As it has in years past, the Vashon-Maury Island Audubon Society took part in the annual Christmas Bird Count — this year held from before dawn to dusk on Dec 31.

The count, which takes place predominantly in the United States and Canada, relies on volunteers to count birds in 15-mile diameter areas: at feeders, on tree tops, out on the water — anywhere they are spotted. Vashon’s counting circle includes all of Vashon and Maury Island, two-thirds of Blake Island, a sliver of Burien and some of the Kitsap Peninsula.

Final count numbers are still being tallied, but island photographers captured — and shared — some of the beauty of the birds counted that day.