Hello All,
Well the Two Rivers CBC is history. It ran for 15 years starting with 7 participants in 1989 and ending yesterday with 26 good folks out in the field. This cbc was canceled once and that was last year due to -21degree temps. This circle was an outstanding site on which to conduct this count. Why would I end it? More on that later. Yesterday we as a group blew away many of our old records and I suspect a number of Washington State winter records. I will share a few of the highs and lows for this cbc. This count was conducted in light breeze propelled snow. All waters were open and roads mostly bare. The numbers are a tribute to the persistence and knowledge of the participants.

2 Jan.2005

Mallard....20,614
Northern Pintail....10,762
American Wigeon.....10,124
Killdeer.....66
Dunlin......18
American White Pelican.....18
Glaucous-winged Gull......89
Herring Gull.....81
Bald Eagle....11
Red-tailed Hawk.....127
Song Sparrow.....909

These are a few of the outstanding numbers. Several species new to this CBC were located.

These were......
Mountain Chickadee......6 birds
Trumpeter Swan.............1 bird
Least Sandpiper.............2 birds

The reason that I choose to end this cbc is that I would like to start another cbc in the northern foothills of the Blue Mountains near Dayton, Washington. Little is known of winter bird populations in this area. Blue Mountain Audubon has generously sponsored the Two Rivers CBC for 15 years. It is a small chapter and asking this group to sponsor three cbcs is out of the question. So in order to start the Northern Blues CBC, the Two Rivers CBC has to end unless someone would like to pick it up and continue with it outside of Blue Mountain Audubons sponsorship. It would be great to see that happen! If anyone is interested in taking the Two Rivers CBC on, by all means contact me.

A special thanks to all that gave of their time, knowledge and energy and ware and tare on their autos to establish an outstanding data base on the winter bird populations in the Lower Columbia Basin. If any of the Two Rivers CBC participants would like a compiled tally of all birds seen on a year by year basis please contact me.

Thank-you, Mike


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Mike & MerryLynn Denny
1354 S. E. Central Ave.
College Place, WA 99324
509.529.0080 (h)

IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN BIRDING, YOU HAVEN'T LIVED!
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