Date: 1/14/25 12:24 pm From: Brian Bockhahn (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Dec 23 Pilot Mountain CBC results
The 10th Pilot Mountain Christmas Bird Count was held on Monday December 23, 2024 under clear skies with bone chilling temperatures 17-34 degrees, but happily no wind.
18 observers in 9 parties tallied a record breaking 77 species (average 68.5 and just ahead of last years record of 76)
Nothing new to the cumulative list but found were our 2nd Gadwall over the Ararat/Yadkin mouth at sunrise, our 2nd Merlin along US52, a flock of Rusty Blackbird for our 2nd ever at Mt. Zion Church, and our 3rd American Pipit along River Siloam Road.
Wood Duck and Mallard were missed which is a little surprising but we have missed them when ponds freeze. Overall duck diversity was low. Other more expected misses include Gray Catbird, Blue-headed Vireo, Palm Warbler and Brown-headed Cowbird.
We set some new record counts with 9 Hooded Merganser, 3 sharp-shinned hawk, 13 Red-shouldered Hawk, 4 American Woodcock, 56 Red-bellied Woodpecker, 36 yellow-bellied sapsucker, 45 downy woodpecker, 4 house wren, 27 winter wren, 7 brown thrasher, 72 field sparrow, 11 fox sparrow, 299 dark-eyed junco, 506 white-throated sparrow, 184 song sparrow, 10 rusty blackbird and 6 purple finch.
41 species have been seen on all 10 counts, which is a high number considering weather, and it means everyone knows how to find birds in your area.
We tied mayo river on Dec 22 which also had 77 species, both ahead of hanging rock's 58 species, but eclipsed by the newish Haw River count which had 88 on Jan 4!
Mark your calendars for Pilot Mountain's
spring bird count May 1, 2025 (hanging rock april 30, mayo river may 2, haw river may 3)
christmas bird count December 23, 2025 (hanging rock dec 17, mayo river dec 22, haw river Dec 31)
