Whidbey Audubon bird count tops 20,000

Whidbey Audubon held their annual Christmas Bird Count in December. Volunteers counted birds and species on North Whidbey as usual and, for the first time ever, on South Whidbey, North Whidbey birds were counted Dec. 17 by 60 volunteers. A total of 20,116 birds and 148 species were counted.

January 27, 2012 4:53 pm
Volunteers gather at Ewing Road to count birds. The Whidbey Audubon Society held its annual bird count in December. For the first time
Volunteers gather at Ewing Road to count birds. The Whidbey Audubon Society held its annual bird count in December. For the first time

Whidbey Audubon held their annual Christmas Bird Count in December. Volunteers counted birds and species on North Whidbey as usual and, for the first time ever, on South Whidbey,

North Whidbey birds were counted Dec. 17 by 60 volunteers. A total of 20,116 birds and 148 species were counted.

South Whidbey’s first Christmas Bird Count was held Dec. 30. Seventy volunteers recorded more than 100 species and raised $240 in donations.

The new South Whidbey 15-mile diameter circle is centered at Goss Lake. Greenbank Farm is included in the north, and Clinton Ferry dock at the south border.

Some of the highlights of species documented include a northern shrike, western meadowlarks and orange-crowned and yellow-rumped warblers.

More than 750 western grebes and 2,650 American wigeons were counted at Deer Lagoon alone.

American robins still outnumber European starlings, and the ratio between American crows to common ravens is roughly 20:1.

For an area-by-area count, visit the Whidbey Audubon website and for species information, visit the National Audubon website.