The annual Christmas Bird Count on December 28th brought crisp, sunny weather and some rare species sightings.
15 people participated in the count, 35 species were identified and over 1360 birds were counted in total. A highlight, according to event organizer Ellen Zimmerman, was a flock of goldfinches that were sighted — the second time a flock has been identified during a Golden Christmas Bird Count in 21 years.
Zimmerman said the day was a lot of fun and the weather was “as good as it gets.”
Below are the final numbers from this year’s count:
Ruffed Grouse: 8
Spruce Grouse: 1
Rock Doves: 4
Pigmy Owl: 1
Northern Flicker: 22
Downy Woodpecker: 11
Hairy Woodpecker: 14
Pileated Woodpecker: 6
Northern Shrike: 1
Clark’s Nutcracker: 1
Stellar’s Jay: 8
Grey Jay: 2
Black Billed Magpie: 6
American Crow: 20
Common Raven: 204
Black-Capped Chickadee: 186
Mountain Chickadee: 37
Boreal Chickadees: 7
White-Breasted Nuthatch: 1
Red-Breasted Nuthatch: 40
American Dipper: 1
Golden-Crowned Kinglet: 6
American Robin: 2
Varied Thrush: 2
Bohemian Waxwing: 537
Starlings: 12
Dark Eyed Junco: 20
Pine Grosbeaks: 26
House Finches: 4
Purple Finch: 14
White Winged Crossbills: 4
Pine Siskin: 51
American Goldfinch: 14
Common Redpoll: 24
Evening Grosbeak: 63
