Despite the pandemic, Wild River Audubon’s 45th annual Christmas Bird Count went off without a hitch. On December 19, 2020, 38 participants fanned out in our count circle of fifteen-miles diameter, centered at County Roads 12 and 20, or counted at their backyard feeders to record 44 species. It was a record number of birders, largely because we had 19 people solely on the feeder detail. We recruited feeder counters through ads in the local newspaper to offset counters that might have not participated because of the pandemic.
This year’s count took place without snow cover under gray skies and moderate temperatures in the 20-degree range. Weather conditions have varied greatly over the 45 years. Some counts have taken place in a snowstorm, others at zero degrees. On one count, cold winds drove the pheasants in one field to burrow into the snow. All counters could see were their heads. On years where there is open water, counts tend higher. Our two highest counts of 46 species were years of open water on lakes and rivers.
Other statistics from this year’s count: the largest number of one species seen were 1664 Canada Geese. Fifteen species have been seen every year: Ring-necked Pheasant, Rock Pigeon, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Pileated Woodpecker, Blue Jay, American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee, White-breasted Nuthatch, Tree Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, American Goldfinch, House Sparrow and Northern Junco.
For the first fifteen years, no Trumpeter Swans were recorded. A captive breeding program was put in place in Wisconsin and Minnesota. In 1992, our count recorded its first two swans. This year, we hit a new record high of 194 birds. Celebrate our victories, birders.
Less happily, the beautiful yellow and black Evening Grosbeaks were seen every year from 1976-1987. The cumulative total of the last 32 years was 19, and none have been seen since 1998. Our neighbors to the north, the Pine County CBC recorded them this year. Evening Grosbeaks are among the irruptive finches moving south this winter.
Another notable sighting was the Eurasian Collared Dove seen in Almelund. Collared Doves continue to expand their range in Minnesota. This was the second time the species has been recorded in our count circle (the first was in 2012). It is not known, what, if any, effect the invaders will have on our native bird, the Mourning Dove. The bird is identifiable by the black half-circle at its neck, and its call, a double “coo-coo.”
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