Date: 12/21/25 7:56 am From: 'Phil Brown' via NHBirds <nhbirds...> Subject: [NHBirds] Keene CBC results
Thirty-one observers conductedthe Keene CBC on Sunday, December 14, yielding 6,849 individualsof 59 species. This average tally for recent years is the same speciesnumber as last year’s tally, but 20 species fewer than was found on the prioryear’s record-breaking count day. The total reflects a 20% drop innumbers of individuals from 2024.
Observers in 13 parties logged 86.45 party hours (a 16%decline in hour effort from 2024), covering 485.2 miles (an 8% decline from2024). This includes 41.15 miles by foot, considerably less than last year. Nocturnalbirding was limited to a stationary count of just 15 minutes this year, perhapsattributed to a snowy start.
Temperatures ranged from 21-30 F with calm conditions to a northwestwind blowing up to 15 mph. Snow cover ranged from 2” in lower elevations to 8”at higher elevations to the east. The morning featured cloudy skies and lightsnow, which continued through early-afternoon. Still water was partly open(Spofford Lake was completely open!), and moving water was partly frozen.
One new species was discovered for this count,which has been run continuously since 1983 (and has the distinction of beingNH's first CBC conducted in 1900). This was a Savannah Sparrowseen by Jon Atwood and Polly Pattison at the Dillant-Hopkins Airport. The totalnumber of species documented in count history now stands at 121.
Other species recorded fewer than ten timesin the 43-year history of the count included:
1 Eastern Towhee (2nd count record – Marlboroughby Jane Wing and Wendy Gibbons)
3 Wood Ducks (5th count record – Airportby Jon and Polly)
1 Lesser Scaup (6th count record –Spofford Lake by Phil Brown and Mike Einermann)
3 Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers (7th count record;tallied by three parties)
1 Peregrine Falcon (8th count record – ChickeringFarm by Phil and Mike)
2 Red Crossbills (8th count record – Roxbury byJane and Wendy)
High counts were set for just a singlespecies:
European Starling (1,473) – the most numerous species on thecount this year
Though not records, other notable species were 1 CommonGoldeneye, 1 Common Loon, 2 Red-shouldered Hawks, 4 Belted Kingfishers, 3Northern Flickers, 50 Carolina Wrens, 3 Hermit Thrushes, 20 Snow Buntings, 2Evening Grosbeaks, and 1 Fox Sparrow.
Count week species were represented bytwo species:
A Yellow-rumped Warbler (5th count record) wasseen by Nate Marchessault and the Monadnock Bird and Nature Club on 12/13 atthe Dillant-Hopkins Airport.
Several Winter Wrens were also tallied during count week.
The five most abundant species were:
European Starling (1,473)
Dark-eyed Junco (775)
Black-capped Chickadee (608)
Blue Jay (448)
American Goldfinch (329)
The biggest 'misses' this year included Great BlueHeron and Horned Lark, although neither is seen on every count.
Thanks to many birders for getting out in their territoriesand working hard to find some great birds on count day and week!
