by Bob Boekelheide
A total of 87 stalwart observers and 24 patient feeder watchers contributed to the Sequim-Dungeness Christmas Bird Count this year, held on Dec. 17, 2007. The count provided some new records but also raised some curious puzzles.
After careful checking and requests for details, the count ended up with 150 species this year, which, as far as we know, is the highest ever recorded on a CBC in WA. Individual birds numbered 69,602, which is substantially lower than our all-time high count of 81,325, recorded just last year.
The most abundant species this year was Am. Wigeon (12,351), followed in the top 10 by Mallard (11,855), Pine Siskin (6196), N. Pintail (4985), Dunlin (2558), Am. Robin (2204), Dark-eyed Junco (1816), Eur. Starling (1801), Olympic Gull/Glaucous-winged Gull (1766), and Brewer's Blackbird (1757). These 10 species comprised about two-thirds of all the birds seen on our count.
A total of 41 species tallied 5 individuals or fewer, indicating we did a great job finding lone birds and stragglers.
High counts for the 32-year history of our count occurred for the following species:
-- Gadwall (153)
-- Common Merganser (87)
-- Downy Woodpecker (48)
-- Golden-crowned Sparrow (571)
-- Red Crossbill (422)
-- Pine Siskin (6196)
-- Am. Goldfinch (73)
Low counts for the past 10-30 years of our count occurred for the following species, despite the fact that there are many more observers and better coverage of our circle these days:
-- Com. Loon (25) - lowest since 1983
-- Canada Goose (264) - lowest since 1992
-- Com. Goldeneye (291) - lowest since 1979
-- Hooded Merganser (43) - lowest since 1993
-- Red-breasted Merganser (352) - lowest since 1997
-- Marsh Wren (40) - lowest since 1997
-- Song Sparrow (403) - lowest since 1994
Several other species came in with counts below long-term averages, including N. Shoveler, Surf and White-winged Scoters, Bufflehead, Barrow's Goldeneye, Red-throated Loon, Horned and Red-necked Grebes, Double-crested and Pelagic Cormorants, Great Blue Heron, Am. Coot, Mew Gull, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Savannah Sparrow, and Red-winged Blackbird.
It will be interesting to see how these species do on other CBCs, as most of these decreases appear real this year, rather than artifacts of uneven coverage between years or missed birds. Perhaps the blustery, cool weather in the first half of December had something to do with lower numbers, causing the birds to die or go elsewhere, or it could be related to the long-term decreases that many of these species show in coastal WA., particularly the water birds.
Conversely, many typically uncommon species cooperated very well this year -- the only "misses" of species we usually hope for were Black Oystercatcher, Bonaparte's Gull, and Evening Grosbeak, but we saw grosbeaks later during count week.
Unusual species for our count included:
- N. Fulmar (2), Short-tailed Shearwater (1), and Yellow-billed Loons (4) observed by our boat party in waters between Protection Island and Dungeness Bay.
- Long-billed Curlew (1), Ruddy Turnstone (1), Long-billed Dowitchers (16), Horned Larks (3), and Lapland Longspurs (2) observed on Dungeness Spit.
- Eurasian Collared-Doves (4) observed at 2 different backyards in Sequim and Dungeness. They're here for good.
- Blue-winged Teal, Am. Bittern, and Loggerhead Shrike observed at Graysmarsh, along with Sora calling where it has been for 9 of the last 12 years.
- Townsend's Solitaire observed at Dungeness Recreation Area.
- Common Redpoll observed near the Dungeness Rec Area, visiting a feeder with a flock of Pine Siskins (among other interesting details, Nancy Wiersema’s nifty description says "it was the size of a siskin, with a light bill, looking like a bowl of custard with a cherry on top.").
- Least Sandpiper at Jamestown.
- Ruddy Duck at Kitchen-Dick Ponds, where they have bred the last two years.
- Wild Turkey (4) in the riparian forest by the Dungeness River,
where Turkeys have bred for the last two years.
Lastly, everyone will be interested to know that Starling numbers have dropped as well, showing the lowest number on our count since 1991, and the fourth lowest number since 1978, even though the number of observers is much higher now than in the early days. House Sparrows numbered lower than average, as well.
Many, many thanks to our excellent observers, feeder watchers, and everyone else who made this count so successful. This count provides a standard for Washington CBCs for a long time to come.
Participants in this year’s count:
- Dungeness Spit - Jamie Acker, Eugene Hunn, Steve Caldwell, Brien Meilleur, boat by Dave Jensen. Dungeness Rec. Area - Ken & Nancy Wiersema, Alan Watkins, Harry Bergtholdt, Coleman Byrnes.
- Dungeness Bay, Olympic Game Farm, Dung. R. mouth - Bob Boekelheide, Jerry Freilich, Jim Boone, Suzanne & Stephen Cunliffe, Les Jones, Kris Lether.
- Jamestown, Three Crabs - Doug & Pipper Watkins, Pat & Stu MacRobbie, John Willets, Bruce Moorhead, Pat and Jack Fletcher, Lee Bowen.
- Graysmarsh - Scott Atkinson, Anne Winskie.
- Port Williams, Washington Harbor - Roger & Cat Hoffman, Steve Acker.
- W. Sequim Bay, John Wayne Marina - Bob Norton, Bruce Von Borstel, Jim & Audrey Gift, Dan MacDougall-Treacy, Ron Garton.
- E. Sequim Bay, Miller Pen. - Katherine Bush, Quenn Charrier, John & Nancy Woolley.
- Diamond Point, Gardiner - Judy Mullally, Barbara Williams, Chris Smith, Ruth Messing.
- Offshore Waters - Bruce LaBar, Charlie Wright, Jan Kummet, skippered by Mike Crim, boat provided by Jamie Flowers.
- Protection Is. - no go, bad weather.
- Chicken Coop Rd - Charlotte Watts, Powell Jones, Dave Kirner.
- Palo Alto Rd, Woods Rd - Dave Manson, Scott Gremel, Scott Horton, Mandy Holmgren, Mary Mira, Tom & Adrian Huntington, Sue Lance, Powell Jones, Dave Kirner, Don Chesebro, Carlene Moberg.
- Happy Valley, Burnt Hill, Bell Hill, SE Sequim - John Bridge, John Anderson, Gary & Susan Mortimore.
- Dungeness Mdws, River Rd, Sporseen Rd - Susan & Gary Mortimore, Ron Ryel. Melanie Spriggs, Tom Guobis, Ruth Erskine.
- Lost Mtn, Dung. Fish Hatch., S of Hwy 101, W of Dung River - Elizabeth & Nanette Noyes, Bob Iddins, Millie Marzec, Beth Clifford.
- W. of Dungeness River, to McDonald Cr - Dick & Phyllis Wenger, Barbara Vanderwerf, Sherry & Angus Anderson, Pat Holden, Jim Richard, Eftin & Ingrid Strong, Scott Clausen, Melissa Coughlin, Pat Schoen, Connie Engvall.
- Central Sequim, E of Dungeness R. - Bob Hutchison, Margaret Levitan, Mary & Ken Campbell, Ruth Erskine, Mary Robson, Jerry Kasher, Virginia O'Neil, Stu & Pat MacRobbie, Paul Priest.
- Dungeness Schoolhouse, E of Dungeness R. - Dave & Julie Jackson, Ron & Laura Croft, Tom and Diane Marcinec, Patsy & Dave Mattingley, Don & Kate Myers.
- Railroad Bridge Park and surrounding neighborhoods - Mary Robson, Verla Priest, Sheila Joyce.