Christmas doesn’t only mean gifting socks, eating too many cookies, and watching reruns of The Lord of the Rings on the sofa. To some across the nation, the Americas, and the Caribbean, Christmas also is a time for counting birds. And if you’re a birder like Lonnie Howard — a member of the Sangre de Cristo chapter of the National Audubon Society and the organizer of the Santa Fe Christmas Bird Count — ’tis the season of birding “holy days.”

The National Audubon Society’s Christmas Bird Count (CBC) program began in New York in 1900. Now in its 124th season, it is the longest running community science project in the U.S. Its goal is to assess the health of the bird population and to help guide conservation action. In 2021, 76,880 birders participated across the Americas and the Caribbean, with 64,882 in the field and 11,998 at feeders.

In Santa Fe, the first CBC took place in 1949 and, save for a few years of god-awful weather that subdued even the most stubborn of birders, has run for 70 seasons or so. This year, the Santa Fe CBC takes place from midnight to midnight on December 29. Participation is free, and all are welcome.

Howard, who sets up teams for the Santa Fe CBC, tries to pair beginners with experienced birders. For this reason, the earlier you sign up, the better. To sign up, shoot her an email. “One week before would be great,” she says. But “you can also sign up the night before.” Once you’ve signed up, Howard sends instructions.

The important part is that you do sign up ahead of time, Howard says. If you don’t, the National Audubon Society will not add the birds you identified and counted to the official CBC data.

The bird count is inclusive too. “You can learn to identify a bird by their sound,” Howard says, adding that people with visual disabilities can fully participate. As can birders who may find walking restrictive — they can sign up to count birds in their backyard or at feeders or request a team that will do less walking.

At the very least, participants will need warm clothes, comfortable shoes or boots, a charged phone with a camera (in case they spot an “unusual” bird), pen and paper, water, a thermos with tea or coffee, snacks, and food for counters who have to be out for more than a few hours.

No special equipment is required, although binoculars can enhance the experience. “Binoculars make birding more fun,” Howard says, “but there’s a lot to see and hear and become aware of even without them.” There’s no need to buy binoculars to participate, but if you do, Howard recommends lightweight 8x42 binoculars that are easy to focus.

Last year in Santa Fe, 61 birders identified 6,362 birds and 77 species. One team even spotted a golden eagle. The birds that are less common to the area are always fun to spot, such as the green-tailed towhee, which birders saw for the first time on a Santa Fe CBC last year.

“The resident roadrunner is always a treat to see, perhaps because there are not that many in Santa Fe,” Howard says. “Same for the merlin, a wintering bird here. Santa Fe is on the edge of red crossbill year-round and winter ranges, but they are not frequently seen because they’re so nomadic.”

If you’re lucky like I was during last year’s Christmas Bird Count, you might even see my favorite: the emoji-like ruby-crowned kinglet. The male has a hidden tuft of red feathers on its little head that it reveals when it’s excited.

Santa Fe Christmas Bird Count: Anytime between midnight and midnight, December 29

Most locations are within a 15-mile radius of the city center

To sign up, email Lonnie Howard, lonnieh@cybermesa.com

Other Christmas Bird Counts in New Mexico, including in Española and Los Alamos, take place between Thursday, December 14, and January 5, 2024 sfnm.co/nm-christmascount, sfnm.co/christmasbirdcount