When birdwatching has been an integral part of your life for so long, almost everything has an association with birds. Christmas is no exception.

For this holiday season, I’m going to examine some of my favorite Christmas birding associations and memories.

This one is a little morbid, but it clearly sticks out in my mind. When the boys were little, about 7 and 4, we sat on the floor by the tree Christmas morning passing out their gifts one by one. I glanced out the sliding glass door onto the deck only to see a Cooper’s hawk devouring a mourning dove about six feet away.

Both boys followed my gaze and noticed the scene as feathers and small drops of blood encircled the birds on the snow. I was unsure what the boys’ reaction would be and was relieved when they said, “Oh cool,” instead of being mortified and having their Christmas ruined.

On a lighter note, the Christmas Bird Count has been a big part of my holiday season for well over 20 years now. The CBC is an annual bird census organized by the Audubon Society whereby volunteer birdwatchers count as many birds as possible in one day. The data collected provides information to scientists on bird trends, migration patterns, and the potential impacts of climate change, ultimately aiding in bird conservation efforts.

I participate each year in a count in southern Connecticut that includes varied habitats such as Long Island Sound, freshwater ponds and wooded areas. The habitats account for a wide variety of birds, including several ducks and other fowl overwintering on the Sound.

Speaking of ducks, which happen to be my favorite type of bird to watch, the holiday season is a good time to find them, assuming there is open water nearby. Many ducks migrate only as far south as necessary to find open water, meaning the larger lakes and rivers in New England can be productive places to find waterfowl. A (relatively) quick trip to the coast or Long Island Sound will yield great results with birds such as loons, eiders, scoters, scaup and long-tailed ducks likely to be found.

It reminds me of a Christmas season many years ago when I was relatively new to the hobby, and two of my brothers and I visited a marina on Lake Erie in my old hometown of North East, Pennsylvania. The marina held ducks such as bufflehead, goldeneye, red-breasted mergansers and greater scaup. The memorable part of the trip was that my brothers stayed in the car as it was so cold and blustery that only a fool would be out there looking for ducks. They didn’t say anything, but I know they questioned my sanity, and I can only imagine the conversation they had while I was out there.

Cardinals are often the featured species for December on bird calendars and are a staple on holiday cards, ornaments and other Christmas décor. Cardinals are a symbol of hope and renewal, and many people consider cardinals to be a representation of a loved one who has passed away. “Cardinals appear when angels are near,” the saying goes.

I’m not a terribly spiritual person, but I do associate birds with my parents, both of whom are deceased. A lone chickadee flitted among the trees at my mother’s funeral many years ago, and blue jays were my father’s favorite bird. I don’t necessarily believe these birds are the embodiment of my parents when I see them, but they do make me think of my mother or father, so there’s something to be said about that.

Happy holidays everyone.

For the Birds runs on Mondays in The Sentinel. Chris Bosak may be reached at chrisbosak26@gmail.com or through his website http://www.birdsofnewengland.com