Count Summary
This year’s count took place on Sunday, December 26, 2021 and was the ninth consecutive year to hold the count since reinstatement.
On the day of the count the skies were cloudy. Day time temperatures started at 13° F and rose to 35° F. The maximum wind speed was 22 mph out of the east. There was no open water other than some moving water.
A total of 25 people participated although many were small children. We had 4 groups of people who birded in the field and 7 groups that watched their feeders. Field groups spent 28 hours in the field observing birds. In comparison the feeder watchers spent 27.75 hours watching birds at their feeders.
We had a total of 2,610 birds composed of 38 species for the count day. Both the total number of birds and number of species were lower than past years. There were an additional 3 count week species. Count week species are seen 3 days before or after the count day but not on the count day. The most abundant species was the red-winged blackbird at 450.
We added two new species to the count. A peregrine falcon was seen during count week. A red shafted flicker was seen count day. Some misses included mallard, cooper’s hawk, merlin, lapland longspur, and snow bunting. The only rare species were the peregrine falcon and the red-shafted flicker.
Of note was the short-eared owl which hadn’t been seen on the count since the 1966.
Even though numbers were low, we had numerous high counts. They include northern harrier (2), bald eagle (10), rough-legged hawk (37), black-capped chickadee (78), white-crowned sparrow (2), purple finch (15).
I’ve composed the following tables: Counts for the Year, Participants for the Year, Counts by Year, and Effort by Year.
Counts for the Year
The following table contains counts for the Mitchell CBC. CW designates count week birds.
|
Species |
Total |
|
Snow Goose |
CW |
|
Canada Goose |
CW |
|
Wild Turkey |
105 |
|
Ring-necked Pheasant |
261 |
|
Rock Pigeon |
128 |
|
Eurasian Collared-dove |
70 |
|
Mourning Dove |
2 |
|
Northern Harrier |
2 |
|
Sharp-shinned Hawk |
1 |
|
Bald Eagle |
10 |
|
Red-tailed Hawk |
8 |
|
Rough-legged Hawk |
37 |
|
Great Horned Owl |
5 |
|
Short-eared Owl |
1 |
|
Red-bellied Woodpecker |
9 |
|
Downy Woodpecker |
30 |
|
Hairy Woodpecker |
9 |
|
Northern Flicker |
1 |
|
Northern Flicker (yellow-shafted) |
4 |
|
Northern Flicker (red-shafted) |
1 |
|
American Kestrel |
1 |
|
Peregrine Falcon |
CW |
|
Blue Jay |
39 |
|
American Crow |
18 |
|
Black-capped Chickadee |
78 |
|
Horned Lark |
11 |
|
Red-breasted Nuthatch |
8 |
|
White-breasted Nuthatch |
21 |
|
Brown Creeper |
5 |
|
European Starling |
447 |
|
American Robin |
152 |
|
Cedar Waxwing |
45 |
|
House Sparrow |
357 |
|
House Finch |
25 |
|
Purple Finch |
15 |
|
Pine Siskin |
1 |
|
American Goldfinch |
75 |
|
American Tree Sparrow |
41 |
|
Dark-eyed Junco |
60 |
|
Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored) |
39 |
|
White-crowned Sparrow |
2 |
|
Western Meadowlark |
1 |
|
Red-winged Blackbird |
450 |
|
Northern Cardinal |
12 |
|
passerine sp. |
23 |
Participants for the Year
The Mitchell CBC wouldn’t have been possible without the help of all of these volunteers.
|
Full Name |
Field |
Feeder |
|
Mavis Anderson |
Field |
Feeder |
|
Chris Anderson |
Field |
|
|
Mike Blaalid |
Field |
|
|
Hazel Blaalid |
Field |
|
|
Oliver Blaalid |
Field |
|
|
Jeanne Blaalid |
Field |
|
|
Anne Cross |
Field |
|
|
Ryan Cross |
Field |
|
|
Ellie Cross |
Field |
|
|
Maggie Cross |
Field |
|
|
Hunter Dunteman |
Field |
|
|
Oakley Hague |
|
Feeder |
|
Ella Hague |
|
Feeder |
|
Doug Hansen |
Field |
|
|
Jeff Hansen |
Field |
Feeder |
|
Rick Hansen |
Field |
Feeder |
|
Amanda Hegg |
Field |
|
|
Dennis Leland |
Field |
Feeder |
|
Sheri Leland |
Field |
Feeder |
|
Libby Olson |
Field |
|
|
Bonnie Orr |
|
Feeder |
|
Letha Rowley |
|
Feeder |
|
Barb Stolz |
|
Feeder |
|
Garrett Walter |
Field |
|
|
Tammy Wheeler |
|
Feeder |
Counts by Year
This table contains counts by year for the last 10 years of the Mitchell CBC. Note, zero denotes count week species.
