Wednesday, December 26, 2018

Roseburg-Sutherlin Christmas Bird Count--December 15, 2018

This year we continued with a trend of new people joining the CBC: Thank-you Carol C, Cindy B, Marnie K, Angie W, Eric S, Maris W, Christine S, Jim H, Donna P, and John R. It's also great to see relatively new folks returning and strengthening the count coverage: Kelly B, Ken C, Sidney P, Greg Z, Bill & Nancy F, and Stacy B. And thanks to all the long-timers that give us shoulders to stand on!

We again met afterward at The Roost, and were well-fed by Serge Queant's famous seafood chowder, as well as Lisa Hunter's meat and veggie chilis, and a variety of other breads and desserts brought by Debbie Hamm and others. Thank-you to all who helped feed these hungry birders!

Early morning owling; yes it was cold! At this stop we had an amazing four species of owls: Northern Saw-whet Owl, Western Screech-Owl, Great-Horned Owl, and Barred Owl! At the other ten stops we had mostly nothing, so our persistence paid off. (Photo by Maris Wilson)
 
Weather was cold in the morning, but quite tolerable in the afternoon. Most birders commented on the low number of birds and the difficulty of finding birds. Their sentiments are reflected in the numbers. Total number of birds was 17,954, down from a high count of 39,149 last year, and lower than at least the previous five years. Last year we recorded an amazing 17,985 American Robins, more than all species combined this year!


One last look at a sparrow flock before leaving Ford's Pond (Photo by Maris Wilson)

Despite the low counts of birds, a very respectable total of 113 species was recorded this year, a little above the average of 110, but below the all-time high of 120 species.

The top ten most numerous birds observed this year were European Starling (2796), American Robin (2625), Canada Goose (1190), American Coot (819), American Wigeon (804), Dark-eyed Junco (778), Mallard (732), Brewer's Blackbird (562), American Crow (535), and Red-winged Blackbird (498). However, the most widespread birds, found by all 14 teams (with numbers), were Mallard (732), Red-tailed Hawk (73), California Scrub-Jay (188), Black-capped Chickadee (343), American Robin (2625), European Starling (2796), Dark-eyed Junco (778), Golden-crowned Sparrow (276), and Spotted Towhee (140). In contrast, 19 species were found in only one team area; not found by any other team (see links to summary tables below for more detail).
 
One new species was recorded for the count: YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT! This bird had been at Jim Houseman's backyard at Chevy's Pond (across Church Rd. from Ford's Pond), since December 9, and was seen and photographed on count day! There are only about a dozen winter records of this species in Oregon.

Yellow-breasted Chat (Photo by Matt Hunter)

Yellow-breasted Chat (Photo by Matt Hunter)

Two BARRED OWLS were heard at a single stop along Cole Road by Matt Hunter and crew, for only the 2nd count record. There are probably dozens in the count circle, but with only a small amount of owling effort they are unlikely to be detected. A BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER was found by Keith and Ken Phifer at the River Forks RV Park for the 3rd count record. Other species recorded 10 or fewer times in the count's history include: 4 TURKEY VULTURES (in two areas in west Roseburg, 5th count record); 1 male CINNAMON TEAL, Chevy's Pond (6th), 2 AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN, Ford's Pond (6th), 2 SNOW GOOSE in two different areas (9th).

Cinnamon Teal male (Photo by Matt Hunter)

American White Pelicans (Photo by Matt Hunter)

Snow Goose (Photo by Matt Hunter)

New record highs include: BUFFLEHEAD (373), COMMON GOLDENEYE (27), GREAT BLUE HERON (81), GREAT EGRET (56), AMERICAN PIPIT (270), and LESSER GOLDFINCH (305).

Record lows include: ROCK PIGEON (143),  TOWNSEND'S WARBLER (1), and PINE SISKIN (1).

Species missed that have been recorded on 30 or more of 44 historical counts include (and number of counts in which previously recorded): RING-NECKED PHEASANT (40), MERLIN (36), WESTERN GREBE (36), and BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON (31).

For a more detailed look at the numbers this year, check out these summary tables (also available at www.umpquabirds.org/cbc):
**Numbers of birds recorded by team area--sorted by taxonomy
**Numbers of birds recorded by team area--sorted by total number of each species
**Numbers of birds recorded by team area--sorted by number of team areas recording each species

Thank-you again to Jeannie Pollock for entering everyone's tally sheet data into her spreadsheet and eventually to the national CBC database! The variability in people's writing is tremendous and Jeannie conquers this challenge and gets it all entered!!! 

For more information on Christmas Bird Counts in Douglas County, see www.umpquabirds.org/cbc. Hope to see y'all and your friends next year!!!  :-)

Some other photos from count day....

Lincoln's Sparrow (Photo by Liz Gayner)

Canvasbacks, w/Ring-necked Ducks in foreground (Photo by Matt Hunter)

Sharp-shinned Hawk (Photo by Matt Hunter)

Cooper's Hawk (Photo by Matt Hunter)

Hermit Thrush (Photo by Matt Hunter)

Wednesday, January 17, 2018

The Third Reedsport Christmas Bird Count--December 27, 2017

Eighteen participants counted 16,433 birds of 114 species in the third edition of the Reedsport Christmas Bird Count. The first two counts each had 22 observers and found 16,349 birds of 133 species and 8,249 birds of 116 species, respectively. This was the first year we were able to count the Umpqua Estuary sector, thanks to John Schaefer with the Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians. Unfortunately, we also were unable to cover the Scholfield Creek sector this year. Weather was not too cold or rainy, but late afternoon showers closed things down early for some.

