2014 Seward CBC summary

2014 Seward CBC summary

Seward, Alaska

Below are the final results for the 2014 Seward Christmas Bird Count held on Saturday, December 27.

After a long bout of rainy weather, Count Day dawned clear and mild with temperatures ranging from 22-35º. The north wind was brisk in the morning but dropped to 0 to 10 by midday. Snow was virtually non-existent, and remnant patches of crusty old snow peaked at 2”. Many optimistic lawns were still green in town, and most still water was at least partly unfrozen. Birding conditions were just about ideal for the 25 field counters who participated by car, on foot, by boat, and bicycle from 9:45 am to 4 pm.

Every team seemed to have at least one unique and special bird to add to the Count including the Western Screech Owl, Brambling, Peregrine Falcon, Spruce Grouse, Steller’s Eider, Hooded Merganser, Merlin, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Rock Sandpipers, Dunlins, and Trumpeter Swan family. The three feeder watchers contributed a Purple Finch, White-throated Sparrow, and Gray-crowned Rosy-Finches.

At the end of a very fun and pleasant day, a phenomenal 69 species were seen, for a total of 3936 birds. Four additional species were seen during Count Week.

Thank you to all the participants, many who drove many miles to join the Count, and to Captain Mike Brittain who generously donated the use of his boat, the Dora, and provided fuel and navigational skills for the boat team to survey the bay. Your time and expertise is greatly appreciated!

Happy Birding!

Carol Griswold

Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter and Seward CBC Compiler

Trumpeter Swan            6

Gadwall                         cw

Mallard                          359 

Northern Pintail              8

Steller’s Eider                1

Harlequin Duck              73

Surf Scoter                    75

White-winged Scoter      2

Long-tailed Duck            1

Bufflehead                     54                           

Common Goldeneye       62 

Barrow’s Goldeneye       312

Hooded Merganser                  1             

Common Merganser       176                       

Red-breasted Merganser  72 

Spruce Grouse               1

Common Loon               4

Horned Grebe                43

Red-necked Grebe          1

Double-crested Cormorant 2

Pelagic Cormorant          78

cormorant sp                 2

Great Blue Heron            2                   

Bald Eagle                      97                                   

Northern Goshawk         cw                         

Merlin                           1

Peregrine Falcon            1

Killdeer                          cw

Rock Sandpiper              6

Mew Gull                      54

Herring Gull                   6

Thayer’s Gull                 1

Glaucous-winged Gull     86

white-winged Gull sp      25

Common Murre             1

Marbled Murrelet            32                             

Rock Pigeon                  96

Western Screech Owl     1

Belted Kingfisher            3                            

Downy Woodpecker       16                     

Hairy Woodpecker          8                         

Steller's Jay                   41                          

Black-billed Magpie         61                  

Northwestern Crow        85                      

Common Raven             133                  

Black-capped Chickadee   42            

Chestnut-backed Chickadee   71            

Boreal Chickadee            4                        

Red-breasted Nuthatch    28                

Brown Creeper               7                              

Pacific Wren                  cw

American Dipper            5                              

Golden-crowned Kinglet  46                     

Ruby-crowned Kinglet   3                      

American Robin             31                       

Varied Thrush                36                                

Bohemian Waxwing        136                   

European Starling           1 

American Tree Sparrow  5

Song Sparrow                11

White-throated Sparrow  1                      

White-crowned Sparrow          2

Golden-crowned Sparrow 7                     

Dark-eyed Junco Oregon         14

Dark-eyed Junco Slate-colored 221                              

Snow Bunting                         12 

Rusty Blackbird              8

Brambling                      1

Gray-crowned Rosy-finch 6                   

Pine Grosbeak                119                             

Red Crossbill                 3                                  

White-winged Crossbill       855

crossbill sp                    1             

Common Redpoll            14                              

Pine Siskin                     156                                   

Total individuals    3936

Total species         69

Count week          4