

Hildebrandt intends to continue leading the flock for next year鈥檚 bird count. 

鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 take a lot of effort to run, and it鈥檚 something that I really enjoy,鈥� he said.