Eastside Audubon 2010 Christmas Bird Count Highlights

 We had a record 54 people covering eight areas (the CBC circle is centered just south of Beaver Lake in Sammamish). We had one backyard bird count and ended up with 94 species which includes 4 seen during count week. This is our 2nd highest total, compares to a high of 95 in 2008 CBC. The total of 13,035 birds compares to a 10 year average (10YA) of 14,757.

Highlights and major changes in the bird counts over the past 10-15 years include:

Brewer's Blackbird - 160 is highest total in 15 years, 10YA is 46.

Black-capped Chickadee - 280 is 3^rd highest in 15 years. 10YA is 243

American Coot - 212 is lowest in 15 years, 10YA is 912

Peregrine Falcon - 6 is highest in 15 years, only 1 or 2 in nine of past 15 years

Gadwall - 127 is 2^nd highest to 205 in 1996. 10YA is 61         

American Goldfinch - 2 is 2^nd lowest to 1 in 1998, 10YA is 25

Greater White-fronted Goose - 1 seen during count week, only recorded during past 7 years

Horned Grebe - 11 is highest, 10 counted in 2009, 10YA is 7

Evening Grosbeak - 67 is highest of 5 years seen in last 15

Mew Gull - 52 is 2^nd lowest to 23 in 2006, 10YA is 870

Gray Jay - 3 seen by Scott Ramos & Amy Schillinger who hiked up Tiger Mt.

Dark-eyed Junco - 564 is 2^nd highest to 740 in 2009, 10YA is 422

Northern Pintail - 592 is highest to 514 in 2008, 10YA is 104

Common Raven - 42 is highest, next is 21 in 2005, 10YA is 16

Redhead - 1 seen during count week, only 2^nd  year ever recorded with 5 in 2007

Lesser Scaup - 30 is highest in last 15 years, 28 in 1999, 10YA is 15

Swamp Sparrow - 1 seen during count week, only previous record is 2 in 1995

White-crowned Sparrow - 1 during count week, none in 1999, 10YA is 34

Trumpeter Swan - 129 is 2^nd highest to 166 in 2008, 10YA is 64

Winter (Pacific) Wren - 70 is highest over last 15 years, 10YA is 44

A complete list of birds recorded during the 2010, or any, or all, years from 1981, is available by email from Hugh Jennings at: h2ouzel@comcast.net