Southwest Idaho Christmas Bird Count Roundup

By Cyndi Coulter, Idaho Department of Fish and Game In Southwest Idaho, four annual Christmas Bird Counts were conducted between December 16 and January 2. The four counts were part of the National Audubon Society's annual Christmas Bird Count, which began December 25, 1900, as an effort to document numbers and species of birds. It was the beginning of conservation efforts that has evolved into a widespread appreciation for the beauty and wonder of the birds in our midst. From its humble beginnings, the Christmas Bird Count has expanded to more than 1,000 annual counts, mostly in North America. Each count is conducted within the same 15-mile diameter circle annually. The standardized counts document as a snapshot where birds are located at this time of year, from year to year, decade to decade, and now in a growing number of cases, from century to century. It is the largest and longest running Citizen Science survey in the world. Like some people, many birds migrate with the seasons. Some are regulars, while others are rarely seen. For instance, a rare sighting of a crested caracara - a bird that typically ranges southward from Arizona and Florida into Mexico - was recorded during the recent winter count near Howe. Records from annual counts have improved the understanding of birds, their typical abundance or rareness and their habits. Because data are compiled into a national database used for monitoring trends and patterns, these counts provide information for better management of habitat. In Southwest Idaho, Gary Worthington and Spencer Walters led the second annual Garden Valley count on December 16. Six field observers and four feeder watchers tallied 42 species and 1,413 individuals. Highlights included two white-headed woodpeckers and 44 American dippers, a number that just may be the high count for dippers for all of North America. A lone Eurasian-collared dove, a non-native species that is rapidly increasing its range in North America, seemed out of place in the mountain valley. But eight American bald eagles (four adult and four immature) seemed quite at home along the South Fork of the Payette River. In addition a blue jay, an occasional winter visitor to Idaho, showed up at a feeder a day late to make the official tally but is included as a "count week" bird. On December 19, Lynn Davenport of the Southwestern Idaho Birding Association led the Nampa Area count, conducted continuously since 1953. The 29 birders spotted 93 species for a total of 114,487 birds. A few of the notable sightings included northern goshawk, great egret, green heron, Steller's jay, least sandpiper, Anna's hummingbird, golden-crowned sparrow and savannah sparrow. Thousands of Canada geese and more than 30 bald eagles were observed at Lake Lowell, Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge, around small openings in the ice on the lake. The Boise area count, led by RL Rowland of the Golden Eagle Audubon Society on December 20, included 30 participants who observed about 75 species. This area extends from near the Diversion Dam at the east to Dry Creek Cemetery, and from south of the Boise Airport northward into the Boise Foothills. Noteworthy species included Bohemian waxwing, Virginia rail, cackling goose, lesser gold-finch, merlin, peregrine falcon, and glaucous and mew gulls. The Boise count has been conducted continuously since 1966. On January 2, Larry Ridenhour of the Boise District Bureau of Land Management led the Bruneau Christmas Bird Count, centered on C. J. Strike Reservoir. The 31 participants, split into seven groups, observed 83 species for a total of 44,677 individual birds. The unusual sighting this year was a northern mockingbird, which may be the first year a mockingbird has been recorded on this count. Other highlights included a Say's phoebe, a dark-morph ferruginous hawk, 80 great blue herons standing on the ice on C. J. Strike Reservoir and 27 bald eagles. Another highlight was watching from the bridge below C. J. Strike Dam at the end of the day as thousands of goldeneyes flew up the river to spend the night on the reservoir. The Christmas Bird Count tallies include results from the three days before and after the actual "count" day in the "count week." Some participants submit observations of backyard feeders and other locations within the designated area. Extended parameters of the count permits bird enthusiasts a wider range of options for participation. For additional information on the Christmas Bird Count and final counts, visit Audubon's website, located at http://www.audubon.org/bird/cbc/. This is a public site where anyone can view results or download data from any Christmas Bird Count. Cyndi Coulter is a GIS data analyst at Fish and Game headquarters.