|
Species |
1967 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
|
Snow Goose |
|
|
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
|
7 |
0 |
|
Canada Goose |
|
0 |
50 |
0 |
24 |
0 |
|
|
4 |
0 |
|
Wood Duck |
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gadwall |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2 |
|
|
|
Mallard |
43 |
|
225 |
2 |
|
|
|
40 |
|
|
|
Redhead |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
Lesser Scaup |
|
|
|
3 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ruddy Duck |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2 |
|
|
|
Wild Turkey |
|
104 |
294 |
88 |
162 |
30 |
168 |
215 |
111 |
105 |
|
Greater Prairie-chicken |
|
10 |
|
|
|
3 |
|
|
|
|
|
Ring-necked Pheasant |
3 |
194 |
137 |
366 |
141 |
221 |
34 |
146 |
97 |
261 |
|
Rock Pigeon |
|
112 |
495 |
435 |
131 |
631 |
55 |
323 |
545 |
128 |
|
Eurasian Collared-dove |
|
68 |
95 |
54 |
179 |
37 |
35 |
45 |
85 |
70 |
|
Mourning Dove |
|
9 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
|
0 |
|
|
2 |
|
Northern Harrier |
|
1 |
|
|
1 |
|
0 |
|
|
2 |
|
Sharp-shinned Hawk |
|
5 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
|
2 |
3 |
1 |
|
Cooper’s Hawk |
|
2 |
1 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
|
|
Northern Goshawk |
|
3 |
|
1 |
|
|
|
2 |
1 |
|
|
Bald Eagle |
|
8 |
3 |
6 |
6 |
8 |
1 |
9 |
3 |
10 |
|
Red-tailed Hawk |
|
15 |
24 |
19 |
28 |
21 |
0 |
31 |
26 |
8 |
|
Red-tailed Hawk (Harlan’s) |
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
0 |
|
|
|
|
Rough-legged Hawk |
1 |
16 |
3 |
2 |
20 |
11 |
1 |
6 |
18 |
37 |
|
buteo sp. |
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
Eastern Screech-owl |
|
4 |
1 |
|
1 |
2 |
|
6 |
2 |
|
|
Great Horned Owl |
3 |
4 |
10 |
2 |
5 |
7 |
0 |
14 |
10 |
5 |
|
Snowy Owl |
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Barred Owl |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
Long-eared Owl |
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Short-eared Owl |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
Northern Saw-whet Owl |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
Belted Kingfisher |
|
|
1 |
0 |
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
Red-bellied Woodpecker |
|
5 |
9 |
9 |
8 |
5 |
4 |
13 |
9 |
9 |
|
Downy Woodpecker |
2 |
19 |
30 |
32 |
27 |
18 |
9 |
34 |
15 |
30 |
|
Hairy Woodpecker |
|
5 |
17 |
16 |
13 |
11 |
5 |
12 |
10 |
9 |
|
Northern Flicker |
|
21 |
8 |
20 |
27 |
6 |
9 |
12 |
6 |
1 |
|
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) |
1 |
|
|
|
|
6 |
5 |
|
2 |
4 |
|
Northern Flicker (red-shafted) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
American Kestrel |
|
3 |
1 |
2 |
6 |
3 |
|
4 |
4 |
1 |
|
Merlin |
|
2 |
|
|
2 |
1 |
|
3 |
|
|
|
Peregrine Falcon |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0 |
|
Prairie Falcon |
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
1 |
1 |
|
|
falcon sp. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
1 |
|
|
|
Northern Shrike |
|
8 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
|
3 |
6 |
|
|
Blue Jay |
1 |
59 |
37 |
46 |
73 |
37 |
20 |
73 |
70 |
39 |
|
American Crow |
90 |
12 |
54 |
57 |
15 |
10 |
17 |
32 |
17 |
18 |
|
Common Raven |
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Black-capped Chickadee |
6 |
32 |
39 |
34 |
24 |
15 |
11 |
53 |
40 |
78 |
|
Tufted Titmouse |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Horned Lark |
100 |
43 |
255 |
444 |
4 |
368 |
60 |
70 |
220 |
11 |
|
Golden-crowned Kinglet |
|
2 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
|
|
3 |
1 |
|
|
Red-breasted Nuthatch |
|
3 |
3 |
3 |
12 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
10 |
8 |
|
White-breasted Nuthatch |
1 |
10 |
17 |
20 |
20 |
6 |
5 |
22 |
19 |
21 |
|
Brown Creeper |
|
8 |
7 |
1 |
|
|
0 |
2 |
1 |
5 |
|
Carolina Wren |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
European Starling |
