It appears both birds and bird watchers are taking advantage of the warmer weather this winter in the territory.

A record number of people took part, spotting a record number of bird species, in the annual Boxing Day bird count in Whitehorse, says Jim Hawkings, who co-ordinates the annual Whitehorse count.

The count is one of many thousands that happen around the world throughout the two weeks over Christmas-New Year’s. It’s a way to gather data about bird populations that can then be analyzed.

The Whitehorse bird count is one of 14 happening in the territory, along with another two counts in Atlin, B.C. and Skagway, Alaska to learn about bird populations in the region.

Hawkings, who has retired from a long career with the Canadian Wildlife Service in Whitehorse, is also secretary/treasurer of the Yukon Bird Club.

While he is still going through the results, he said, there were at least 31 different bird species spotted on Dec. 26 as part of the count. That compares with a previous record of 28.

The number of people looking for birds also broke the previous record of 40, with a total of 47 individuals out this year spotting birds in the Whitehorse area.

The 2013 count saw 26 people turn out spotting 27 species of birds.

For the Whitehorse count, volunteers split up their bird watching along a 24-kilometre diameter that’s based at the intersection of the Alaska Highway and Two Mile Hill.

Many longtime volunteers with the bird count had the advantage this year of being able to walk more easily in the bush – without having to put on a pair of snowshoes – to spot the birds or simply look out on open water to see the winged creatures.

Birds spotted were often those winged creatures that would normally have headed south already.

Of note, Hawkings pointed to a loon, rusty black birds and a record number of eagles, with 30 spotted not only near the city’s landfill but throughout the city.

Previously, the highest number of eagles was 15, typically spotted near the landfill.

Hawkings had expected there to be a huge number of wax wings based on the hundreds that were descending upon area trees just a week or two before, but was surprised to learn only about 150 were spotted.

As he noted though, wax wings often leave the territory shortly before Christmas. It’s not always a given that there will be a lot spotted during the Christmas count.

Volunteers on other counts around the territory over the Christmas season have also noted a number of bird species remaining in the area, with water bodies remaining open.

Trumpeter swans, for example, were seen during the count in Johnson’s Crossing.

Hawkings expects if winters in the Yukon continue to stay as warm as this one has been, volunteers with the Christmas count will continue to spot numerous species that have previously left the territory earlier in the season.