On December 29, 24 volunteers participated in the 18th annual Wahkiakum Christmas Bird Count. The Wahkiakum circle straddles the Columbia River, including Cathlamet, Skamokawa and the Julia Butler Hansen Refuge in Washington and Knappa, Brownsmead and the Lewis & Clark Refuge in Oregon. The preliminary total is 115 species, close to average. After a few winters of low scaup numbers, Greater Scaup were once again the most abundant species in the circle, with a new high of 29,000 reported. 8500 Cackling Geese were a distant second.
No great rarities were found. A Northern Mockingbird has continued to be at the same Puget Island residence for over two years. Red-shouldered Hawks continue to be well-established. Just six Horned Larks were found at Whites Island. Other count day species that are more often missed than found for the Wahkiakum circle include White-winged Scoter, American Bittern, and Band-tailed Pigeon. I'll follow up today on a possible Mountain Chickadee. Despite at least six known individual Black Phoebes in the circle, none were found on count day.
Thanks to all volunteers!
-Andrew