Christmas Bird Count time is a good time to ask questions about
bird numbers and distribution patterns, if only on a qualitative
level.

A couple of trends I've noticed which the sharp-eyed CBC observer
may want to watch for and compare throughout the region:
1. Coastal Pied-billed Grebes numbers seem higher, turning up in
the River and Youngs Bay along with the usual ponds and sloughs.
2. The mob Western Grebe (usually dispersed by now) is still
300-400 strong in Youngs Bay.
3. Shearwaters and fulmars...
4. The promise of a Snowy Owl invasion unfulfilled (and
manifesting itself inland rather than along the coast).
5. Short-eared Owls...
6. Tree Sparrows, Harris' Sparrows

Any observations too add?

--
Mike Patterson Alas, to wear the mantle of Galileo,
Astoria, OR it is not enough to be persecuted
celata at pacifier.com by an unkind establishment,
you must also be right.
---Robert Park
http://www.pacifier.com/~mpatters/bird/bird.html