Date: 6/3/25 4:02 am From: Pete Janzen <pete.janzen...> Subject: Berwet BBS route remarks
I ran the Berwet BBS route on Sunday morning with ideal weather conditions. This route was initiated in 2000 and I have run it every year since, except for 2020 when Covid shut down the BBS nationwide. I recorded 56 species which is right at the 26 year average. I had four write-in species. Those were Barred Owl, Bald Eagle, American Coot and a late migrant Alder Flycatcher. The Bald Eagle was at the stop near the Colwich wetland on 167th St., a mile north of Colwich. It was carrying a large prey item, possibly a BW Teal. I have mentioned this before: Eastern Kingbird has noticeably declined in recent years. I only recorded 5 of them at 4 stops. Counts exceeding 20 used to be more typical. Great Crested Flycatcher on the other hand has increased a lot over time, with 16 being recorded at 13 stops this year. Meadowlark numbers are also concerning, with only 21 Eastern and 9 Western this year. Those numbers are well below what they used to be. No surprise that Dickcissel was by far the most numerous species with 289 counted, 44 stops. The final 10 stops go through healthy grassland habitat, where Upland Sandpipers still are found each year. The route is still largely rural, but each year there are a few new homes, barndominiums etc. I can still hear singing Grasshopper Sparrows, so I will continue to run the route for at least another year or two.
As I was nearly finished with the route, I got a text that Andrew Miller had found a singing Prairie Warbler at the Ruebke Cove area at Cheney WA. That was only a 4 mile drive from the end of the route, so I was able to get there quick. Andrew was still there and got me on the bird immediately. Later in the day and yesterday a number of other local birders were able to see this bird as well. Andrew also found a couple of Neotropic Cormorants near the shore at Ruebke/Yoder Cove area.
Local birders might want to keep an eye on the 167th St wetland north of Colwich this summer. It is holding more water than it has for some years. I detoured to take a look at it and there were at least a dozen BW Teal there, a species with only a few confirmed breeding records in the county. I did not linger to carefully scan it as I needed to continue the route. This location will likely produce a lot of records for aquatic species for the next several months.
