Take part in the Audubon Society's annual Christmas Bird Count on Saturday, December 17, in Prospect Park

If you've got some nature fans on your hands (and we're guessing you do), bring them to Prospect Park on Saturday, December 17 (noon, 3pm), where they can take part in the 112th annual Christmas Bird Count (CBC). The event has nothing to do with the holiday; it's simply that the nationwide bird census falls in December each year (this year it lasts from Dec 14 through Jan 5; Dec 17 is NYC's designated count day). Mini eagle eyes will first learn about the CBC and its procedures, then scan the woods and the sky for birds, accompanied by members of the Brooklyn Bird Club, keeping track of what they see. Let your crew know that the numbers they come up with matter: The data is used by the Audubon Society for conservation purposes, as it can help scientists identify declines in population that may require the remedy of hunting restrictions or the clean-up of a toxic waste site. (Click here for details on efforts past CBCs have led to.) Sat Dec 17 at noon, 3pm. Prospect Park Audubon Center.