Date: 2/15/25 5:30 pm From: Greg D. Jackson via groups.io <g_d_jackson...> Subject: [ALbirds] Results of Gulf Shores CBC (4 Jan 2025)
AL Birders,
I wanted to present the results from the 52nd Gulf Shores CBC which ran on 4
January. Many thanks to the hard-working participants, to co-compiler Howard
Horne who handles party assignments and organization, and to our longtime
compilation host Peg Power.
On a cool and sometimes blustery (but dry) day, we had 38 observers in 17
field parties plus a short (but productive) feeder watch, with a total of
129.4 party-hours. We haven't fielded that many parties since 2004 (mean of
14.1 overall, 13.8 in the prior 11 years), though the number of party-hours
is about average. Besides the usual transportation methods of cars and
boots, this time we included both a golf cart (Haffenden party) and a
motorized boat (Clay party).
Our species total this year was a rather frustrating 149 species. That falls
just short of the 150 required to make the special published NAS list, but
it's still quite a good total, especially with so much habitat loss in the
area. And truthfully, that shouldn't be the focus of the count, but it's
always a fun aspect. We've averaged 143.6 species in the history of the
count, though the mean in the prior 11 years has been 138.8 species; we last
reached this high of a species tally in 2017 (with 150). Maximum for the
history of the count is 170 species in 1989, low point was 119 species in
1974 (with only eight parties). Historically we have recorded an impressive
total of 271 species on the Gulf Shores CBC (now including SB Munia), with
one additional count-week species.
Number of individual birds on the count was 43,856, below the overall mean
of 63 K but close to the overall median; it is higher than the prior 11-year
mean of 34 K. This value fluctuates greatly based on a few flocking species,
especially Tree Swallow, Am. Robin, and blackbirds, so it's hard to compare
year to year. On a birds/party-hour basis (which helps discount variations
in effort), the 3389 this time is less than the overall mean of 4756, but
more than prior 11-year mean of 3006.
Enough statistics. As usual, there were quite a few unusual species found,
several at the amazing feeders in Foley and Bon Secour. Here are the most
notable:
Several species exceeded previous maximal tallies: Black-bellied
Whistling-Duck (458 - new Alabama maximum count), Black Scoter (37), Inca
Dove (6 as above), Spotted Sandpiper (11 - ties previous AL winter maximum
set in 1961), White Ibis (38), Black Vulture (151), Osprey (63 - new AL
maximum), Carolina Chickadee (125 - new Gulf Coast maximum), and Baltimore
Oriole (19 - new Gulf Coast winter maximum).
On the flip side, a bevy of regular species were scarcer than normal.
Unusually low counts were recorded for: Rock Pigeon (only 3, with a 52-year
mean of 105), Black-bellied Plover, Bonaparte's Gull (only 6, mean 316),
Ring-billed Gull, Forster's Tern, N. Gannet (amazingly only one bird, mean
169, max 1147), E. Screech-Owl, Fish Crow, Marsh Wren, Am. Pipit,
White-throated, Vesper, and Song sparrows, E. Towhee, E. Meadowlark, and
Com. Grackle. Worse than the lows were total misses of regular species like
Redhead, Am. Woodcock, and Field Sparrow (first time in 52 years).
Overall it was a fun count with good results and reasonable weather.
Consider joining us next year (Saturday, 3 Jan 2026)!
