Subject: [Tweeters] County Yearlist Project update available at WA Birder
Date: May 15 15:00:01 2014
From: Matt Bartels - mattxyz at earthlink.net


Hi Tweeters & Inland NW Birders -

An updated version of the 2014 County Yearlist Project is up and available at Washington Birder. We've received updates from all but two of the 39 counties as of the end of April. Thanks to everyone who has contributed by sending county compilers their sightings &/or posting on ebird.

An end-of-April cut off for produces a lot of variability in the lists -- there is so much that is coming in right around the first of May that the precise totals for each county are pretty insignificant -- one week earlier or later could make the difference for a dozen or more species , easily.
Nevertheless, here's a bit of year-on-year comparing!

As of the end of April 2014, 318 species had been tallied -- that's well under last year's end-April total of 332. Western WA, at 278 species was also well short of last year's 292, and Eastern WA's 259 is likewise well below last year's 269.

Of the 25 species reported in 2013 and not yet in 2014, I count at least 11 that have actually been seen but just didn't make the list [either because they are in one of the missing counties or because of being seen just after May 1]. So though we are perhaps a bit slower than last year in terms of birds, I don't think there's too much difference at this macro level.

14 counties reported the same or higher totals than at the same time last year. Walla Walla County is leading the way with 206, edging out Clallam this year [along w/ close followers King, Thurston & Yakima].

If you'd like to take a look at where things stand, the list and many other interesting files are at the Washington Birder website:

http://www.wabirder.com/


A direct link to the 2014 county yearlist & the list of county compilers contact info:
http://www.wabirder.com/county_yearlist.html



Thanks to all the compilers and all those pitching in to sketch a picture of another year's birds in WA.


Matt Bartels
Seattle, WA