Date: 1/23/26 8:57 am From: Doug Ward via Inland-nw-birders <inland-nw-birders...> Subject: [inland-NW-birders] Indian Mt CBC Summary
INWBirders,
Sorry for the delay in getting you a Christmas Count (CBC) summary to digest, but better late than never - so much for the "reduce procrastination" resolution. Hope you've gotten 2026 off to a good start.
Cheers,
Doug
Indian Mt. CBC Summary (2026)
A small group of us ran the Indian Mt. Christmas Bird Count (CBC) on New Year's Day (1 Jan.'26) to keep this fun count going, kick off the New Year, and get annual year lists off to a good start. This count circle is centered southeast of Harrison, Idaho and encompasses parts of Kootenai and Benewah Counties including the Chain Lakes and lower Coeur d'Alene River, the southern end of Lake Coeur d'Alene and associated St. Joe River delta lakes (Benewah, Chatcolet, .), Heyburn State Park, and the town of St. Maries. The thirteen (13) of us covered a total of 12 miles on foot and another 127 miles in vehicles providing decent coverage for the day.
Our efforts were rewarded with a far better than average day over the 33 year history of this count in both species found (77 vs 66 avg/79 record) and total individuals recorded (14,781 vs ~8,360 avg/~16,590 record). While the near record seventy-seven (77) species was impressive, it came with no new birds for the count, which was surprising given the activity and the number of lingering species this year. As with other counts in the region, the mild weather we've had this winter left behind species which should be further south by now including NORTHERN SHOVELER (26), RUDDY DUCK (7), RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET (1), SPOTTED TOWHEE (2), and BREWER'S BLACKBIRD (26). The other end of this weather situation was the near lack of northern species including well below average numbers of ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKs (2 vs 8 avg), NORTHERN SHRIKE (1 vs 3 avg), with no Bohemian Waxwings nor Redpolls found.
Other species of interest included TRUMPETER SWAN (1), GREATER SCAUP (3), BONAPARTE'S GULL (1), LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL (1), "Thayer's" ICELAND GULL (1), and "Harlan's" RED-TAILED HAWK (1).
With respect to the high number of individual birds counted (14,781), waterfowl made up the lion's share (12,441) as you would expect with most water ice free. Within this number we had record counts of RING-NECKED DUCK (785 vs 698 record), COMMON MERGANSER (820 vs 356), RED-BREASTED MERGANSER (20 vs 4), and Ruddy Duck (7 vs 5). In addition to the ducks, we also managed record numbers for DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT (4 vs 2), MOUNTAIN CHICKADEE (27 vs 27), WHITE-BRESTED NUTHATCH (10 vs 10), and BREWER'S BLACKBIRD (26 vs 2). Considering all of the activity this year, we oddly ended up with very low counts for EURASIAN COLLARD-DOVE (5 vs 16 avg), MORNING DOVE (4 vs 13), AMERICAN CROW (2 vs 28), and "sadly" EUROPEAN STARLING (23 vs 106). Not sure what is going on with the doves, but we had a similar experience on the Coeur d'Alene CBC a few weeks back.
So again, a pretty good day on a fun count. Hope your CBC season was a good one and you are ready to maybe add one or two more to your schedule next year. Have a great 2026 with lots of good stuff.
Date: 1/21/26 9:03 am From: Vicki King via Inland-nw-birders <inland-nw-birders...> Subject: [inland-NW-birders] REMINDER: WOS Monthly Meeting, January 26, 2026: (on-line only) "one week early"
The Washington Ornithological Society (WOS) is pleased to announce our next Monthly Meeting: on Monday, January 26, 2026 (please note this is one week earlier due to a scheduling conflict), Chris Templeton Ph.D. will present, "Sound the Alarm: How Chickadees Communicate Sophisticated Information about Predators." Chickadees! We think of them as common, but their vocalization are anything but! Chickadees have one of the most sophisticated means of communicating about predators of all animals. And other songbird species use this information to learn about threats in their environment. Our speaker, Chris Templeton, will introduce us to avian bio-acoustics, describe how birds produce their impressive vocalizations and discuss the different types of information they communicate. Chris will highlight some of the bio-acoustics work his research group is conducting, aiming to unravel the types of information encoded in subtle variations of Chickadee alarm calls.
Chris has spent more than 20 years as an ornithologist. He has studied a wide variety of different bird species across the world, focusing on the evolution and ecology of avian behavior. He has a PhD in Biology from the University of Washington, and is a member of the Department of Biology faculty at Western Washington University.
