Audubon Christmas Bird Counts continued this week with Saturday’s Mathews count, led by compiler Mark Sopko. The counts began in Virginia on Dec. 14 and continued through Monday, where participants count all birds within a 15-mile radius. Locally, the Middle Peninsula count was held on Dec. 27. The Audubon count provides an annual snapshot of the ecological health of the nation. On Monday, Sopko said that so far, he had 95 species and over 8,000 birds counted, with one more sector yet to report. Above, looking out over the East River are, from left, birders Scott Grady, Bob and Sue Sherrill, Susan Maples and Sopko. Below, a photo of a song sparrow sighted on the count, taken by Maples. PHOTO BY SUSAN MAPLES...