Date: 1/7/26 12:00 pm From: Brian Bockhahn (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Rocky Mount CBC results
The 30th Rocky Mount CBC was held on December 19, 2025 under cloudy then
clear skies, steady wind all day gusting over 20, and temperatures dropping
from 64 to 50 throughout the day. 8 counters in the field in five parties
and 1 feeder counters recorded *89 species (*average 90.6, high 104). With
the wind I’m proud we got what we did.
One species was new for the count, a single Barn Owl was found inside an
old silo! After years of pellets, it was exciting for one to finally be
seen, and photographed!
Birds were not numerous, but the most tallied birds on count day were 800
Brown-headed Cowbird, 608 Ring-billed Gull, 486 Red-winged Blackbird and
476 European Starling.
With the winds we tied some lows, but most exciting was a new high count of
110 Sandhill Cranes. The swift creek flock continues to grow, or at least
this is the first time the entire flock stayed together to be seen in one
spot. This may be one of the highest flock totals for this species in NC,
at least for a regularly overwintering flock.
Misses include Scaup, Bufflehead, Sharp-shinned Hawk, American Coot,
Wilsons Snipe, American Woodcock, Great Horned or Barred Owl, HOUSE WREN!,
Red-breasted Nuthatch and Pine Siskin.
Tentative next count date would be Friday, December 18, 2026.