This meeting will be conducted virtually, via Zoom (no in-person attendance). Sign-in will begin at 7:15 pm, and the meeting commences at 7:30 pm. Please go to the WOS Monthly Meetings page: https://wos.org/monthly-meetings/ for instructions on participation and to get the Zoom link.
When joining the meeting, we ask that you mute your device and make certain that your camera is turned off.
This meeting is open to all as WOS invites everyone in the wider birding community to attend. Thanks to the generosity of our presenters, recordings of past programs are available at the following link to the WOS YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@washingtonornithologicalso7839/videos
If you are not yet a member of WOS, we hope you will consider becoming one at https://wos.org
Date: 1/12/26 3:00 pm From: Margo Wolf via Inland-nw-birders <inland-nw-birders...> Subject: Re: [inland-NW-birders] Is Spring Here?!? Western Bluebirds-Hayden, ID
On 1/3, for the Spokane CBC - there were 7 Western Bluebirds along the Centennial trail by the bridge near Pines Rd. Margo Wolf
On 2026-01-12 12:43 pm, Charles Swift via Inland-nw-birders wrote: > Doug and all, > > We've had some Western Bluebirds around the eastern Palouse > (Moscow-Pullman > area) this winter (at least into late December). It's not that common > but > we do get them lingering well into fall, especially with this kind of > fall > weather. A few also regularly winter in the nearby canyons about 1500' > lower in elevation (even in Latah County) so they have an easy escape > if we > finally do get some winter weather! In mild winters they will be back > on > the Palouse in early March. (Interestingly Eastern Bluebirds regularly > tolerate much more severe winters in the east.) > > Good Birding. > Charles. > > On Sun, Jan 11, 2026 at 10:27 AM Doug Ward via Inland-nw-birders < > <inland-nw-birders...> wrote: > >> Out back in our yard (Hayden, Kootenai Co., ID) this morning (Sun.,11 >> Jan'26) and my ears had a double take - "that's not bluebirds calling >> is >> it?" Well the ears were correct as we had a half dozen (6) WESTERN >> BLUEBIRDs flying north overhead! For you Lower Snake/Columbia folks, >> not a >> big deal I guess, but in our 25+ years at our place here in North >> Idaho, >> this was a mid-winter first for us. Definitely indicative of the year >> we've >> been having in the weather department, not sure we can get much >> milder, >> which is NOT a good thing. Hope the snow and cold hit soon or we are >> in >> for >> a long summer. >> >> >> >> Happy New Year, >> >> Doug >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Inland-nw-birders mailing list >> send email to: <Inland-nw-birders...> >> manage subscription: >> https://mailmanlists.us/mailman/listinfo/inland-nw-birders >> _______________________________________________ Inland-nw-birders mailing list send email to: <Inland-nw-birders...> manage subscription: https://mailmanlists.us/mailman/listinfo/inland-nw-birders
Date: 1/12/26 12:45 pm From: Charles Swift via Inland-nw-birders <inland-nw-birders...> Subject: Re: [inland-NW-birders] Is Spring Here?!? Western Bluebirds-Hayden, ID
Doug and all,
We've had some Western Bluebirds around the eastern Palouse (Moscow-Pullman area) this winter (at least into late December). It's not that common but we do get them lingering well into fall, especially with this kind of fall weather. A few also regularly winter in the nearby canyons about 1500' lower in elevation (even in Latah County) so they have an easy escape if we finally do get some winter weather! In mild winters they will be back on the Palouse in early March. (Interestingly Eastern Bluebirds regularly tolerate much more severe winters in the east.)
Good Birding. Charles.