Tables of species detected this year are sorted and linked here: by taxonomy, by total number of each species, and by number of team areas recording each species. Click here for a map of the team areas and here for additional information on Douglas County CBCs.

Firsts for the count included: 8 TUNDRA SWAN, 2 WOOD DUCK, 2 EURASIAN WIGEON, 2 LONG-TAILED DUCK, 5 CALIFORNIA QUAIL, 1 SOOTY SHEARWATER, 60 LEAST SANDPIPER, and 2 RING-BILLED GULL.

Tundra Swans, Bufflehead, Northern Pintail on Umpqua Estuary by Matt Hunter

Ring-billed Gull on Umpqua Estuary by Matt Hunter

Although maximum and minimum numbers are not very significant for a count of only three years, I report them here anyway to document the progress of this CBC.

Previously recorded species with maxima this year included: 5 NORTHERN SHOVELER, 608 NORTHERN PINTAIL, 3218 BUFFLEHEAD, 57 HOODED MERGANSER, 123 COMMON MERGANSER, 43 RED-BREASTED MERGANSER, 3 EARED GREBE, 189 WESTERN GREBE, 1 (tied) CLARK'S GREBE, 45 GREAT BLUE HERON, 66 SNOWY PLOVER***, 22 KILLDEER, 1634 SANDERLING, 560 DUNLIN, 385 MEW GULL, 37 CALIFORNIA GULL, 7 THAYER'S GULL, 7 MOURNING DOVE, 14 DOWNY WOODPECKER, 273 AMERICAN CROW, 9 TREE SWALLOW, 80 BUSHTIT, 25 RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, 35 BREWER'S BLACKBIRD, 366 RED CROSSBILL, 546 PINE SISKIN.

***The Snowy Plover record is a new state record. Twenty-six (26) were a mile or two south of Tahkenitch Creek, and 40 were about a half-mile north of the mouth of Tahkenitch Creek. The previous state record of 43 was set by the Reedsport CBC on December 30, 2015!

Clark's Grebe on Umpqua Estuary by Matt Hunter

Snowy Plovers on beach of N Spit by Nathan Hamm

Snowy Plover ... by Bob Archer

Count lows included: 73 GREEN-WINGED TEAL, 260 RING-NECKED DUCK, 10 GREATER SCAUP, 6 RED-THROATED LOON, 1 PACIFIC LOON, 45 PIED-BILLED GREBE, 6 RED-NECKED GREBE, 118 DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT, 16 PELAGIC CORMORANT, 3 NORTHERN HARRIER, 1 SORA, 4 HERRING GULL, 15 GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL, 25 OLYMPIC GULL, 29 ROCK PIGEON, 17 ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD, 19 BELTED KINGFISHER, 2 RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER, 2 PILEATED WOODPECKER, 1 PEREGRINE FALCON, 19 BLACK PHOEBE, 1 HUTTON'S VIREO, 61 STELLER'S JAY, 29 COMMON RAVEN, 31 BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE, 31 PACIFIC WREN, 22 MARSH WREN, 109 GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET, 83 RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, 36 WRENTIT, 36 HERMIT THRUSH, 153 AMERICAN ROBIN, 2 AMERICAN PIPIT, 1 WHITE-THROATED SPARROW, 242 SONG SPARROW, 14 LINCOLN'S SPARROW, 110 RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD, 8 HOUSE FINCH, 10 HOUSE SPARROW.

Species missed that were recorded on both the previous two counts included: AMERICAN GOLDFINCH, SAVANNAH SPARROW, ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, NORTHERN PYGMY-OWL, GREAT HORNED OWL, WESTERN SCREECH-OWL, BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE, MARBLED MURRELET, COMMON MURRE, COOPER'S HAWK, BRANDT'S CORMORANT, WHITE-WINGED SCOTER, CACKLING GOOSE, BRANT.

Species not yet detected on the count over the three years, but expected include: Canvasback, Ruffed Grouse, Green Heron, White-tailed Kite, Black-bellied Plover, Greater Yellowlegs, Surfbird, Long-billed Dowitcher, Bonaparte's Gull, Northern Saw-whet Owl, Cedar Waxwing, Brown-headed Cowbird, Evening Grosbeak, among others.


Additional photos from the count (Thanks to the photographers!):

Bald Eagle at Tahkenitch Lake by Matt Hunter

Common Loon on Tahkenitch Lake by Matt Hunter

Herring Gull on Tahkenitch Lake by Matt Hunter
 
Varied Thrush on Tahkenitch Creek Tail by Bob Archer

Tahkenitch Creek Trail by Bob Archer

Mouth of Tahkenitch Creek by Bob Archer

Mouth of Tahkenitch Creek by Bob Archer

Swamp Sparrow along S. Smith River Rd. by Keith Phifer