Date: 1/16/25 4:13 pm From: Toddy Guidry via groups.io <guidrys...> Subject: [labird] Palmetto Island CBC
The 9th Palmetto Island Christmas Bird Count was held January 3 2025. The count circle is centered at Palmetto Island State Park just south of Abbeville in Vermilion Parish.
The species count this year was a new record 165 species, well above the 8 year average of 153 .
Bird numbers were about average, except low numbers of raptors and ducks were seen.
We have 3 large private access tracts and boat only area out of Intracoastal city.
The circle essentially is an intersection of several terrain types, accounting for this steady species counts.
From ‘urban’ Abbeville, to ag fields, hardwoods at the park, Cajun prairies and the Cameron like port of Intracoastal City. It is easy to see why the count always has a good species count.
All 9 groups had ‘exclusives’, a function of each group having its own little ecosystem.
Interestingly, we had a total of 45 exclusives, certainly a count high. I guess this means we came close to having 0-45 less species?
With 3 new birds to the count, the master list is now at 202 species.
So:
9 areas, 26 field volunteers, 3 feeders
New to the count: Golden Winged Warbler, Marbled Godwit, Yellow Throated Warbler
Best of the rest: Black Bellied Plover, Least Bittern, Western Kingibrd, Bronzed Cowbird, NRW Swallow
Lark Sparrow, Indigo Bunting, YH Blackbird, Yellow Throated Warbler, 3 Hummigbird species, 18 waterfowl, Lesser Black Backed Gull
Worst misses: not many….Gadwall, Junco, B-W Warbler, Barn Owl
High Count records: Barred Owl(22), YR Warbler(1326), RC Kinglet(299), E.Phoebe(210), Anhinga(66),
.
Noticeably Low Counts: White Fronted Goose, Ring Necked Duck, Pied Billed Grebe, White Winged Dove, Woodcock, Gull Billed Tern, Sharp Shinned Hawk, Red Tailed Hawk, Screech Owl, BH Vireo, Killdeer
Thanks to: Mac Myers, Brad Price, Angela Trahan, Patti Holland, Dave Patton, Zack Guidry, Rob Dobbs, Andy Form, Judge Edwards, Elizabeth Edwards, Phillip Wallace, Mark Shirley, Erik Johnson, Crystal Johnson, Mike Musumeche, John Parker, Mary Tutweiler, Cheryl Huner, Stacey Scarce, Karen Terrell, Chuck Battaglia, Michael Seymour and Sandra Dehart.
If anyone would like a copy of the total compilation, just shoot me an email.
Toddy Guidry
