Wrangell birders helped monitor the health of North America’s birds recently by participating in the 112th annual Christmas Bird Count. This survey, sponsored by the National Audubon Society, provides critical information on population trends over the past one hundred years.
Nineteen volunteers scoured the beaches and waters around Wrangell identifying and counting every bird they saw. This data will be combined with that of over 60,000 volunteers from across the nation to provide information on birds and their habitats.
This year’s calm count day, December 17, allowed boats to get onto the water to tally water birds. Highlights from this year’s Wrangell count include a whopping 1,914 Barrow’s Goldeneyes, 646 Mallards and 330 Common Mergansers. Other numerous water birds included American Wigeons, Buffleheads and several scoter species as well as Glaucous-winged gulls, Mew gulls and Common Murres. A remarkable three species of grebes were seen: Horned, Red-necked and Western.
Among land birds, it’s not surprising that Northwestern crows topped the list of most numerous. Also reported were 39 Bald Eagles, Common Ravens, Golden-crowned Kinglets, Rock Doves (“pigeons”), and Steller’s Jays. Three Black-billed Magpies, usually showing up in winter, made the count, as did a few hardy Varied Thrushes.
Besides walking or boating a given route, some birders prefer to count birds at their feeders from the comfort of home. The most prevalent feeder bird this year was the Dark-eyed Junco. This bird is reported to be the most common bird at feeders across the nation.
Carol Ross organized this year’s Wrangell count and Joe Delabure compiled and submitted the data. Other participants included Sarah Bullock, Marlene Clarke, Jeanette Covalt, Coree Delabrue, Bruce Eagle, Gayle Gross, Brooke Leslie, Jim Leslie, Jim McComas, Cindy Martin, John Martin, Walter Moorhead, Karen Morse, Olga Norris, Dave Rak, Brian Rooney and Susan Wise-Eagle.
Submitted by
Bonnie Demerjian
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