IRON MOUNTAIN – The 2021 Christmas Bird Count in Dickinson County will take place Saturday, Dec. 18.

Coordinator Phyllis Carlson of Quinnesec is seeking volunteers to help. The local count is done in roughly the lower one-third of Dickinson County. Volunteers do not have to commit an entire day but can spend as little as a couple of hours searching a set area, Carlson said.

Since all information must be filed through the local coordinator, those who might want to volunteer or offer other assistance need to contact Carlson at pcarlson729@gmail.com — note that an earlier announcement published had an error in the email address — or 906-774-5868.

The effort is part of the National Audubon Society’s 122nd annual 24-hour “bird census” within designated areas in the U.S., Canada, and many countries in the Western Hemisphere. Data gathered is analyzed to gauge how avian populations might be expanding their numbers and range, or losing ground.