On Sun, Jan 11, 2026 at 10:27 AM Doug Ward via Inland-nw-birders < <inland-nw-birders...> wrote:
> Out back in our yard (Hayden, Kootenai Co., ID) this morning (Sun.,11 > Jan'26) and my ears had a double take - "that's not bluebirds calling is > it?" Well the ears were correct as we had a half dozen (6) WESTERN > BLUEBIRDs flying north overhead! For you Lower Snake/Columbia folks, not a > big deal I guess, but in our 25+ years at our place here in North Idaho, > this was a mid-winter first for us. Definitely indicative of the year > we've > been having in the weather department, not sure we can get much milder, > which is NOT a good thing. Hope the snow and cold hit soon or we are in > for > a long summer. > > > > Happy New Year, > > Doug > > _______________________________________________ > Inland-nw-birders mailing list > send email to: <Inland-nw-birders...> > manage subscription: > https://mailmanlists.us/mailman/listinfo/inland-nw-birders >
Date: 1/11/26 11:08 am From: Paul Sieracki via Inland-nw-birders <inland-nw-birders...> Subject: Re: [inland-NW-birders] Is Spring Here?!? Western Bluebirds-Hayden, ID
We have red-wing blackbirds on territory in Old Town, Idaho since early Jan. They normally show there mid-February. And a bunch at my feeders. And robins but they sometimes overwinter here in Priest River. Abrupt climate collapse anyone? Paul S
On Sun, Jan 11, 2026 at 10:27 AM Doug Ward via Inland-nw-birders < <inland-nw-birders...> wrote:
> Out back in our yard (Hayden, Kootenai Co., ID) this morning (Sun.,11 > Jan'26) and my ears had a double take - "that's not bluebirds calling is > it?" Well the ears were correct as we had a half dozen (6) WESTERN > BLUEBIRDs flying north overhead! For you Lower Snake/Columbia folks, not a > big deal I guess, but in our 25+ years at our place here in North Idaho, > this was a mid-winter first for us. Definitely indicative of the year > we've > been having in the weather department, not sure we can get much milder, > which is NOT a good thing. Hope the snow and cold hit soon or we are in > for > a long summer. > > > > Happy New Year, > > Doug > > _______________________________________________ > Inland-nw-birders mailing list > send email to: <Inland-nw-birders...> > manage subscription: > https://mailmanlists.us/mailman/listinfo/inland-nw-birders >
Date: 1/11/26 10:27 am From: Doug Ward via Inland-nw-birders <inland-nw-birders...> Subject: [inland-NW-birders] Is Spring Here?!? Western Bluebirds-Hayden, ID
Out back in our yard (Hayden, Kootenai Co., ID) this morning (Sun.,11 Jan'26) and my ears had a double take - "that's not bluebirds calling is it?" Well the ears were correct as we had a half dozen (6) WESTERN BLUEBIRDs flying north overhead! For you Lower Snake/Columbia folks, not a big deal I guess, but in our 25+ years at our place here in North Idaho, this was a mid-winter first for us. Definitely indicative of the year we've been having in the weather department, not sure we can get much milder, which is NOT a good thing. Hope the snow and cold hit soon or we are in for a long summer.
Date: 1/11/26 10:11 am From: Vicki King via Inland-nw-birders <inland-nw-birders...> Subject: [inland-NW-birders] WOS Monthly Meeting, January 26, 2026 (on-line only) ... for February
The Washington Ornithological Society (WOS) is pleased to announce our next Monthly Meeting: on Monday, January 26, 2026 (please note this is one week earlier due to a scheduling conflict), Chris Templeton Ph.D. will present, "Sound the Alarm: How Chickadees Communicate Sophisticated Information about Predators." Chickadees! We think of them as common, but their vocalization are anything but! Chickadees have one of the most sophisticated means of communicating about predators of all animals. And other songbird species use this information to learn about threats in their environment. Our speaker, Chris Templeton will introduce us to avian bio-acoustics, describe how birds produce their impressive vocalizations and discuss the different types of information they communicate. Chris will highlight some of the bio-acoustics work his research group is conducting, aiming to unravel the types of information encoded in subtle variations of Chickadee alarm calls.
Chris has spent more than 20 years as an ornithologist. He has studied a wide variety of different bird species across the world, focusing on the evolution and ecology of avian behavior. He has a PhD in Biology from the University of Washington, and is a member of the Department of Biology faculty at Western Washington University.
This meeting will be conducted virtually, via Zoom (no in-person attendance). Sign-in will begin at 7:15 pm, and the meeting commences at 7:30 pm. Please go to the WOS Monthly Meetings page: https://wos.org/monthly-meetings/ for instructions on participation and to get the Zoom link.
When joining the meeting, we ask that you mute your device and make certain that your camera is turned off.
