Nature Conservancy of Canada counting birds in northern N.B.

Amateur and professional bird enthusiasts are helping the Nature Conservancy of Canada count birds in northern New Brunswick.

More than 30 volunteers are travelling through parts of the four-hectare Tabusintac Estuary looking out for ducks and blue heron in the area.

“The Tabusintac Estuary is critical for migratory birds, it's a major fly over place for various tern colonies, great blue heron. But it's also significant between May and August because there's barrier beaches there for the endangered piping plover,” said conservancy spokesperson Andrew Holland.

The count helps track migratory trends or abnormalities in the various bird species and the information that's collected will be shared with the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Canada.

“It's only one of two of these sites in New Brunswick. So because of that it's an important bird area," said Holland

"We want to share the information with government agencies and others, it helps inform how much more habitat protection is needed in the area.”