Date: 1/19/26 4:26 am From: Norman Budnitz (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Jordan Lake CBC
Jordan Lake, NC, Christmas Bird Count
*January 4, 2026*
*Compiler's Notes*
The Jordan Lake Christmas Bird Count was held on January 4, 2026, a cold
winter day—28-55 °F, wind calm to light and variable, with clear skies and
no precipitation. We had 55 observers in the field (slightly below our
10-year average of 57) among 29 parties. We found 93 species, right on the
average number for this count. Our total number of individual birds
reported was 26,201 (10-year average 36,719). Ring-billed Gull numbers were
estimated at 10,000 individuals, lower than our 10-year average of about
20,000. It is hard to know the precision of this estimate of gulls because
they were scattered around the lake rather than concentrated for easier
counting. Our estimate for Double-crested cormorants was 4,000, close to
our 10-year average of about 4,100, but less than our count from last year,
which was about 6,500. Again, the cormorants were scattered around the
lake, and it was difficult to judge how many of these birds may have been
counted by multiple parties.
As is often the case from year to year, we reported several species that
are not regularly found on our count and two that had never been reported
before!
· Black Scoter—first ever: 2 individuals scoped well from Ebenezer
Point during the lunchtime countdown.
· Yellow-throated Warbler—first ever: 1 reported by Noah Rokoske in
area 26 at the southern part of the count circle.
· Common Merganser—1 by Tom Driscoll (last reported in the 2001-02
count)
· Red-throated Loon—1 by Brian Bockhahn (last reported in the
2016-17 count)
· Loggerhead Shrike—1 by Patsy Bailey and Gene Kingsley (last
reported in the 2022-23 count in the same general area on the east side of
the dam)
· Baltimore Oriole—1 by Marc Ribaudo (last reported in the 2010-11
count)
· Orange-crowned Warbler—1 by Noah Rokoske (last reported in the
2024-25 count)
We set a few high count records this year:
· Bonaparte’s Gull—1,665 (previous high of 1,149 in the 2022-23
count)
· Hairy Woodpecker—36 (previous high of 29 in the 2024-25 count)
· Pileated Woodpecker—61 (previous high of 45 in several counts)
· Brown-headed Nuthatch—254 (previous high of 235 in the 2020-21
count)
Mark Montazer found several species from Ebenezer Point during the count
period (the week surrounding count day—3 days before and 3 days after).
These will be reported but will not be included in the final tally:
Gadwall, Red-breasted Merganser, American Coot, and American White Pelican.
Missed species this year were the gallinaceous birds, Northern Bobwhite and
Wild Turkey.
We put in 129 party hours (113 on foot and 16 by car), 146 party miles (77
on foot and 69 by car), and 6 hours and 6 miles nocturnal birding.
Many of our participants now keep track of their field records using the
eBird app from the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology. When those birders
combine their eBird checklists into summary eBird Trip Lists, they can
share those lists with me—a very easy and helpful process for everyone.