This meeting is open to all as WOS invites everyone in the wider birding community to attend. Thanks to the generosity of our presenters, recordings of past programs are available at the following link to the WOS YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@washingtonornithologicalso7839/videos
If you are not yet a member of WOS, we hope you will consider becoming one at https://wos.org
Date: 1/5/26 9:36 am From: Kas Dumroese via Inland-nw-birders <inland-nw-birders...> Subject: [inland-NW-birders] Moscow-Pullman CBC Results
The 55th consecutive (and 72nd overall) Moscow–Pullman Christmas Bird Count was held 20 December 2025. We had a record 68 participants, besting the record-breaking 67 we had last year, with 19 field teams and 22 feeder watchers. Volunteers spent about 42.5 hours driving 388 miles, 63 hours walking 63 miles, and 23.5 hours watching feeders. We tallied 67 count day species (plus 2 count week species) and 11,151 individuals. The number of count day species was just below our 10-year running average of 68, and our total individuals was below our 10-year running average of 12,077.
Although we did not add any new species this year, we welcomed back a species not seen on the CBC since 1937: *COMMON MERGANSER*. We set new high-count records for 2 species (new high; old high, year): *RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH* (208; 187, 2024) and *WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH* (20; 17, 2020). We also tied high counts for 3 species: *GOLDEN EAGLE* (1; 2018, 2013, 2005, 1999, 1978), *WESTERN BLUEBIRD *(6; 2010), and *SPOTTED TOWHEE* (6; 2022). Our 2 count week species were NORTHERN PYGMY-OWL (ID) and WHITE-THROATED SPARROW (WA).
For the 26 folks who came to the social at Shattuck West Brewing in Moscow, the conclusion was that the count was “average.” Our effort numbers and total individuals counted were nearly identical to last year, but our species count was down by five. On one hand, this was somewhat surprising given that the mild (non-existent?) winter kept water open, but on the other hand winter finches were low in number or absent and waxwings were a surprisingly hard bird to find. Just like last year, our crabapples, hawthorns, and mountain ashes are dripping with fruit but the frugivore numbers (except for American Robins) were abysmal. Disappointing misses were Western Meadowlark and jays.
The use of eBird by teams and feeder watchers was about the same as last year. This year, we helped pilot National Audubon’s use of Mobilize to register and communicate with participants. At the national level, this is the first step in a long-needed update to the CBC platform. The hope is that this system will encourage more new people to join the Christmas Bird Count experience and allow compilers to more effectively communicate with participants and upload data. As with any pilot program, many issues needing refinement were discovered. We thank you for your patience and appreciate your candid feedback on this first go with the system.
See you next year on Saturday, December 19th!
Thanks to everyone who participated! _______________________________________________ Inland-nw-birders mailing list send email to: <Inland-nw-birders...> manage subscription: https://mailmanlists.us/mailman/listinfo/inland-nw-birders
Date: 12/31/25 8:18 am From: Vicki King via Inland-nw-birders <inland-nw-birders...> Subject: [inland-NW-birders] REMINDER: WOS Monthly Meeting, January 5, 2026 (on-line only) ... also please note: Jan 26
The Washington Ornithological Society (WOS) is pleased to announce our next Monthly Meeting: on Monday, January 5, 2026, Phil Mitchell will present, "Learning to be a Better Birder in the Age of AI.” Today, with a suite of AI-powered apps such as Merlin and iNaturalist, we are quickly able to identify birds, plants and other animals. Online or in-person courses may enhance our knowledge about sparrows, shorebirds and hawks. But what does it take to actually learn and retain the knowledge that enriches our birding? This talk will be an intro to the science of learning as it applies to becoming a better birder, along with a survey of the related birding apps.
Phil Mitchell has a Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology and is a Seattle resident and avid naturalist. He combines academic research on how best to learn, with his 20+ years’ experience as a software developer to create learning apps. He is the founder and learning expert for the app “Larkwire.” Introduced in 2012, Larkwire helps birders learn sounds, visual ID and bird topography.
This meeting will be conducted virtually, via Zoom (no in-person attendance). Sign-in will begin at 7:15 pm, and the meeting commences at 7:30 pm. Please go to the WOS Monthly Meetings page: https://wos.org/monthly-meetings/ for instructions on participation and to get the Zoom link.
When joining the meeting, we ask that you mute your device and make certain that your camera is turned off.
This meeting is open to all as WOS invites everyone in the wider birding community to attend. Thanks to the generosity of our presenters, recordings of past programs are available at the following link to the WOS YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@washingtonornithologicalso7839/videos
If you are not yet a member of WOS, we hope you will consider becoming one at https://wos.org
Please join us!
SPECIAL NOTE: Due to a date conflict, the February 2026 Monthly Meeting will take place one week earlier, on January 26. Please mark your calendars.
