Hi Tweeters & Inland NW Birders -

An updated version of the 2016 County Yearlist Project is up and available at Washington Birder. We've received updates from all 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. A quick glance at the species not yet reported anywhere as of the end of April turns up over a dozen species that are not yet on the state list but that have since arrived or will be here very soon.

Nevertheless, here's a bit of year-on-year comparing!

As of the end of April 2016, 322 species had been tallied. That?s seven below last year?s total at this point, but above 2014?s total of 318.
Western WA, at 286 species was just two below last year?s breakneck pace. Eastern WA, at 260, was one above last year, and perhaps slightly higher than normal.

19 counties have reported higher totals than at this point last year. 19 have totals lower than last year. And one is at exactly the same total [nice consistency, Lewis!]

Clallam County [not surprisingly] leads the pack w/ 227 species. Walla Walla, at 207 has the highest for eastern WA. And Yakima and King Counties [both at 204] are the only other counties over 200 so far.

103 species have been seen in 30 or more counties already, 19 species have been seen in all 39 of our counties.

We'll be better able to see how the year is shaping up in a couple months when the reporting mark comes during a quieter time.

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/ <http://www.wabirder.com/>


A direct link to the 2016 county yearlist & the list of county compilers contact info:
http://www.wabirder.com/county_yearlist.html <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