Subject: [Tweeters] Clallam Co. list tops 350 by Jan. 5th!!
Date: Jan 6 00:05:07 2007
From: bboek at olympus.net - bboek at olympus.net


Oops, wrong web site...

Oh, I finally have the Sequim-Dungeness CBC tallies completed. On
Dec. 18, 2006, 103 field observers and 31 feeder watchers in our
count circle saw a superb 145 species comprised of 81,339 birds.
This was our third highest species total, next to 147 in 2004 and 146
in 2002, and our highest ever total individual count. Our success
was largely due to great weather (overcast with calm winds) and great
observers.

It was dabbling duck heaven in Dungeness Bay and nearby habitats.
Top ten species were Mallard (20,334 individuals), Am. Wigeon
(13,696), N. Pintail (6328), Am. Robin (4462), large pink-legged
gulls (3870, lumping Glaucous-winged types and Olympics), Dunlin
(2519), Brewer's Blackbird (2225), Eur. Starling (1958), Bufflehead
(1643), and Red-winged Blackbird (1599). These 10 species comprised
72 percent of all the birds we saw.

High counts for the 31 years of our CBC occurred for Canada Goose
(846), Am. Wigeon, Mallard, Yellow-billed Loon (8), Cooper's Hawk
(33), Heermann's Gull (2), large pink-legged gull, Barn Owl (11),
Great Horned Owl (7), Anna's Hummingbird (10), Downy Woodpecker (44),
Hairy Woodpecker (33), Fox Sparrow (174), and Pine Grosbeak (23).

Other species numbering well above averages for the last 10 years
included Trumpeter Swan (29), N. Pintail, N. Flicker (180), Pileated
Woodpecker (10), Hutton's Vireo (13), Brown Creeper (32), Golden-
crowned Kinglet (1348), and Red-winged Blackbird.

Species with low counts relative to averages over the last 10 years
were Long-tailed Duck (469), Ring-necked Pheasant (2), and Wilson's
Snipe (4).

Missed on count day but seen during count week were Ruddy Duck,
Prairie Falcon, and Swamp Sparrow.

Lots of unusual species:
Canvasback - 1 at a local pond
Redhead - 3 at local ponds
Wild Turkey - 6 (Three years ago a local landowner apparently
released a group of Wild Turkeys near the Dungeness River. The birds
became wild, wandering over a mile or so up and downstream in the
riparian forest. We know that last summer one pair successfully bred
in the wild and raised 6 chicks, which were located in the woods by
one of our field observers. We therefore bravely include this
species in this year's count. We have not included turkey on our
list in the past because they did not breed, but this year they did,
so we're counting the offspring. One of our field observers has been
faithfully following the turkeys' saga since they first appeared, so
we know these details.)
Sora - 1 bird at Graysmarsh, where one has been found for 8 of the
last 11 CBCs.
Yellow-billed Loon - 8!!! Seven of these were found by our boat
party in the Strait and one seen from Dungeness Spit. Quite amazing,
since the other three loon species had below average or near average
counts.
Rough-legged Hawk - 1 near Dungeness
Marbled Godwit - 7 on Dungeness Spit
Red Phalarope - 1 spotted by the boat party
Heermann's Gull - 2 in Sequim Bay
Thick-billed Murre - 1 spotted by the boat party
Burrowing Owl - 1 found sitting in Port Williams Road at 4:20 a.m.
Barn Swallow - 2 flying over Graysmarsh. This is the third year in a
row that we have had CBC Barn Swallows - Why are they staying north?
Snow Bunting - 1 at Dungeness Spit
Pine Grosbeak - 23 (previous high count was 6 in 2004)

Our count has become very consistent, thanks to consistent numbers of
great observers and Sequim's cooperative weather, so we don't think
we missed too much. Possible misses for our count this year were Am.
Bittern, Bonaparte's Gull, and Orange-crowned Warbler, although none
of these was found during count week either. An example of this
count's consistency is that the species total has now been 140 or
more species for 9 years straight, and for 10 of the past 11 years.
Our party-hours are also amazingly consistent - last year they added
up to 244.25 party hours, and this year they were 245.5. So we think
our coverage is pretty good, but it could always be better.

Many thanks to all our wonderful counters, plus many many thanks to
landowners and agencies that permit access (Dungeness NWR, Protection
Is. NWR, Graysmarsh Farms, Olympic Game Farm, and more) and to our
two great boat owners and skippers.

Bob Boekelheide
Dungeness River Audubon Center
Sequim