by Don Jones

We had to move Troy’s count from Saturday to Sunday (21st) due to the onslaught of rain. Although we lost some counters, we gained a couple more and the weather was much improved which made for better birding. I believe we had 12 people in the field and 5 feeder watchers. Temps were balmy in the 40’s and only a slight drizzle early in the morning. Species were on the low side of our average with a total of 44 species for count day and 3 for count week (White-breasted Nuthatch, Black-billed Magpie and N. Pygmy Owl). Overall bird numbers were down again this year.

Grosbeaks were nowhere to be found and finches in general were down. Highlight of the count was an over-wintering Gray Catbird which has been at my feeder area outside my office window for about 2 months now. It is now January 4 and snow is still absent from our count area except for the mountain peaks, very strange winter.