Date: 12/22/24 5:38 pm From: Kas Dumroese via Inland-nw-birders <inland-nw-birders...> Subject: [inland-NW-birders] Moscow-Pullman CBC Results
The 54th consecutive (and 71st overall) Moscow–Pullman Christmas Bird Count was held 14 December 2024. We had a record 71 participants, besting the record breaking 66 we had last year, with 28 field teams and 19 feeder watchers. Volunteers spent about 39 hours driving 383 miles, 64 hours walking 74 miles, and 24 hours watching feeders. We tallied 71 count day species (plus 2 count week species) and 11,429 individuals. The number of count day species was above our 10-year running average of 68, and our total individuals was a bit below our 10-year running average of 12,453.
We added 2 new species: *GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE* (2) and *GADWALL*. We set new high-count records for 5 species (new high; old high, year), including a record that had stood for nearly half a century: *GREAT BLUE HERON* (17; 12, 2004), *BELTED KINGFISHER* (9; 7, 2018), *AMERCIAN CROW* (117; 96, 2021, 2022), *MOUNTAIN CHICKADEE* (76; 72, 1975), and *EUROPEAN STARLING* (4,149; 4,016, 2020). We also tied high counts for 5 species: *LESSER SCAUP* (1; 2011), *VIRGINIA RAIL* (1; 2012), *SHARP-SHINNED HAWK* (14; 2023), *SAY’S PHOEBE* (1; 2018), and *RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH* (187; 2018). Our 2 count week species were PINE GROSBEAK and BOHEMIAN WAXWING; single birds of each species.
No doubt, our two recent high counts for participants are due to involvement by the Paradise Audubon Society, a new University of Idaho student organization. The mild (non-existent?) winter kept water open. We tallied 8 waterfowl species (SNOW GOOSE, GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE, CACKLING GOOSE, CANADA GOOSE, MALLARD, AMERICAN WIGEON, LESSER SCAUP, and GADWALL), a record number of GREAT BLUE HERON, and the marshy species VIRGINIA RAIL, KILLDEER, and MARSH WREN. Open water also yielded our record number of BELTED KINGFISHERS. On the flip side, this was the first time in our consecutive bird counts (1971–2024) where we did not tally a ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK. And where are the frugivores? Many of you commented about crabapples, hawthorns, and mountain ashes dripping with fruit. After four terrible years (2019–2022) of BOHEMIAN WAXWING counts (2, 6, 2, and 11), we rebounded to 180 last year only to plummet to a single bird this year during CW. CEDAR WAXWING, AMERICAN ROBIN, and VARIED THRUSH numbers were also very low. A good showing of MERLIN (7), just one bird shy of tying the high count record, was a treat.
About 30 participants gathered at the Lumberyard Food Yard in Pullman to enjoy the post-count social. Next year’s count is on Saturday, 20 December!
