Welcome to the 41st annual Point Reyes Christmas Bird Count, co-sponsored by PRBO Conservation Science, the Marin & Golden Gate Audubon Societies. Our CBC is a big count with 31 territories and usually over 200 participants, so we request your help with your attention to dates and timely responses. With everybody’s cooperation, lots of birds, a bit of luck with the weather, and Pam Ferrari's wonderful food, we will all have a great count.
The Count
The $5 Donation (required)
The Compilation Dinner
Online Registration, Forms and Payment
Contact the compilers
31 Count Areas and 2008 Summary

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Update-- Free coffee on count day at the Busy Bee Bakery in Inverness Park (but you must buy a pastry) tell them that Bubba sent you and enjoy your coffee.

The Count-- In the past few years the number of field participants has been well over 200—one of the biggest counts in North America. Every year the compilers and the area leaders try to ensure consistent coverage of each of the count's territories with a good mix of skill level, gender, personality, stamina and knowledge of the habitat. We need time to do this -- so sign up with us, the compilers, by Dec.1 by completing the form below, online at www.forestdata.com/cbc. Do not try to register by contacting your area leader as that will just create extra work and confusion for everybody.

The deadline to register and get your preferred area (to the degree possible) is December 1, when we will be finalizing our area roster. (You are welcome to sign up after December 1, just know that you may not get your desired area.) When you sign up, please do so with the willingness to count even if it rains. Rain DOES NOT cancel.

The thirty-one area leaders will receive their packets approximately December 7. Expect a call or email from them around that time. If your assigned area leader has not contacted you by December 15, contact us then - so we can investigate. You will not hear from us after this letter. This is the only communication you will receive this year, so hang on to this letter and bookmark http://www.forestdata.com/cbc where you can obtain updated information. Your next contact will be from your area leader.

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The $5 Donation (required). The $5.00 Audubon tax-deductible day-of-count cash donation from each participant is a must. You not only get the annual Christmas American Bird magazine edition in return but the donation helps support the overall CBC nationally. All participants over 18 years of age are expected to pay. Please bring the exact cash (no checks) and give it to your field area leader on the day of the count. Do not send it to us. $5.00 is a small donation, and it helps a lot!

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The Compilation Dinner: The post-count compilation dinner has become a very popular event. Our attendance hovers around 175. Pam Ferrari Catering will prepare a wonderful homemade, fresh, organic meal for us. Pasta with olive oil and pesto or marinara sauce, fresh baked local Brick Maiden crusty French bread, fresh butter or olive oil to dip, an interesting seasonal salad, big fresh baked cookie or brownies, tea and coffee. We will provide Inverness water. If you prefer another beverage, you are welcome to bring it yourself. The dinner is for counters and their families only. The Dance Palace, 503 B Street, in Point Reyes Station will be open starting at 4:00 pm and Pam will start serving dinner at around 5:15.

YOU MUST SIGN UP AND PAY $12 IN ADVANCE FOR THE DINNER. Registration forms and checks should be sent, payable to John Longstreth, PO Box 657, Inverness, California 94937 and received preferably by December 1, but not later than December 15. It is important that you order dinner in advance since Pam purchases fresh ingredients based upon our order. There is no refund after December 15, since the ingredients will be purchased and you will not receive a refund if you do not attend. When ordering a meal(s) list the person(s) you are paying for. (If you haven't pre-paid, at the door the cost for dinner, if available, will be $20. If too many people do this, we will run out of food.) Please do not procrastinate.

Volunteers Needed for Compilation Dinner. We understand that after a day out in the field, you would just like to relax, but we do need some volunteers. On December 1 we will post at www.forestdata.com/cbc a list of volunteer positions that we will need at the compilation dinner.

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Forms and Payment

Contact the compilers: The best way to communicate and obtain more information is by email. You can contact John Longstreth and Tom Gaman at:

E-mail -- mailto:ptreyescbc@gmail.com Important: please put “CBC RESPONSE” in the subject line

John Longstreth or Tom Gaman (415) 669-7100 (Please don’t call us both with the same question).

Web site: www.forestdata.com/cbc Important CBC information will be posted in a timely manner, check in around 1 December 2009.

Dinner Reservations and Checks: Postal mail: Pt Reyes CBC, c/o John Longstreth, P.O. Box 657, Inverness 94937. Checks payable to John Longstreth please.

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