After hearing Tom Weber interviewed on the local NPR station about the Thanksgiving Day count, I decided to add my contribution. I'm not sure what the count organizers hope to determine from the count, but the methodologically certainly limits any conclusions. The counter self-selects an area, and the instructions seem to encourage an area with a feeder or some other attraction in the center. Hence, any estimates of density will be worthless, yet the counter is instructed to be careful to count only the birds inside the circle. The circle size of 15 feet in diameter is very small, considering that bird densities are usually low in winter (except near feeders). But, what the heck; I had already flubbed up the banana pudding I made for Thanksgiving at the In-Laws, decided against driving into town to get the ingredients to try again, and so had a couple hours to kill.

I picked a big spruce tree for the center of my circle. I had a total of 2 birds in the circle: one Song Sparrow and one Junco (slate-colored). Also, another Junco (also slate-colored), another Song Sparrow, a Red-tailed Hawk, and a Magpie outside the circle. Total inside and outside the circle for the hour: 6 birds, 4 species. The Palouse is kind of bleak in winter. Cold, too. I gave thanks I wasn't a Song Sparrow or a Junco trying to scratch enough calories to get through another cold night.

Kelly Cassidy
Pullman