The National Audubon Society was celebrating the 124th 12 months of the Christmas Bird Count program this 12 months, and it was Nantucket’s 69th 12 months of taking part in it.
This 12 months’s Nantucket Christmas Bird Count (CBC) was organized as a particular occasion in reminiscence of Edie Ray (1952-2023), who spent many years co-compiling the CBC. Edie Ray was an enthusiastic hen conservationist who shared her data and compassion with everybody round her. She was an inspiration to many birders who revered her devotion to the CBC and her contribution to creating it a outstanding occasion. Some contributors have been counting birds on Nantucket with Edie for over 40 years, and this 12 months’s Christmas Bird rely was an ideal strategy to commemorate Edie’s life by having everybody birding collectively, doing what she beloved and was so captivated with.
From the preliminary outcomes, we counted 128 species and 83,626 species. The uncommon species sightings included an Eared Grebe, Western Tanager, Lark Sparrow, Blue-headed Vireo, Common Gull (Kamchatka), Lincoln Sparrow, Painted Bunting, Common Gallinule, Tufted Duck, and Sedge Wren.
The Eared Grebe was a brand new species added to the Nantucket listing this 12 months. That doesn’t occur yearly for a brand new species to be added to the general listing from all of the Nantucket counts. Other highlights included an total excessive rely of Red-throated Loons (9,355), Double-crested Cormorants (75), and Great Egrets (9). This 12 months, we noticed Long-eared, Northern Saw-whet, and Barn Owls, however no Short-eared or Snowy Owls.
Please notice that the species listing continues to be below assessment and has not but been finalized. Therefore, the numbers might change barely. We missed some birds, together with Ring-necked Pheasant, Peregrine Falcon, Killdeer, Eastern Bluebirds, Brown Thrasher, and Wood Duck. If you noticed any of those species on rely day (December thirty first) or throughout rely week (December twenty eighth to January third), please contact Libby through e-mail at [email protected]. During the rely week, we hold a report of hen species that aren’t noticed on the rely day however are seen three days earlier than and after the rely day. If sure hen species aren’t noticed on the rely day however are seen throughout the rely week, we additionally doc them.
With the assistance of over 70 devoted volunteers, together with locals and off-islanders with various ranges of experience, we may cowl each inch of the island. Their ardour and dedication to creating a distinction actually made a big impression. Thanks to the diligence of our 12 FeederWatchers, we have been in a position to spot some key birds that the sphere observers missed. Their efforts remind us that each contribution counts. We are actually grateful to everybody who was concerned in making this occur! If you wish to volunteer for subsequent 12 months’s hen rely the date is December twenty ninth, 2024, please e-mail [email protected] to be added to the e-mail listing.
