This very successful count features much public land with ample opportunities for walking. Meet at the amphitheater parking lot in Anderson River Park for assignments and location of the dinner and compilation. Contact Ed Pottmeyer (edward.pottmeyer@chw.edu) for further information on the Anderson Christmas Bird Count.
Tag Archives | CBC
Fall River Christmas Bird Count
Participants for the Fall River Christmas Bird Count will meet at the Fall River Hotel in Fall River Mills for a family-style breakfast and assignments. From Redding, take Hwy. 299E for approximately 75 miles. After crossing the Fall River, take the second right and look for the hotel on the right. Every year, some birders spend the night at this quaint hotel (Phone: 530-336-5550) and avoid the early morning drive. Eastern Shasta County birders are especially invited to participate. After the count, dinner and compilation will be in Redding at Angelo’s Pizza Parlor at 1774 California Street, (530) 246-9200. The room at Angelo’s is reserved for us from 5 pm to 8 pm.
Please RSVP to Bob & Carol Yutzy (boby@c-zone.net) if you hope/plan to participate and let us know if you want breakfast at the hotel so we can give them an estimated number of folk for breakfast.
Christmas Bird Count: A Forty-Year Record of Citizen Science
Bill Oliver and Randy Bush will display intriguing trends gleaned from this long study of the populations of our wintering birds. Species that are increasing (some spectacularly) and others that are decreasing or maintaining their populations will be discussed. Bill and Randy hope the audience will share their experiences on these species trends.
Fall River Mills Christmas Bird Count Results
Sage Thrasher (Oreoscoptes montanus)
Report by Bob Yutzy, Count Compiler. Click on photo for full sized image.
The final tally for the Fall River Mills CBC is 123 species! Average count is 115 for the 30 years of counting with high of 130 species and lows of 95 on two occasions. Total number of birds counted was 21,695.
Super Rare birds were:
17 Dunlin seen in 3 different areas (5th time on the count)
1 California Gull (6th time on the count)
1 Saw-whet Owl (4th time on the count)
1 Sage Thrasher (2nd time on the count)
2 White-throated Sparrow (6th time on the count)
6 Great-tailed Grackle (3rd time on the count)
New high counts of the following species:
Green-winged Teal 412 birds with previous high of 237
Hooded Merganser 174 birds with previous high of 110
Golden Eagle 8 birds with previous high of 7
Eurasian Collared Dove 258 birds with previous high of 166 (not unexpected)
Count Period birds not seen on the day of the count were:
Long-tailed Duck
Peregrine Falcon
Loggerhead Shrike
Good birds:
Tundra Swans – 5
Redhead
Greater Scaup
Barrow’s Goldeneye
Mountain Quail
Ring-necked Pheasant (absent in recent years)
Turkey
Turkey Vulture (really – generally not here in winter!)
2 Harlan’s Red-tailed Hawk seen in two different areas
Rough-legged Hawk dark phase (lots of Roughies this year)
2+ Merlin
Long-billed Dowitcher
Short-eared Owl
White-headed Woodpecker
2 Northern Shrikes (1 adult & 1 imm.)
Canyon Wren
Pacific (Winter) Wren
Varied Thrush
Tri-colored Blackbird
6 Yellow-headed Blackbirds
4 Cassin’s Finches
2 Red Crossbill
Evening Grosbeak
Very high number of 27 total counters
Thanks to the land owners and land managers for allowing us access to their properties!
Many thanks to all for the great effort!!!!!!!
Sign-up for the 114th Christmas Bird Count is Now Open
From December 14 through January 5 tens of thousands of volunteers throughout the Americas take part in an adventure that has become a family tradition among generations. Families and students, birders and scientists, armed with binoculars, bird guides and checklists go out on an annual mission – often before dawn. For over one hundred years, the desire to both make a difference and to experience the beauty of nature has driven dedicated people to leave the comfort of a warm house during the Holiday season.
Birders of all skill levels are urged to participate in the Christmas Bird Count.
If you love birds, especially if you are a beginning bird watcher and want to learn about the birds where you live, you will want to participate in at least one Christmas Bird Count. You see, there is always at least one experienced birder in each field party, and each field party needs a recorder, someone to record the birds as they are counted.
While participating in my first Christmas Bird Count, not only did I learn which birds lived in my neighborhood in the winter, I learned where to find them on an American Ornithologists Union arranged bird check list, the same arrangement used by most bird guide books. If you are the group recorder, by the end of the day I guarantee you will have learned how to use a field guide to birds.
If you are an experienced birder you may be asked to lead a field party that covers a specific area within the 15 mile radius of your local count circle. Not only is this an excellent way to support bird conservation but you can also influence younger or less experienced birders by helping them identify birds and build their confidence in bird identification.
Getting involved in the Christmas Bird Count is easy!
All you have to do is go to Audubon’s get involved page to find a count circle near you and sign up! Don’t delay though, the counting starts in less than a month.
If you live in a designated Christmas Bird Count circle and are unable to go out into the field, you may still be able to participate by counting the birds in your own backyard. For more information on the 114th Audubon Annual Christmas Bird Count go to their FAQ page.
To see where and when our local Christmas Bird Counts are happening, check out our calendar of events page and above all, whatever you do, have fun birding!