Kent-Auburn CBC 2015-2016 Results
On Sunday, January 3, 2016, the Rainier Audubon held its 35th annual Christmas Bird Count on what proved to quite the chilly, cold, damp winter day with temperatures varying from 26 degrees to 43 degrees Fahrenheit, with snow falling from 11:30pm-4pm, and many ponds and lakes frozen. Even though the count was on one of the coldest and snowiest Rainier count days on record, most species had solid numbers; however, there weren’t a lot of species with terribly low counts.
The 2015 Rainier Audubon CBC had 61 participants (56 field participants and 5 back yard bird participants) who totaled 80.5 party hours by car, 83 party hours on foot and 10.5 hours owling. The total number of miles covered included 500 miles by car, 72 miles on foot, and 6.25 miles owling.
Total number of birds: 32,559 birds (In Rainier Audubon’s first CBC the total was 19,564!)
125 species tallied (count day + count week)
Count day: 121 species
Count Week: an additional 4 species
Honorable mention of hybrid and subspecies: 3 notables: 1 American Wigeon X Green-winged Teal hybrid; 1 Dark-eyed Junco Cismontanus; and 1 Harlan’s Hawk (seen during Count week)
Highlights
The following species that are not normally seen during CBC or count week were counted including American Tree Sparrow, Brant, Black Phoebe (Count Week), Dark-eyed Junco Cismontanus and an American Wigeon X Green-winged Teal hybrid.
As well, with the colder weather, Area 6S counted a record number of American Pipits (150) and Dunlin (41). Area 3 was able to locate an American Dipper. Area 5 and 6S also had White-throated Sparrows. As well, during count week a Sora, a Snow Goose, a Swamp Sparrow, a Harlan’s Hawk and a Black Phoebe were seen.
Notable misses
No Purple Finch, Hermit Thrush, Pacific Loon, Canvasback or Brownheaded Cowbird were counted. Low numbers for Red Crossbill (just 1 at Des Moines Creek), Pine Siskins (46) Low numbers for waterfowl, which may be due to frozen ponds and lakes.
Record high counts
We had high counts of Canada Goose (3235), Cackling Goose (894), American Crows (10,907), Brown Creeper (38), Slate-colored Junco (21) and Red-breasted Merganser (67) Western Scrub-jay population continues to diversify as the birds have been counted in several areas of the count circle. Five years ago they were only counted in one area.
Participants:
Area 1 Brien Meilleur (Leader), Alex Juchems, Mathew Juchems, Sue Cooper, James Lovellford
Area 2 Barbara Petersen (Leader), Ken Schroeder, Linda Carlson, Dan Streiffert, Jay Galvin, Roland Cunningham, Michele fifer, Cheryl White, Elizabeth Gould, Peter Zika
Area 3 Ken Brunner (leader), Caren Adams (leader), Mary Frey, Mike Scuderi, Ann Gerner
Area 4 Brenda Tom (leader), Joe Miles (leader), Ron Toonen, Gene Buzzelli, Sandy Buzzelli, Elizabeth Miles
Area 5 Tim Brennan (leader), Jeff Cohen, Merlin Sellard, Hope Anderson, Lynde Eller, Teri Dittman
Area 6 Roger Orness (Leader), Calen Randall (leader), Cindy Flanagan (leader), David Swayne (leader), Etta Cosey, Sharon Cormier, Joanne Cormier, Liz Cormier, Cameron Randall, Barbara Retelle
Area 7 Charlie Wright (leader), Carol Schulz (leader), Linnaea Chapman, Debra Russell, Jeff Jendro
Area 8 Steve Johnson (leader), Susan Livingston, Sandra Embrey, Jim Flynn, Merri Berg, Laura Lavington, Lisa Lavington, Katie Tylczak, Marilyn Jones
Backyard Feeder Count
Nancy Streiffert, Sarah Streiffert, Carley Randall, Cathea Stanley, Helen Kubik
Thank you to everyone who participated in the 2015 CBC. On a cold, chilly count day, the event was well attended and our teams did a great job locating the birds! Well done! Kent-Auburn CBC 2015 Results By Cindy Flanagan and Calen Randall (compiler)