<div dir="ltr"><div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-size:large;color:rgb(7,55,99)"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:rgb(34,34,34)"> </span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif">The 47</span><sup style="font-family:arial,sans-serif">th</sup><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"> Port Townsend Christmas Bird Count, held
on December 14, 2024, came in howling. A front moved through at dawn, producing
gusts of 60 mph, though rain quickly turned to sunshine. The winds didn’t relax
until after noon, making birding difficult. The boat was cancelled, owling was
nearly impossible, and many birds were difficult to locate.</span></div>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in"><font size="4" face="arial, sans-serif" color="#073763">Nevertheless, the count ended up with 124 species, just one
shy of last year’s all-time high. Moreover, participation was through the roof,
with 104 participants, a number that includes an amazing 22 feeder watchers.
The previous high was 78 participants, set last year. The field teams put in 140
party hours, second only to last year.</font></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in"><font size="4" face="arial, sans-serif" color="#073763">We added two new species for the count: the continuing
Rough-legged Hawk just north of Short Farm, and a Short-tailed Shearwater,
picked out by Bob Boekelheide during a brave two-hour seawatch from Pt Wilson
as the front moved through. </font></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in"><font size="4" face="arial, sans-serif" color="#073763">Brian Ellis negotiated limited access to Indian Island,
which yielded two Yellow-billed Loons (sorry, not chaseable). Other highlights
included the continuing Rock Sandpiper at Flagler, two Western Meadowlarks at
Pt Wilson, and two Orange-crowned Warblers and 10 Townsend’s Warblers<span class="gmail_default" style="font-size:large;color:rgb(7,55,99)"> (both tying high counts)</span>, reported
from multiple teams. California Scrub-Jays were reported from three different
parties, a new high.<span class="gmail_default" style="font-size:large;color:rgb(7,55,99)"> With no freezing temps along the water yet this winter, berries were plentiful. The 183 waxwings (an undercount based on what I'm seeing out my window right now as I type) was the 2nd highest ever. </span></font></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in"><font size="4" face="arial, sans-serif" color="#073763">In addition to the 124 species, we just missed five more:
Western Sandpiper, Barn Owl, Peregrine Falcon, Red-breasted Sapsucker, and
Canada Jay. These will go down as “count week” birds, as they were seen within
three days of the count in either direction. </font></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in"><font size="4" face="arial, sans-serif" color="#073763">Record high counts were set for 7 species. These were: </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0in 9pt"><font size="4" face="arial, sans-serif" color="#073763">Canada Goose (583 > 520)</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0in 9pt"><font size="4" face="arial, sans-serif" color="#073763">Mourning Dove (143 > 141)</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0in 9pt"><font size="4" face="arial, sans-serif" color="#073763">Black-capped Chickadee (282 >
259 last year)</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0in 9pt"><font size="4" face="arial, sans-serif" color="#073763">Red-breasted Nuthatch (122 > 96
last year)</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0in 9pt"><font size="4" face="arial, sans-serif" color="#073763">Brown Creeper (24 > 19)</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0in 9pt"><font size="4" face="arial, sans-serif" color="#073763">Savannah Sparrow (6 > 5)</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0in 9pt"><font size="4" face="arial, sans-serif" color="#073763">Purple Finch (77 > 67)</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in"><font size="4" face="arial, sans-serif" color="#073763"> </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in"><font size="4" face="arial, sans-serif" color="#073763">The feeder watchers provided the margin of difference for
the chickadee, nuthatch, and finch. </font></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in"><font size="4" face="arial, sans-serif" color="#073763">Several species tied previous high counts: Yellow-billed
Loon (2), Sharp-shinned Hawk (7, matching last year), Rock Sandpiper (1),
Great-horned Owl (2),<span class="gmail_default" style="font-size:large;color:rgb(7,55,99)"> Orange-crowned Warbler (2), and </span>Townsend’s Warbler (10). <span style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">There were no record low counts<span class="gmail-gmaildefault">, though many were below average – and even more so when
adjusted to birds per party hour. Remarkably, given the weather, there were no notable
misses</span>. </span><span style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in"><span style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><font size="4" face="arial, sans-serif" color="#073763"> </font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in"><font size="4" style="" face="arial, sans-serif" color="#073763"><span style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">We also capped the day with the return of the Compilation
Potluck, where we all added Great-horned Owl, which was hooting behind
building!</span><span style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"> </span>Thanks to all the area leaders and
participants! In 2025, we hope to add more opportunities for part-day routes. </font><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black;font-size:18pt;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;font-size:18pt;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"></span></p><br clear="all"></div><div><br></div><span class="gmail_signature_prefix">-- </span><br><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><div><font size="4" color="#073763"><span></span>Steve Hampton<span></span></font></div><div>Port Townsend, WA (<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:verdana,arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">qatáy</span>)</div></div><br><div><font color="#073763"><i><br></i></font></div></div></div></div>