Birders - Photo: Bob Boekelheide

Christmas Bird Count Results

2023 Sequim-Dungeness Christmas Bird Count Results

by Bob Boekelheide

On December 18, 2023, OPAS held its 48th annual Sequim-Dungeness Christmas Bird Count (SDCBC). We ended up with 147 species, four species above the average species count for the previous 30 years, but below our all-time record of 154 species in 2015. Total count of individual birds was 71,950, much higher than the average of 61,096 for the past 30 years, and the seventh highest count in the history of the SDCBC. An extraordinary group of 122 field counters, along with 25 diligent feeder watchers, participated in the count, the second highest number of participants in the history of the SDCBC. Thank you all!  (See accompanying table for this year’s SDCBC results).

Sequim lived up to its reputation for pleasant weather, not only on count day, but for much of the week before the count. Thankfully, high winds and rain predicted on count day held off until after dark. The lowest temperature within the count circle was a very mild 39 degrees F at 5 a.m. at Upper Palo Alto Rd, followed by a high temperature of 51 degrees F in Sequim in the late afternoon. It was probably one of the warmest CBCs on record.

The most abundant species, as usual, was American Wigeon, with 15,661 birds.  Other species in the top ten, in decreasing order, were Mallard (5964 birds), American Robin (4820), European Starling (3228), Glaucous-winged/Olympic Gulls (3190), Dark-eyed Junco (2573), Pine Siskin (2453), Dunlin (2257), Northern Pintail (2204), and Green-winged Teal (1816). These 10 species made up about 61 percent of all the birds we tallied.

American Wigeons crowded together at Three Crabs. Can you estimate how many? Photo by Bob Boekelheide.

With nice weather and skilled observers, we established record or near-record high counts for several species, particularly small forest birds. Counts of Black-capped Chickadees, White-crowned Sparrows, and House Finches were the highest ever for the SDCBC. Chestnut-backed Chickadees, Bushtits, and Brown Creepers scored their second-highest counts. Among water birds, Red-throated Loons rebounded from only five counted last year to their second highest count ever at 71, the highest since 1995.

Several noteworthy species appeared for the count, particularly species that usually spend winters further south. A Turkey Vulture soared through the middle of the count circle, reported by no less than four different field parties. There was one Whimbrel at Dungeness Spit, only the third record for the SDCBC. Sue Thomas found a Ruddy Turnstone at Protection Island, the fifth record for the SDCBC. For the second year in a row, we tallied Spotted Sandpiper and Greater Yellowlegs, the ninth and seventh records for the SDCBC, respectfully. A flock of at least 27 Marbled Godwits stuck around for the count in Dungeness Bay.

Among other unusual birds, the most interesting to me is the beautiful adult Lesser Black-backed Gull here for at least its third winter in a row, hanging out at Washington Harbor and Maple View Dairy. Where in the world does this bird go during the nesting season? It faithfully shows up in November and departs about March, missing for the rest of the year. Since Lesser Black-backed Gulls are birds of the north Atlantic Ocean and Europe, could this bird fly to some far-distant nesting colony half a world away?

Lesser Black-backed Gull roosting with other gulls. Photo by Bob Boekelheide.

Another intriguing species is the lone Bohemian Waxwing found in downtown Dungeness by Scott Gremel and his team. Very few Bohemian Waxwings have made it to western WA this year, so this bird really stands out. It is also reminiscent of the lone Bohemian Waxwing that hung out with robins in Blyn exactly one winter ago, found by Libby Burtner.  

Bohemian Waxwing. Photo by Bob Boekelheide

This year’s El Nino may have brought a couple of marine species from the south. Michael Barry and Denny Van Horn separately spotted Brown Pelicans near Dungeness Spit, a first for the SDCBC. If you see a Brown Pelican, you best look for a Heermann’s Gull nearby. Sure enough, Dan Lipinski spotted a wayward Heermann’s Gull roosting with other gulls at Dungeness Spit, only the fourth record for the SDCBC and the first since 2006, also an El Nino year. Denny also spotted an unidentified dark shearwater flying offshore, either a Sooty or a Short-tailed.

It was a mixed story for irruptive finches. Remember last year’s dearth of Pine Siskins, when they were practically non-existent on the north Olympic Peninsula? This year they returned in their swirling flocks, totaling 2453 on count day, but still far from their record count of almost 9000 in 2020. Both Evening Grosbeaks and Red Crossbills made an appearance this year, but scored below their average count for the last 48 years. At the other end of the abundance spectrum, it was the lowest Purple Finch year since 2012.

Female Evening Grosbeak by Bob Boekelheide

A few “recent” arrivals to Clallam County, Eurasian Collared-Doves and Anna’s Hummingbirds, may have reached their upper population limits. Collared-Doves were first observed in Clallam County in 2004 and first recorded on the SDCBC with only four doves in 2007. They quickly grew to a peak of 342 doves in 2015. Since then, their numbers have waffled, with only 118 recorded this year. Have predators discovered the collared-doves?

But what about Mourning Doves? We now think of Mourning Dove as a fairly common bird around here, but actually MODOs were quite scarce in the 1970s and 1980s, totally missed on 8 of the first 20 SDCBCs between 1975 and 1994. Their numbers rose steadily through the late 1990s, first surpassing 100 birds in 2000, then skyrocketed over the next decade to reach a peak of 487 in 2009. Then collared-doves arrived, and MODO numbers dropped for several years. Now, with the recent decline in collared-doves, Mourning Dove numbers have soared again this year to their third-highest count ever, with 432 birds. Is there really competition between collared-doves and Mourning Doves?

