Tweets & INWBirders-

Here's the year-end report for the 2011 county year-list project.
The combined results are posted online at: http://www.wabirder.com/bartel.html

Every year for the past six years, we've had compilers for each of Washington's 39 counties, trying to record a cumulative year list for each county to see what is being seen. While individual county listing is fun, the idea behind this project is to try to keep track of the 'community' list: all the birds seen by anyone, rather than just those seen by one person. The result is something of a picture of the birds of Washington for 2011.

We are well underway with the 2012 compiling. A list of this year's compilers can be found at the bottom of the same page on Washington Birder: http://www.wabirder.com/bartel.html .
If you go birding somewhere and want to help with this project, send the relevant compiler your list of sightings. As the year progresses and we post mid-year updates, you can help the compilers even more by looking for misses on the list that you have seen and telling the compiler about those specific birds.

Some 'results' from 2011:
A total of 391 species were reported around the state in 2011, higher than our state total for the past two years, but still below the 2007 high of 400. Western WA counties reported 359 species, and 319 were recorded in Eastern Washington in 2011. For the state and for Western WA, those numbers are about average, and Eastern WA was a bit lower than normal this year. Overall, I think you can draw few conclusions from any apparent trends at such an abstract level -- too much is condensed in the simple yes/no question of whether a species was seen state-wide. That said, it is interesting to learn which species are seen everywhere or nowhere...

61 species seen in all 39 counties - This was the first year when Eurasian Collared-Dove made it to all 39 counties in WA -- we've been conquered!

Snowy Owl made an appearance in 26 of the 39 counties, according to our totals -- a pretty good indication of the winter irruption.

31species were seen only in 1 county.

Not many notable state-wide misses pop out, but Buff-breasted Sandpiper was not reported this year, and a few of the fall migrant warbler vagrants like Magnolia, Black-throated Blue & Blackburnian gave the state a miss this year.

At the county level the top counts this year went to the following counties: Clallam [283], Skagit [276], Okanogan [263], Yakima [260], & Grays Harbor [253]. In all, 29 counties reported over 200 species this year , and all counties recorded over 170 species.

10 counties reported their highest year total in five years (Clallam, Cowlitz, Pierce, San Juan, Skagit, Skamania, Thurston, Ferry, Garfield, Stevens)

Another way of ranking counties is to look at which counties reported observations of the greatest percentage of their known county list -- 10 counties found over 75% of their total historical list , and the top five by this measure were: Okanogan & Stevens (83%), Garfield (82%), Yakima (81%) & Cowlitz (80%).

If you look over the list and notice anything not noted that you saw, make a resolution in 2012 to report to the compiler - we are sure more birds are being seen that we're recording, but we need the input of the community to enhance the picture.

Thanks to all the compilers who keep track of their county patches, and thanks to all the contributors who send their sightings in to the compilers.

Here's looking forward to 2012's birds, familiar and surprising.

Matt Bartels
Seattle, WA