Milford, Iowa (NorthwestIowaNow.com) — If you have noticed more bald eagles than usual around the Iowa Great Lakes, the numbers back you up. The annual Christmas Bird Count, hosted by Lakeside Lab and Dickinson County Audubon, revealed a massive influx of our national bird.

That’s Nick Blocka with Lakeside Lab in Milford. The Christmas Bird Count dates back to 1900, and is a one-day event with volunteers turn citizen-scientist and literally count all of the birds they see during a specific time period.

Blocka reveals the one-day count for Dickinson County

That’s 6000 birds and 48 species.

This data now goes to the Audubon Society, and will supply valuable data conservation, tracking migration shifts and ecosystem health across the state.