[Tweeters] Cle Elum CBC report

[Michael Hobbs]

On Monday, December 19th, we held the 18th annual Cle Elum Christmas Bird
Count.

Lots of snow and below-freezing weather before and during the count
probably pushed many birds down-valley in search of better conditions.
Surprisingly, though, various ponds did have some open water, so our
waterfowl species count was normal. Streams and creeks were almost
frozen-over; almost all of the American Dippers seen were on the river, not
the creeks. Although our Species Count was right around our median, the
number of birds was our lowest ever by quite a bit.

Fewer than 2500 birds were counted (almost 10% lower than the previous low,
and 30% below the median total). There was no one particular group of birds
that were absent; it was a very widespread deficit. A Low Count of
CALIFORNIA QUAIL left us 136 "chickens" below median (-55%). Pigeons and
Doves were 50 birds below median (-34%) . Raptors (including falcons) were
down 59 birds (-60%). Woodpeckers were down 59 birds (-39%). The "Littles"
(chickadees, wrens, nuthatches, kinglets, etc.) were 227 birds below median
(-51%). EUROPEAN STARLINGS were shy 166 (-66%). Thrushes, waxwings, and
HOUSE SPARROW combined to be down 61 birds (28%). A High Count of 275 for
AMERICAN GOLDFINCH left finches down just 63 birds (-14%). Blackbirds were
down by 33 (-79%). Only Sparrows were above median levels, and those by
just 93 birds (+21%). The 6th-most DARK-EYED JUNCOS and a high count of
WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS pushed those numbers up. Waterfowl, owls, Corvids,
and "other" were right around median levels.

We had 71 species, plus TRUMPETER SWAN count week.  We had two new species,
BARROW'S GOLDENEYE and AMERICAN COOT.  But we had low counts of CALIFORNIA
QUAIL, AMERICAN KESTREL, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, EUROPEAN STARLING,
GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW, and SONG SPARROW.  The high count of goldfinch was
the only HC that made a significant difference in the total number of birds.

My crews did a great job dealing with the cold, the snow, and the
birdlessness.  Hopefully we'll get a break with the frigid conditions next
year.

= Michael Hobbs
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/pipermail/tweeters/attachments/20230112/a5dfb103/attachment.html>