Saturday, Dec. 11 - Upper Bidwell Park. Meet at 8 AM at the old shooting range at Horseshoe Lake. This will give you a chance to brush up your skills of observation of Passerines and Raptors before the Christmas Bird counts begin. Dress warmly and bring lunch and liquids.

Contact Richard Redmond for further details at 530/893-5382 or email chicobman@aol.com.

Saturday, Dec. 18 - Fall River. Meet at Jerry's Restaurant in Burney at 6 AM for breakfast and 7 AM for a day of great birding. Past counts have turned up Gray-crowned Rosy Finches, Tufted Duck and two species of Longspurs. There has been a Gyrfalcon around the northern part of California recently - who knows where it might show up! Sunday, Dec. 19 - Red Bluff. Meet at the Holiday market on Antelope Blvd. at 7 AM. Counts of the past have produced Broadwing Hawk, Roadrunner and a Kingbird of questionable heritage.

Tuesday, Dec. 28 - Peace Valley. Meet at the Crossroads Restaurant at 6 AM. If you have never been in the Sutter Buttes, here is your chance. There is access to several areas of the Buttes for this count. Just express your wishes to the compilers. Gray Lodge is also part of this count. Eurasian Wigeon, Northern Shrike, Blue Gray Gnatcatchers and Lawrence's Goldfinch have turned up on this count.

Wednesday, Dec. 29 - Redding. Meet at 7 AM at the Redding Convention Center (off 299 West). Species of note from this count are Oldsquaw, Green-tailed Towhee and Yellow-billed Loon.

Saturday, Jan. 1, - Oroville. Meet 6:30 AM at the Agricultural Commissioner's building on Grand Ave. Birds of note from the past are Red-breasted Merganser, White-winged Scoter and Northern Pygmy Owl.

Sunday, Jan. 2 - Chico. Meet at 6:30 AM at the Chico Creek Nature Center. This count has turned up such notables as Hooded Merganser, Cattle Egret, Swainson's Hawk and Brown Thrasher.

Concerning attending the Counts: Dress warm, and in layers. Bring Lunch and liquids. It costs $5 if you want your name in the field notes for the 2000 Christmas Count edition. If you don't feel comfortable on your own, you will be assigned to a leader who is a better than average birder. It's like being on a field trip with a very small group. Please join us for one or more of these wonderful counts.

Other Northern California CBC information is available on the Golden Gate Audubon Society web page at http://www.audubon.org/chapter/ca/goldengate/Conservation/ggasCBC99.htm.