The annual Christmas Bird Count in Poplar Bluff is coming up Friday, and organizers are looking for volunteers to help canvass the area.
More than 30 years old, the bird count is focused inside a 15-mile diameter circle, centered in Poplar Bluff. The total area, according to count compiler Bruce Beck, is about 177 square miles.
During the count, volunteers are divided into small teams and each is assigned a specific region of the count circle.
Using binoculars, spotting scopes and the naked eye, birds are counted by species throughout the day.
In the past, Beck noted, more than 70 individual species have been counted locally, including some rare birds.
Volunteers are asked to meet at 7:30 a.m. Friday at Hardees on Westwood Boulevard, where team and sector assignments will be passed out.
If you would like to help with the count, contact Beck at 573-785-3871 or by email at beckbugs42@gmail.com.