Richland Center Boasts Excellent Christmas Bird Count This Year
by Wayne Morgenthaler (Little Bobber)
On Saturday, Decdember 17, the 44th annual Richland Center Bird Count took place. Weather conditions were near perfect and because of this year’s warmer weather many places still had open water. There were 55 different species observed and fell only 3 short of the 2005 record when 58 species were sited. This year’s bird counted totaled 13,354.
Bob Hirschy send out the information on the bird count and I hope you find it interesting. Helping Bob do the tabulating was Floyd Blackmore and Dave Lund. Here are the results:
Lesser scaups were seen for the first time in the history of our count. Two were spotted.
We had the highest number of mourning doves (1078) in our count history. This broke our record of 407 set last year.
We had the highest number of red-breasted nuthatches (32) in our count history. This broke our record of 12 set in 1999.
We had the highest number of horned larks (303) in our count history. This broke our record of 124 seen in 2005. We’ve had them on 26 of our 44 counts.
A Lapland longspur was seen for only the 2nd time in our count history. We first saw one in 2006.
Common goldeneyes (3) were seen for the 7th time in our count history. We last saw them in 2005.
We had the most wild turkeys (741) since 2007. This year we were only 120 below our record of 861 of set in 1998.
We had the most rock doves (1234) since 1974, when we saw 1400.
We had the 2nd highest number of bald eagles (65) in our count history. In 2006 we had 89.
Eastern bluebirds (45) were seen for the fourteenth consecutive year. Prior to 1998, they were seen only three times.
We have not seen bobwhite since 2004, so their decline continues. As recently as 2000, we had 59. They have been seen on 32 out of 44 counts.
Again we had no ruffed grouse. None have been seen in our count since 2007.
I always enjoy seeing the final counts and it is tremendous to see the number of volunteers willing to do this. This year there was 46 field observers that put in 97 hours. If you feel like you would be part of this, next year’s count takes place on Saturday, Dec 15, 2012. Just drop me an email at the address shown on my web page.
Since the weather has been so mild, I do not have much to show on ice fishing. I did get out on the backwaters near Muscoda, but only found two to three inches of ice. We need some cold weather to make it safe. Remember to get out and enjoy the outdoors with a friend.