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Christmas Bird Counts -- anyone participate? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter csanchez7
- Start date
KenM
Well-known member
Larry Sweetland
Formerly 'Larry Wheatland'
can't resist posting this having seen the thread title
Turtle Dove 2
partridge sp 1
goose sp 6 (breeding confirmed)
swan sp 7
3
Turtle Dove 2
partridge sp 1
goose sp 6 (breeding confirmed)
swan sp 7
3
ovenbird43
Well-known member
Yep, at least the Syracuse and New Woodstock counts, and I'm considering other regional counts. My Syracuse territory is mostly urban so will not likely turn up anything noteworthy. The New Woodstock territory is out in the country, nothing staked out yet but there are possibilities of winter finches, Northern Goshawk, rare gulls at the compost heap, and Snow Buntings/Lapland Longspur/Northern Shrike.
Mysticete
Well-known member
I really enjoy bird counts but my holiday travel plans usually mean I miss the local ones and miss the one where my parents live. Also just haven't had time yet to really research the different ones that are probably on Long Island.
Next year hopefully I can get a few down.
Next year hopefully I can get a few down.
I'm co-compiler of the Gainesville (Florida) CBC, which this year will be held 20 December. We have a staked out flock of swifts (likely Vaux's) roosting in a chimney on the UF campus, Vermilion, Least, and Ash-throated, flycatchers, Nashville, Warbler, Gray-headed Swamphen, Great White Heron. The Fulvous Whistling-Duck has gotten scarce. Could use a bit of cold weather up north to drive some more ducks and finches south, but not so cold as to drive away those flycatchers and swifts!
Andy
Andy
Nutcracker
Stop Brexit!
ovenbird43
Well-known member
Going to be in the 60's here in Syracuse this weekend, still waiting for our first real snow of winter... crazy!
My friend asked about CBC the other day. Is it a global or USA-only event? My friend was sort of excited to participate but I said I think CBC has very complicated organization (not like GBBC where you can decide on a whim to go to a certain spot, record the birds and just plug in and enter the list) and that we are likely to get overwhelmed if we participated.
Besides, our Christmas is on January 7th so the late-December census two weeks before would not have the symbolic meaning, although I think it would be great to have some event to mark the end of calendar year (and scout the local patches for winter migrants to be ticked on Jan 1st).
Besides, our Christmas is on January 7th so the late-December census two weeks before would not have the symbolic meaning, although I think it would be great to have some event to mark the end of calendar year (and scout the local patches for winter migrants to be ticked on Jan 1st).
The Christmas Bird Count is conducted entirely in the New World. I think some time ago, they tried to be more global, but the counts never got established in any Old World locations. They should be run year after year in the same 15-mile diameter circle to establish continuity, and with adequate coverage to accurately census bird populations. Many of the counts in North America have long histories: the count here in Gainesville Florida, where I am co-compiler, has a 60-year history, with ca. 100+ participants. We have split up the circle into 11 sectors, and each sector has a separate captain who oversees 1-4 teams to cover the sector. Some counts, though may only have a few folks in one party. Data on effort (hours and distance traveled) are used to standardize differences among counts and among years. Counts are conducted between 14 December to 4 January.