130 |
1339 |
286 |
445 |
6559 |
689 |
47 |
832 |
1188 |
447 |
|
Brown Thrasher |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
Eastern Bluebird |
|
|
|
4 |
5 |
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
Townsend’s Solitaire |
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
5 |
|
|
|
American Robin |
|
1746 |
39 |
561 |
261 |
118 |
14 |
6 |
204 |
152 |
|
Cedar Waxwing |
|
174 |
52 |
153 |
70 |
157 |
84 |
140 |
76 |
45 |
|
House Sparrow |
1000 |
360 |
292 |
749 |
687 |
809 |
73 |
336 |
277 |
357 |
|
House Finch |
|
61 |
33 |
108 |
49 |
128 |
38 |
27 |
115 |
25 |
|
Purple Finch |
|
|
|
7 |
1 |
|
0 |
0 |
4 |
15 |
|
Common Redpoll |
|
|
45 |
7 |
|
97 |
4 |
|
2 |
|
|
Red Crossbill |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
White-winged Crossbill |
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
Pine Siskin |
|
0 |
16 |
22 |
|
24 |
12 |
17 |
53 |
1 |
|
American Goldfinch |
6 |
29 |
57 |
197 |
292 |
132 |
18 |
139 |
163 |
75 |
|
Lapland Longspur |
1200 |
46 |
133 |
32 |
30 |
50 |
20 |
|
|
|
|
Snow Bunting |
|
5 |
1 |
55 |
|
|
|
8 |
|
|
|
American Tree Sparrow |
220 |
67 |
52 |
141 |
456 |
413 |
11 |
49 |
433 |
41 |
|
Dark-eyed Junco |
|
278 |
96 |
136 |
83 |
172 |
50 |
123 |
100 |
60 |
|
Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored) |
43 |
|
|
|
|
36 |
14 |
28 |
54 |
39 |
|
Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) |
4 |
|
|
|
|
8 |
|
4 |
1 |
|
|
White-crowned Sparrow |
|
|
2 |
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
2 |
|
Harris’s Sparrow |
14 |
|
|
5 |
1 |
1 |
|
6 |
11 |
|
|
Song Sparrow |
|
2 |
3 |
|
1 |
1 |
|
|
4 |
|
|
Spotted Towhee |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
Western Meadowlark |
|
4 |
|
3 |
6 |
|
|
|
9 |
1 |
|
Red-winged Blackbird |
|
5720 |
597 |
410 |
1212 |
1230 |
285 |
106 |
10122 |
450 |
|
Brown-headed Cowbird |
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
2 |
13 |
|
|
Rusty Blackbird |
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
19 |
|
|
|
Common Grackle |
13 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
|
|
|
|
20 |
|
|
blackbird sp. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
506 |
|
|
Yellow-rumped Warbler |
|
3 |
|
0 |
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
Northern Cardinal |
4 |
14 |
29 |
26 |
27 |
21 |
6 |
23 |
29 |
12 |
|
passerine sp. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
23 |
|
|
2885 |
10639 |
3560 |
4737 |
10682 |
5552 |
1121 |
3058 |
14733 |
2610 |
Effort by Year
This table contains effort for all years of the Mitchell CBC.
|
Count Date |
Count Year |
Field People |
Field Hours All |
Feeder People |
Feeder Hours |
Count Day Species |
Count Week Species |
Count Species Total |
Bird Total |
|
12/23/1957 |
1957 |
2 |
9.00 |
|
|
25 |
0 |
25 |
1377 |
|
12/30/1966 |
1966 |
1 |
9.00 |
|
|
20 |
0 |
20 |
463 |
|
12/31/1967 |
1967 |
1 |
9.00 |
|
|
20 |
0 |
20 |
2885 |
|
12/26/2013 |
2013 |
17 |
52.50 |
6 |
13.25 |
47 |
2 |
49 |
10639 |
|
12/26/2014 |
2014 |
9 |
42.75 |
11 |
34.25 |
49 |
0 |
49 |
3560 |
|
12/26/2015 |
2015 |
20 |
37.25 |
14 |
29.00 |
49 |
6 |
55 |
4737 |
|
12/26/2016 |
2016 |
17 |
48.00 |
15 |
32.75 |
45 |
0 |
45 |
10682 |
|
12/26/2017 |
2017 |
17 |
47.00 |
4 |
13.00 |
42 |
2 |
44 |
5552 |
|
12/26/2018 |
2018 |
9 |
10.25 |
5 |
21.00 |
32 |
6 |
38 |
1121 |
|
12/21/2019 |
2019 |
13 |
47.50 |
17 |
29.00 |
51 |
2 |
53 |
3058 |
|
12/26/2020 |
2020 |
19 |
34.00 |
9 |
22.75 |
50 |
2 |
52 |
14733 |
|
12/26/2021 |
2021 |
17 |
28.00 |
11 |
27.75 |
38 |
3 |
41 |
2610 |
Thank You
I’d like to give a big “Thank You” to everyone who helped with the count. This is a GROUP effort. All who participated should be very proud of their work.
If you know anyone who would like to help with the count next year, send me their contact information so they can be included in all communications.
Jeff Hansen
CBC Compiler
jeff.hansen.sd@gmail.com
785.806.6917