Preliminary results show 142 count day species, 3 count week additions, 3 count day species whose observations need verification to be included in the count, and 4 species that are questionable but requests for additional information have been sent out. That gives us a possible total 152 species and a total count of 16,594 birds.
This year’s count was held three weeks earlier than last year so comparing results directly may not be as accurate as we would like it to be. Total birds observed was down by 1447 individuals. We missed 11 count day species, but added 12 new species.
Missing Species on count day:
American Bittern
Bachman’s Sparrow
Common Goldeneye
King Rail
Northern Bobwhite
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Northern Shoveler
White-crowned Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Red-cockaded Woodpecker
Whooping Crane
Added Species:
Black-bellied Plover
Eastern Kingbird
Gadwall
Greater Yellowlegs
Ovenbird
Peregrine Falcon
Seaside Sparrow
Short-billed Dowitcher
Solitary Sandpiper
Reddish Egret
Virginia Rail
Western Sandpiper
The missing and added species do not include three rare species that need verification: Black-billed Cuckoo, Yellow-billed Cuckoo and Saltmarsh Sparrow; or four questionable observations that would be rather significant if they can be verified: 35 Canada Goose, 15 Louisiana Waterthrush, 2 Yellow Warbler, and a single Florida Scrub-Jay.
Current additions for count week include: American Bittern, Red-cockaded Woodpecker and Florida Scrub-Jay. Please keep in mind that count week additions are allowed from Thursday 12/11 until Wednesday 12/17 so let me know if you have any additions, the date, and what section they were seen in.