Don’t be surprised if see more people equipped with binoculars than usual in parks and along roadsides all over Polk County in the coming weeks.
The time for the annual Audubon Society Christmas bird count is approaching. Locally, the effort will begin Saturday with the Lake Region Audubon Society count in the Lakeland-Winter Haven area. That will be followed by the Ridge Audubon count on Dec. 26.
There is also a count at Avon Park Air Force Range tentatively scheduled for Dec. 30 and a count in the Green Swamp around Colt Creek State Park in early January.
As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago with the upcoming hiking season, the COVID-19 pandemic is also affecting how the bird counts are being conducted.