[Tweeters] Twisp CBC report

[Peter Wimberger]

Here's the final report that was sent to the participants of the 36th Twisp
CBC.

Jen Walsh Fisher and I want to thank everyone who made the 36th Twisp
Christmas Bird Count, held on December 16th, such a success. Despite many
of the record 62 (!) participants (old record 56) noting that the overcast
and mild day felt slow, the 80 species recorded was the second highest
species total for the count (record - 81 species), and the 86 species noted
during count week broke the old count week record of 84. We were a little
lucky because for 17 species only a single individual was seen or heard.
Some of these species, like Spotted Towhee and Red Crossbill, are count
regulars, but two were new to the count - Rusty Blackbird and Long-eared
Owl. For others it was only the second time they’ve been seen (Mountain
Bluebird, Canada Jay, Brown-headed Cowbird). We saw 5006 birds on count
day, slightly more than last year, and a bit above the average of the last
10 years (prior to that numbers were lower).

Seventeen species tied or saw their highest numbers ever including the new
species (another record):

Canada Goose (160>59), Trumpeter Swan (9>1), American Wigeon (38>18),
Eurasian Collared Dove (185>178), Belted Kingfisher (a lot of open water
maybe a contributor) (18>11), Cooper’s Hawk (13>12), Canada Jay (2>1),
Steller’s Jay (56>51), Pygmy Nuthatch (interesting side note – PYNU were
only noted once in the first 13 years of the count!), (60>58), European
Starling (351>339), Pine Grosbeak (93>70), reflecting the irruption that is
resulting in Pine Grosbeaks in far-flung places along the west coast,
White-crowned Sparrow (44>32), Golden-crowned Sparrow (5>3), and two
previously-seen species tied their high count of 1 (Marsh Wren,
Brown-headed Cowbird).

There were a few misses. For the second year in a row, no Pygmy Owls were
seen or heard on count day; however one was spotted during count week. And
not a Goshawk or Rough-legged Hawk was to be found, even during count week.
Red-breasted Nuthatches and Dark-eyed Juncos were strikingly less abundant
than recent years. Duck numbers, especially the goldeneyes (but not wigeons
or mallards), were down this year relative to the past few years because
the duck night roost (rave) on Big Twin Lake is on hiatus, likely due to a
fat and happy otter terrorizing the ducks that decide to spend too much
time there. Many of us (~25) finished the day eating delicious chili at Jen
and Richard Fisher’s warm and inviting home, exchanging stories and making
connections. Thank you! Perhaps the most remarkable tale of the day was
Jamie and Bryan’s wolf sighting up Lookout. In keeping with the Twisp CBC
tradition of rotating compilers every one or two years, Steve and Melinda
Pruett-Jones and Wendy Sims kindly agreed to take on compiling for 2024.
Thanks so much!

We have had a great time compiling the last two years and want to thank all
of the amazing folks without whom this fun, edifying and long-term
community science thing wouldn’t be a thing. We also want to thank the
Cinnamon Twisp Bakery for kindly opening their warm, aromatic space for us
to gather in the dark, the Puget Sound Museum for printing and copying CBC
material and Kent Woodruff, who provides so much historical perspective,
local knowledge and indefatigable enthusiasm.

Happy New Year!

Jen Walsh Fisher and Peter Wimberger

Peter Wimberger

Tacoma, WA
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