Hi Tweeters & INWBers -

Here's the year-end report for the 2018 round of the county year-list project. Full results posted here:
http://wabirder.com/county_yearlist.html <http://wabirder.com/county_yearlist.html>

This was the 13th year we've recruited compilers from every county to keep track of sightings. The idea behind the project is to get behind the fun of individual county listing to compile a 'community' list -; rather than just birds seen by a single individual, we attempt to pull together birds seen by anyone over the course of the year. It provides one perspective on the birds of Washington in 2018.

Some results for 2018:
389 species were reported statewide. That's below average [394.8] and tied for the 2nd lowest we've reported in 13 years, 8 below last year.
319 species for Eastern Washington. That's one better than last year, but still below our average [323.8]
366 species for Western Washington. That's one lower than last year, but still a little above the average [364.1].


Record high totals were reported for nine counties: Island [227], Lewis [208], San Juan [213], Snohomish [262 (tie w/2017], Wahkiakum [191], Chelan [244], Klickitat [246], Spokane [239], and Walla Walla [264].

19 Counties came in with totals higher than last year, 16 came in lower, and four (!) reported the same result his year and last.

27 counties had totals higher than their 2006-2018 average. The counties with the biggest variance from their average included Lewis [+20], Pierce [+21], San Juan [+22], Chelan [+23] on the upside, and Adams [-14], Okanogan [-21], & Pend Oreille [-13] on the low-side.


Species:
70 species were seen in all 39 counties, 166 were seen in 30 or more counties. While that's fewer 39-county birds this year than last, the # of 30+ county birds is identical to last year. At the other end of the spectrum, 29 species were reported in only one county this year. Eight of those 29 species were seen only in Clallam County.

There really were no totally surprising misses this year - the only missing species that are not a Washington Bird Records Committee review-list species were pelagic birds - things lik Parakeet Auklet and Horned Puffin.

In addition to the regular info at the link [http://wabirder.com/county_yearlist.html <http://wabirder.com/county_yearlist.html>] , I've included a simple sheet that compiles the annual county totals for each county from 2007-2018-- if you'd like to see how any county has trended over the years, this is the sheet to study.

2019 compiling is underway, and I encourage you to look up the compiler for counties you bird in and send along unusual sightings -- most compilers are checking eBird reports already, but eBird still misses a good bit and we appreciate the help making sure we hear about these sightings. You can find a list of the compilers at the above link

Thanks to all the compilers who track each county, and here's to a fun and surprising 2019. If you notice anything not noted on the 2018 list, let us know and make a resolution to report your sightings to the compiler this year .

Matt Bartels
Seattle, WA
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