Mourning Doves at Schmuck Road. Photo by Bob Boekelheide

It was a big deal in 1994 when the very first Anna’s Hummingbirds occurred on the SDCBC. After that, their numbers climbed slowly, surpassing 10 birds as recently as 2006. Their count exploded over the next 15 years, peaking at 404 hummers in 2021. Over the last two CBCs, Anna’s Hummers have retreated a bit, down to 386 this year. Has the wintering-over population of Anna’s Hummingbirds maxed out all available feeders in their competition for sugar water? But remember, of all hummingbirds Anna’s probably have the highest proportion of insects and spiders in their diet, so some appear able to survive winters without visiting feeders.     

A few species recorded very low numbers or we missed them altogether. Where are the swans? The Trumpeter Swan count this year was the lowest since 2015. Where are the coots? The American Coot count this year was the lowest since 1978. We missed Greater White-fronted Goose for the first time since 2019. The reliable Ruddy Ducks at the pond at Diamond Point have dwindled to nothing, missed for the first time since 2009. Unfortunately, no Northern Saw-whet Owls replied to our hoots in the pre-dawn forests, the first time Saw-whets have been missed since 1987. We missed dowitchers on count day, but three dowitcher sp. joined other shorebirds in Dungeness Bay a couple days after the count, qualifying them as “count-week” species.

Final note:  When I sent a shortened article about our CBC to Tweeters, the Washington birding listserv, I mentioned that we missed Black Oystercatcher and the species count was 146. Bruce LaBar, a member of our boat party, wrote back saying that they actually spotted an oystercatcher by the marina when they returned from the boat survey. I’ve added the oystercatcher and the count is now up to 147 species. Thanks, Bruce!  

Black Oystercatcher. Photo by Bob Boekelheide

Many thanks to everyone who participated, particularly to the landowners and agencies that gave access, including Dungeness NWR, Olympic Game Farm, Dungeness Farms and Habitat, Quacker Farms, Graysmarsh, Mark Burrows, Kevin Froese, Sequim Valley Ranch, and the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe.  Special thanks to the Dungeness River Nature Center for hosting our compilation chili feed. 

Our valiant counters included: Jamie Acker, James Halsh, Dan Lipinski, Michael Barry, Ken Wiersema, Dow Lambert, Sue Nattinger, Coleman Byrnes, Len Zeoli, Kari Williamson, Katja Bridwell, Liam Hutcheson, Jacob Miller, Alexander Sowers, Denny Van Horn, Edward Koszykowski, Scott Gremel, Mandy Holmgren, Eric Guzman, Melissa Marshall, Tom Butler, Scott Horton, Lee Bowen, Kaye Edmiston, Shelly Ament, Brad, Dan, & Kevin Waggoner, Barb & Bob Boekelheide, Carolyn Wilcox, Lindsey Schromin-Wawrin, Stephanie Robinson, Roger & Cat Hoffman, Richard Klawitter, Steve Hampton, Barry McKenzie, Ali Kasperzak, Bruce & Carol Von Borstel, Judy Mullally, Judy Collins, Ken & Mary Campbell, Powell Jones, Greg Voyles, Katherine & Otis Bush, John Gatchet, Bob Bagwell, David Durham, Charlie & Linnea Wright, Bruce LaBar, Mike Crim, Durkee Richards, Sue Thomas, Lorenz Sollman, Janis Burger, Susan Savage, Bob Blush, Pat Willets, Ed Bowlby, Kathy & Matt McCoy, Shelly Deisch, Karen Holtrop, Betsy Howell, Alison Center, Valerie Walcott, John Bridge, Tim Cullinan, Joyce Volmut, Rhonda Coats, Monica Hove, John Acklen, Juanita Reyes, Audrey & Jim Gift, Mike Hovis, Nancy Kohn, Katherine Dunham, Deb Flint, Norrie & Barb Johnson, Quenn Charrier, Gillian Kenagy, Elyse Carter, Ida Domazlicky, Penny Soares, Jane Nicholas, Mary Morgan, Tim McNulty, Tom Harris, Dave Shreffler, Heidi Pedersen, Barb Blackie, Tom Guobis, Joan McDermott, Margie Palmer, Debbie Turner, Barbara Vanderwerf, Sally Bird, Miguel Reabold, Laura Davis & Alan Smith, Pat Schoen, Marie Grad, Rosemarie Leuke, Dave Swinford, Joodie Klinke, Patricia Wolczko, Steve Koehler, Sharle Osborne, Skip & Carolyn Perkins, Montel & Walt Livingston, Wayne & Margie Sladek, Tom & Connie Unsicker, Gary Bullock, Enid & Bob Phreaner, Ron Wight, Ann Skillman, Marion Rutledge, Stacey Fradkin, Rebecca Atherton, Vince Thrutchley, Pamela Jennings, Bill Baker, Kathy Jenkins, Siri Forsman-Sims, Ed Stege, Connie Barron, Rick Rodlend & Kathy Cooper, Helen Pilch, Doris Causey, Joy Bertman, Anne Burkhardt, Patty Giffin, Sue & Don Dryden, + 2 Anonymous Feeder Watchers

Mark your calendars -- the 2024 SDCBC will likely occur on Monday, 12/16/24.