Kalispell Christmas Bird Count 2015 Results

by Pete Fisher

The 17th annual Kalispell CBC was held on January 3, 2016.  Forty-one intrepid field observers braved single digit temperatures to count 78 species of bird. Five feeder watchers contributed data as well.

A major highlight was a dark-phase Gyrfalcon found at West Valley Ponds (junction of West Springcreek Road and Clark Road).  The Gyr is only the third ever for this CBC!

Also, three new species were added to the Kalispell CBC list.  These included Snow Goose, Cackling Goose and Red-breasted Merganser.  This brings the all-time total number of species to 125!

Many all-time records were broken as well.  We counted the most ever Bald Eagles (100), Sharp-shinned Hawks (15), Ring-necked Pheasants (225), Wild Turkeys (369), Eurasian Collared Doves (598), Downy Woodpeckers (75), Blue Jays (57), Chestnut-backed Chickadees (6), Western Meadowlarks (7), Brewer’s Blackbirds (100), and Common Redpolls (867).

Thanks to all that participated!

Total species: 78
Total birds: 19,380

SPECIES	TOTALS
Great Blue Heron	6
Snow Goose	5
Canada Goose	1517
Cackling Goose	12
Mallard	2461
Gadwall	8
Common Goldeneye	56
Barrow’s Goldeneye	2
Bufflehead	45
Hooded Merganser	3
Common Merganser	17
Red-breasted Merganser	2
Bald Eagle	100
Sharp-shinned Hawk	15
Cooper’s Hawk	2
Northern Goshawk	2
Red-tailed Hawk	51
Rough-legged Hawk	19
Merlin	9
Gyrfalcon	1
Gray Partridge	71
Ring-necked Pheasant	225
Ruffed Grouse	1
Wild Turkey	369
American Coot	2
Killdeer	2
Wilson’s Snipe	1
Ring-billed Gull	77
Herring Gull	9
Thayer’s Gull	1
Rock Pigeon	644
Eurasian Collared Dove	598
Mourning Dove	455
Great Horned Owl	4
Northern Pygmy Owl	2
Belted Kingfisher	6
Downy Woodpecker	75
Hairy Woodpecker	16
Northern Flicker	275
Pileated Woodpecker	13
Gray Jay	3
Steller’s Jay	8
Blue Jay	57
Clark’s Nutcracker	6
Black-billed Magpie	368
American Crow	183
Common Raven	647
Black-capped Chickadee	632
Mountain Chickadee	170
Chestnut-backed Chickadee	6
Red-breasted Nuthatch	46
White-breasted Nuthatch	7
Pygmy Nuthatch	74
Brown Creeper	6
American Dipper	2
Golden-crowned Kinglet	3
Townsend’s Solitaire	10
American Robin	17
Bohemian Waxwing	4661
Cedar Waxwing	2
Northern Shrike	5
European Starling	1026
American Tree Sparrow	17
Song Sparrow	16
Dark-eyed Junco	169
Snow Bunting	57
Red-winged Blackbird	34
Western Meadowlark	7
Brewer’s Blackbird	100
Pine Grosbeak	170
Cassin’s Finch	2
House Finch	1675
Red Crossbill	9
Common Redpoll	867
Pine Siskin	12
American Goldfinch	151
Evening Grosbeak	30
House Sparrow	867
Duck species	24
Accipiter species	2
Buteo species	2
Woodpecker species	1
Chickadee species	34
Waxwing species	16