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As a millennial who developed a bird obsession before the COVID-19 pandemic, my picture of what it means to be a “birder,” and especially a “young birder,” has changed quite a bit in the eight years since I joined my first Christmas Bird Count (CBC). And that’s a beautiful change for the world of birding and conservation. 

During my first December count in 2017, I was the youngest person in our group by a good margin. So I’m especially inspired by what I’ve seen more recently: my last two CBC team leaders were both high school students with a deep passion for birds.

This year, my CBC trip leader was Preston Hinds, a Venice High School student and president of his school’s ornithology club. Preston didn’t end up leading our count at the ̽����ѡ Center at Debs Park in Los Angeles by coincidence—he knew Debs Park (and the birds who thrive there) well, because his passion for birds grew during his time as an ̽����ѡ Youth Leader at the center. 

Our count included Allen’s Hummingbirds; a Red-tailed Hawk; woodpeckers like Red-breasted Sapsucker and Northern Flicker; corvids including California Scrub-Jay and Common Raven; and a variety of songbirds such as Oak Titmouse, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Bewick’s Wren, and Hermit Thrush. We also spotted several finches, including House Finches and a Purple Finch that was an especially delightful highlight and a lifer for many members of our group, along with a fantastic lineup of sparrows (White-crowned, Golden-crowned, Song, and Lincoln’s), towhees (California and Spotted), and warblers (Orange-crowned and Yellow-rumped).

Preston planned to head to another section of Debs Park to check on a Mountain Chickadee he expected to find again. Most of our group was ready to call it a day, but I was intrigued by the prospect of spotting a Mountain Chickadee in LA. Preston warned me it was a steep hike, and he was right!

By the time we reached the top, I was catching my breath and taking in the view, looking down to spot the ̽����ѡ Center at Debs Park below us, while Preston focused on the reason we climbed such a steep hill. “There,” he said, picking up the Mountain Chickadee’s “fee-bee, fee-bee” call. Within seconds, he had eyes on the bird and helped me spot it. The chickadee seemed too busy locating snacks to pay us any attention. Preston remarked on how cool it was to consider that this individual bird could be his exact “life bird” from the year prior, reaping the benefits of habitat restoration efforts at Debs Park and finding the perfect spot to overwinter before heading back to the mountains for nesting season.

Preston’s enthusiasm was contagious. And his confidence and care in guiding me to the chickadee, and our group through the CBC survey, said so much about what’s possible when young people have real opportunities to connect with nature right here in Los Angeles. It was inspiring not only to see a young birder leading our group as part of a hemispheric community science tradition, but also to witness the ripple effect of strong youth programming at the ̽����ѡ Center at Debs Park.

Programs like ̽����ѡ Youth Leaders help young people like Preston build the skills to lead and build a lasting connection to birds. They carry that passion forward - sharing it with their peers and guiding others to see, appreciate, and care for our shared birds and the places that help them thrive.