Andy
Andy
Larry Lade
Moderator
December 12, 2015
(Saturday)
Lake Contrary area
St. Joseph, MO
9:30 AM to 11:30 AM
*Pre-run of my area for next week's MOSJ CBC
Canada Goose, 40
Gadwall, 3
Bufflehead, 1 female
Pied-billed Grebe, 3
Bald Eagle, 1 adult
Red-tailed Hawk, 4
America Coot, 12
Killdeer, 5 (unexpected)
Euras. Collared-Dove, 3
Mourning Dove, 2
R-bellied Woodpecker, 6
Downy Woodpecker, 6
American Crow, 4
Tufted Titmouse, 2
White-breasted Nuthatch, 3
Ruby-crowned Kinglet, 1
European Starling, 1250
Am. Tree Sparrow, 4
Dark-eyed Junco, 35
Harris's Sparrow, 7
W-throated Sparrow, 3
Song Sparrow, 4
Swamp Sparrow, 3
Northern Cardinal, 11
Red-winged Blackbird, 61
American Goldfinch, 2
House Sparrow, 10
*27 species in regular count area
(Saturday)
Lake Contrary area
St. Joseph, MO
9:30 AM to 11:30 AM
*Pre-run of my area for next week's MOSJ CBC
Canada Goose, 40
Gadwall, 3
Bufflehead, 1 female
Pied-billed Grebe, 3
Bald Eagle, 1 adult
Red-tailed Hawk, 4
America Coot, 12
Killdeer, 5 (unexpected)
Euras. Collared-Dove, 3
Mourning Dove, 2
R-bellied Woodpecker, 6
Downy Woodpecker, 6
American Crow, 4
Tufted Titmouse, 2
White-breasted Nuthatch, 3
Ruby-crowned Kinglet, 1
European Starling, 1250
Am. Tree Sparrow, 4
Dark-eyed Junco, 35
Harris's Sparrow, 7
W-throated Sparrow, 3
Song Sparrow, 4
Swamp Sparrow, 3
Northern Cardinal, 11
Red-winged Blackbird, 61
American Goldfinch, 2
House Sparrow, 10
*27 species in regular count area
Jeff Hopkins
Just another...observer
Our count (Allentown, PA) is this coming Saturday. The count circle is split into 12 areas centered on our local Audubon HQ. Each block is surveyed by a group of 3 or 4 people. The four who do our area (Block 12) are usually the same 4 guys who've been doing it for the last 15 years (provided we're not away on business). Our block leader has been doing it since 1973, and he has all the records from every count that he's done.
Block 12 is mostly suburban homes and farm fields with some woodsy patches, although it was gerrymandered to include a large flooded quarry which always gives us a few duck species. But the fields are disappearing fast. Every year there are more housing developments and smaller fields, thanks to (human) migrants from New Jersey.
50 species is a typical count for our area and about 80 for the overall Allentown CBC. Species we hope in our block for but don't always get are snipe, killdeer, kestrel, and harrier.
But if we want big totals in our block, we need waterfowl. As of yesterday, there was a tundra swan and some GW teal at the quarry. Hopefully they stick around until Saturday. But other than that, I'm not expecting much. We haven't had the large flocks of snow geese we get here, and with the warm temps in Ontario and NY, most of our usual ducks haven't bothered to come south for the winter yet.
Block 12 is mostly suburban homes and farm fields with some woodsy patches, although it was gerrymandered to include a large flooded quarry which always gives us a few duck species. But the fields are disappearing fast. Every year there are more housing developments and smaller fields, thanks to (human) migrants from New Jersey.
50 species is a typical count for our area and about 80 for the overall Allentown CBC. Species we hope in our block for but don't always get are snipe, killdeer, kestrel, and harrier.
But if we want big totals in our block, we need waterfowl. As of yesterday, there was a tundra swan and some GW teal at the quarry. Hopefully they stick around until Saturday. But other than that, I'm not expecting much. We haven't had the large flocks of snow geese we get here, and with the warm temps in Ontario and NY, most of our usual ducks haven't bothered to come south for the winter yet.
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Nutcracker
Stop Brexit!
I'd guess the nearest equivalents over here are New Year's Day bird races on 1 Jan or very soon after (very informal, no overseeing organisation), and the RSPB's Big Garden Watch in late January.
ptickner
Well-known member
I usually do 2 counts. My local count in Colorado is always before Christmas, and then I join my father for his local count in Georgia, usually right after New Year's. We've been doing the GA one for quite a few years now, and it has become a fun family holiday tradition.
I'd like to see the CBC go more global. The number of counts in Central and South America is increasing every year, and from talking to friends who do them, they have gotten fairly competitive, especially between a couple of the sites in Ecuador and Costa Rica. Yanayacu, Ecuador had almost 500 species a couple of years ago! That sure beats the few dozen I'll probably get in my Colorado count this year.
I'd like to see the CBC go more global. The number of counts in Central and South America is increasing every year, and from talking to friends who do them, they have gotten fairly competitive, especially between a couple of the sites in Ecuador and Costa Rica. Yanayacu, Ecuador had almost 500 species a couple of years ago! That sure beats the few dozen I'll probably get in my Colorado count this year.
Thank you Andy! I shared this info with our local FB group (where the question was first posted).
