• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

The Valley Citizen

Pursuing truth toward justice

The Valley Citizen

Pursuing truth toward justice
  • Arts
  • Education
  • Environment
  • History
  • Nature
  • Politics
  • Wit
  • About

New Record for Bird Count

January 6, 2015 By Eric Caine Leave a Comment

Tufted Duck (foreground) by Jim Gain
Tufted Duck (foreground) by Jim Gain

The Audubon Christmas Bird Count is the longest running citizen-science survey in history. This year marked its 115th anniversary. Each year around Christmas time, men, women, and children from around the world go outside and count bird species and populations within a given region.

On January 4, volunteers from the Stanislaus Audubon Society set a new record for total species recorded on the Caswell/Westley Count with 142 species. Some who participated speculated that the combination of heavy December rainfall and balmy weather on count day were responsible for the record total.

For whatever reasons, the 19 census takers who covered the 15 mile diameter count circle during the 32nd Caswell/Westley Christmas Count found most all the common birds they expected to find. They also found a remarkable number of ultra-rare and unexpected species.

The Caswell/Westley Count takes in most of the northwest corner of Stanislaus County and edges into San Joaquin County at Caswell Park. The habitat includes riparian forest, wetlands, grasslands, farmland, and a few urban areas.

With records going back thirty-two years, local birders have been able to devise a rating system based on the number of times a given species has been seen on each count. Species assigned with a number “1” are considered the most common, and, with notable exceptions, easiest to find. The degree of difficulty in finding a species increases as the numbers go up, with the most difficult species assigned the number “5.”

Record counts usually include high numbers of “4” and “5” birds, and Sunday’s count was no exception. Five species were recorded for the first time ever on a local Christmas Count.

Harold Reeve, who only weeks ago recorded his 300th species for Stanislaus County, braved the cold and darkness and found a Saw-whet Owl a few hours before dawn. He heard the bird calling from a riparian forest near Grayson.

Jim Gain, who is closing in on 300 species for his own Stanislaus County list, found and photographed a Tufted Duck. It was only the second time this species had ever been documented in Stanislaus County—the first and heretofore only record was in 1991 in late winter.

Many of the birds were found on private property and restricted access areas of the San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge. However, the vast majority of species recorded can be seen by anyone with a love of nature and desire to encounter some its most interesting residents.

This year, people who visit the public observation platform on Beckwith Road west of Modesto have an excellent chance of seeing White Pelicans and may even see the much less common Tundra Swans that were seen in the area on count day. Both birds are large, white, and awe-inspiring. As always, the big draw at the platform is the winter goose spectacle, which includes tens of thousands of Snow, Ross, and Aleutian Canada Geese.

Those who enjoy the tules and cattails of our local wetlands should look closely for the common but elusive American Bittern, a bird famous for its ability to hide in plain sight by taking advantage of its “camouflage” plumage. The bittern was one of those common birds assigned a number “1” that was missed on Sunday’s count.

Local birders are already waiting for next year to begin another search for the bittern and its many feathered friends. They may even set another record.

 

Filed Under: Featured, Nature Tagged With: Caswell/Westley Christmas Count, Stanislaus Audubon Christmas Count

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Note: Some comments may be held for moderation.

Primary Sidebar

Off The Wire

Biden restores roadless protection to the Tongass, North America's largest rainforest
Biden restores roadless protection to the Tongass, North America’s largest rainforest
The Tongass National Forest in Alaska, a focus of political battles over old-growth logging and road-building in forests for decades, has received new protection from the Biden administration.
theconversation.com
As California?s climate heats up, Valley fever spikes ? especially on Central Coast
As California’s climate heats up, Valley fever spikes, especially on Central Coast
Because the fungus that causes the disease spreads easily in hot, arid conditions, the number of cases will grow, UC Berkeley study says
www.mercurynews.com
Activists sue to block Newsom's homeless mental illness treatment program
Activists sue to block Newsom’s homeless mental illness treatment program
Gov. Gavin Newsom championed compelled mental health treatment for homeless Californians. Now, activists are trying to stop it before it gets off the ground.
sjvsun.com
The Rise of Spirit Warriors on the Christian Right
The Rise of Spirit Warriors on the Christian Right
How an extreme transformation in American religion poses an existential threat to our democracy
newrepublic.com
Gimme Shelter: Mayor Karen Bass on homelessness and the California housing crisis
Gimme Shelter: Mayor Karen Bass on homelessness and the California housing crisis
Liam Dillon and Ben Oreskes of the L.A. Times interview Mayor Karen Bass about homelessness and housing problems in California.
calmatters.org
A Water War Is Brewing Over the Dwindling Colorado River
A Water War Is Brewing Over the Dwindling Colorado River
This story first appeared at ProPublica. ProPublica is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative…
talkingpointsmemo.com
At Last, a Real Possibility to Avoid Catastrophic Climate Change
At Last, a Real Possibility to Avoid Catastrophic Climate Change
After decades of minimal action, Congress passed the largest and most comprehensive piece of climate legislation in U.S. history. Will we make the most of this opportunity?
www.audubon.org
ACLU sues Phoenix over homeless sweeps, citations
ACLU sues Phoenix over homeless sweeps, citations
The ACLU of Arizona has filed a lawsuit against the city of Phoenix over cleanup sweeps of homeless encampments.
www.azcentral.com
'Full-on crisis': Groundwater in California's Central Valley disappearing at alarming rate
‘Full-on crisis’: Groundwater in California’s Central Valley disappearing at alarming rate
Excessive groundwater pumping has long been depleting aquifers in California’s Central Valley. Now, scientists say the depletion is accelerating.
www.latimes.com
San Francisco?s homeless sweeps are unlawful ? and the city will pay for it
San Francisco’s homeless sweeps are unlawful and the city will pay for it
San Francisco’s campaign to remove homeless people from the streets clearly violates…
www.sfchronicle.com
A year after opening 600 rooms to L.A.'s unhoused, the Cecil Hotel is still mostly empty. Here's why
A year after opening 600 rooms to L.A.’s unhoused, the Cecil Hotel is still mostly empty. Here’s why
The Cecil Hotel was supposed to be an innovative new model for permanent supportive housing in L.A. Why is it struggling to fill rooms?
news.yahoo.com
Fentanyl on campus: One Bay Area school saved a student?s life. Another missed the signs of an overdose. Is your school ready?
Fentanyl on campus: One Bay Area school saved a student’s life. Another missed the signs of an overdose. Is your school ready?
Suddenly, Bay Area schools are playing a critical role in combating the alarming rise of fentanyl that is spilling onto high school campuses. But a Bay Area News Group survey found most may not be….
www.mercurynews.com

Find us on Facebook

The Valley Citizen
PO Box 156
Downtown Bear Postal
1509 K Street
Modesto, CA 95354

Email us at:
thevalleycitizen@sbcglobal.net

Footer

The Valley Citizen
PO Box 156
Downtown Bear Postal
1509 K Street
Modesto, CA 95354

Email us at:
thevalleycitizen@sbcglobal.net

Subscribe for Free

* indicates required

Search

• Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2023 The Valley Citizen

Dedicated to the memory of John Michael Flint. Contact us at thevalleycitizen@sbcglobal.net

Editor and publisher: Eric Caine

Website customization and maintenance by Susan Henley Design