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The 116th Christmas Bird Counts (CBC) are behind us. This year there were 29 CBCs in Utah and 19 in Wyoming.
Last year nearly 73,000 participated in the Americas in 2,460 15-mile diameter count circles.
He's my brief on the Evanston WY/UT 2016 count:
The 2015/2016 Evanston Christmas Bird Count was a huge success.
On January 2nd 2016 11 field participants braved cold and snow to spend part, or all of, a cold winter day observing birds. An additional birdwatcher manned a bird feeder for the event. A total of 31 different species and 1907 birds were recorded. The Evanston count is nationally known for the number of Greater Sage-Grouse observed and typically takes top honors for the highest number of Greater Sage-Grouse tallied each year. However no sage-grouse were encountered this time, a first for the Evanston count that, for the past 35 years, has averaged 305 sage-grouse per year. The heavy snow cover and cold temperatures have moved the grouse away from the roads up to higher ground where the wind has blown the snow off the sagebrush. Generally, sage-grouse numbers are on the rise in southwest Wyoming and northeastern Utah, but some flocks are taking a hit from marauding ravens and gulls that prey on sage-grouse eggs and hatchlings.
The numbers of Eurasian-collared Dove, an invasive species, continue to increase. High numbers of House Sparrows, magpies and starlings were seen. Noticeably absent were woodpeckers, goldfinches, waxwings, Horned Lark, and Ferruginous Hawk.
An uncommon bird for the Evanston circle is Black Rosy-Finch. 42 Black Rosy-Finches were counted, 37 in one flock. The cold weather and heavy snows were too much for the American Crows that normally winter with the ravens at the Evanston City dump. No crows were found this year. Magpies seemed to be everywhere. Small perching bird numbers were low overall. The reduction of perching birds could be attributed to lack of food due to the heavy snow cover and the declining number of active bird feeders within the count circle.
This winter's cold weather has left little open water for ducks and geese. Waterfowl numbers were down.
The Evanston Christmas Bird Count has been held since 1981 and the 15-mile diameter circle is split down the middle by the WY/UT state line. The Bear River runs through the circle south to north. The event would not be successful without the cooperation from private landowners and ranchers within the count circle.
This year over 2,460 individual counts are scheduled to take place throughout the Americas and beyond from December 14, 2015 to January 5, 2016. During last year's count, close to 69 million birds were tallied by over 72,600 volunteers, representing a record level of participation.
Results:
Mallard 15, Green-winged Teal 4, Common Goldeneye 14, Sharp-shinned Hawk 2, Rough-legged Hawk 3, Golden Eagle 5, Bald Eagle 17, Prairie Falcon 1, Merlin 1, Rock Pigeon 25, Eurasian Collared-Dove 69, Short-eared Owl 1, Great-horned Owl 1, Northern (red-shafted) Flicker 4, Northern Shrike 3, Black-billed Magpie 495, Common Raven 59, Black-capped Chickadee 3, Mountain Chickadee 4, Townsend's Solitaire 1, European Starling 611, American Tree Sparrow 10, Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored) 8, Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) 2, Red-winged Blackbird 13, Brewer's Blackbird 21, Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch 16 , Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (Hepburn's) 20, Black Rosy-Finch 42, House Finch 39, House Sparrow 210
31 total species
1907 individual birds
Weather - clear, light breeze, -28° F low, 8° F high
Still water frozen, running water 95% frozen
8" to 16" of snow cover
Wind - NW, 0 to 5 mph
11 field participants
1 feeder watch
170 car miles (21 hours)
1 foot miles (1.5 hours)
Last year nearly 73,000 participated in the Americas in 2,460 15-mile diameter count circles.
He's my brief on the Evanston WY/UT 2016 count:
The 2015/2016 Evanston Christmas Bird Count was a huge success.
On January 2nd 2016 11 field participants braved cold and snow to spend part, or all of, a cold winter day observing birds. An additional birdwatcher manned a bird feeder for the event. A total of 31 different species and 1907 birds were recorded. The Evanston count is nationally known for the number of Greater Sage-Grouse observed and typically takes top honors for the highest number of Greater Sage-Grouse tallied each year. However no sage-grouse were encountered this time, a first for the Evanston count that, for the past 35 years, has averaged 305 sage-grouse per year. The heavy snow cover and cold temperatures have moved the grouse away from the roads up to higher ground where the wind has blown the snow off the sagebrush. Generally, sage-grouse numbers are on the rise in southwest Wyoming and northeastern Utah, but some flocks are taking a hit from marauding ravens and gulls that prey on sage-grouse eggs and hatchlings.
The numbers of Eurasian-collared Dove, an invasive species, continue to increase. High numbers of House Sparrows, magpies and starlings were seen. Noticeably absent were woodpeckers, goldfinches, waxwings, Horned Lark, and Ferruginous Hawk.
An uncommon bird for the Evanston circle is Black Rosy-Finch. 42 Black Rosy-Finches were counted, 37 in one flock. The cold weather and heavy snows were too much for the American Crows that normally winter with the ravens at the Evanston City dump. No crows were found this year. Magpies seemed to be everywhere. Small perching bird numbers were low overall. The reduction of perching birds could be attributed to lack of food due to the heavy snow cover and the declining number of active bird feeders within the count circle.
This winter's cold weather has left little open water for ducks and geese. Waterfowl numbers were down.
The Evanston Christmas Bird Count has been held since 1981 and the 15-mile diameter circle is split down the middle by the WY/UT state line. The Bear River runs through the circle south to north. The event would not be successful without the cooperation from private landowners and ranchers within the count circle.
This year over 2,460 individual counts are scheduled to take place throughout the Americas and beyond from December 14, 2015 to January 5, 2016. During last year's count, close to 69 million birds were tallied by over 72,600 volunteers, representing a record level of participation.
Results:
Mallard 15, Green-winged Teal 4, Common Goldeneye 14, Sharp-shinned Hawk 2, Rough-legged Hawk 3, Golden Eagle 5, Bald Eagle 17, Prairie Falcon 1, Merlin 1, Rock Pigeon 25, Eurasian Collared-Dove 69, Short-eared Owl 1, Great-horned Owl 1, Northern (red-shafted) Flicker 4, Northern Shrike 3, Black-billed Magpie 495, Common Raven 59, Black-capped Chickadee 3, Mountain Chickadee 4, Townsend's Solitaire 1, European Starling 611, American Tree Sparrow 10, Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored) 8, Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) 2, Red-winged Blackbird 13, Brewer's Blackbird 21, Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch 16 , Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (Hepburn's) 20, Black Rosy-Finch 42, House Finch 39, House Sparrow 210
31 total species
1907 individual birds
Weather - clear, light breeze, -28° F low, 8° F high
Still water frozen, running water 95% frozen
8" to 16" of snow cover
Wind - NW, 0 to 5 mph
11 field participants
1 feeder watch
170 car miles (21 hours)
1 foot miles (1.5 hours)
