Birders have begun scouring the hillsides across North America. Yesterday in California, birders from the north to the south along the coast and in the deserts censused birds in the first 7 of 137 scheduled Audubon Christmas Bird Count circles in the state. There is still time to join. Contact the compilers listed at Nature Ali or on the Audubon website to find out where to meet and then come out and join the fun of citizen science in action. I am heading out to the first of 9 Christmas Bird Counts I hope to participate in this 113th CBC season. Good birding. Alison Sheehey, special Audubon CBC correspondent.