We more active birders all participate in IWC (waterbird census) in mid January which I think is a pan-Old-World project (it demands some experience with water birds and is unfortunately limited to a set list of water bird species; we don't even count crows which would easily be 4th or 5th most abundant species in the location I surveyed last winter), and before that we usually have fun building up our New Year lists on our own.
We more active birders all participate in IWC (waterbird census) in mid January which I think is a pan-Old-World project (it demands some experience with water birds and is unfortunately limited to a set list of water bird species; we don't even count crows which would easily be 4th or 5th most abundant species in the location I surveyed last winter), and before that we usually have fun building up our New Year lists on our own.
Larry Lade
Moderator
Our St. Joseph, Missouri count began in 1963. I have participated in our count for the last 24 years. I have been the compiler for the last 9 years. Our average for the counts is 73 species. Last year was a little dismal with a total of 64 species. Our highest number of species was a couple of years ago with a count of 85. I am hoping for a count of around 75 this year. I will post this year's total after this Saturday's CBC count (December 19th.)
I participated in the Long Pine Key Christmas Bird Count in Everglades National Park on December 14th as the team leader for the Pinelands area. The warm temperatures and record rainfall meant that waterfowl, shorebirds, and waders were widely dispersed -- numbers were way down for those species.
However, the very wet conditions were very good for rails -- we recorded King, Virginia, Sora, Yellow, and Black. A total of 18 warbler species also made it onto the list, including Cape May, Black-throated Blue, Worm-eating, and Yellow-breasted Chat. Other good birds included a couple dozen Barn Swallow, Least Flycatcher, Brown-crested Flycatcher, and White-tailed Kite. There was a modest flight of American Robin and American Goldfinch, so we picked up a few of each of these irruptive species (we do not get them most years).
The absolute highlight of this count was an Eastern Kingbird, picked up by my team near the Daniel Beard Center. This bird should have arrived in South America back in October! One of the few documented winter records of this species in the USA.
We recorded 112 species which is near the long term average (114 species) for this circle. It was a lot of fun and the comaraderie between birders for this citizen science survey is truly special.
My next CBC is the Miami circle on December 19th. My last one is the Kendall circle on Decembr 26th -- my absolute favorite for the record smashing numbers of warblers we find wintering in suburbia every year.
However, the very wet conditions were very good for rails -- we recorded King, Virginia, Sora, Yellow, and Black. A total of 18 warbler species also made it onto the list, including Cape May, Black-throated Blue, Worm-eating, and Yellow-breasted Chat. Other good birds included a couple dozen Barn Swallow, Least Flycatcher, Brown-crested Flycatcher, and White-tailed Kite. There was a modest flight of American Robin and American Goldfinch, so we picked up a few of each of these irruptive species (we do not get them most years).
The absolute highlight of this count was an Eastern Kingbird, picked up by my team near the Daniel Beard Center. This bird should have arrived in South America back in October! One of the few documented winter records of this species in the USA.
We recorded 112 species which is near the long term average (114 species) for this circle. It was a lot of fun and the comaraderie between birders for this citizen science survey is truly special.
My next CBC is the Miami circle on December 19th. My last one is the Kendall circle on Decembr 26th -- my absolute favorite for the record smashing numbers of warblers we find wintering in suburbia every year.
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Larry Lade
Moderator
Wow! I may just have to plan a trip down south for one of those CBCs.
*How we can hit 75 species on Saturday here in St. Joseph, Missouri!
** I am relinquishing my compiler job (of 10 years) over to someone younger next year for our count. But I will still anxiously await our CBC enthusiastically each year as long as I am able to participate in these enjoyable and rewarding bird counting adventures.
*** I am also planning to help with a count at Swan Lake, Chillicothe, Missouri on Jan 2nd this year.
*How we can hit 75 species on Saturday here in St. Joseph, Missouri!
** I am relinquishing my compiler job (of 10 years) over to someone younger next year for our count. But I will still anxiously await our CBC enthusiastically each year as long as I am able to participate in these enjoyable and rewarding bird counting adventures.
*** I am also planning to help with a count at Swan Lake, Chillicothe, Missouri on Jan 2nd this year.
In the UK we have this in January https://ww2.rspb.org.uk/discoverandenjoynature/discoverandlearn/birdwatch similar idea but a better/worse time of year (depending upon your point of view). Although in the UK light is not that good at Christmas so I don't think it would work so well.
