Western Bluebird pair—Photo courtesy of Joyce Volmut with permission by property owners.
January—February 2023
Climate Watch Survey January 2023
by Joyce Volmut
Looks like the New Year is upon us and that means the Climate Watch Survey is fast approaching. The survey begins on January 15, 2023 and ends February 15, 2023. Yes I am writing 2023 and it seems unbelievable.
The climate watch survey focuses on target bird species: the bluebirds (Mountain, Western, and Eastern), the towhee, the American Goldfinch and Lesser Goldfinch, the nuthatches, and the Painted Bunting. These species are selected by the National Audubon Climate Watch program because they are easily recognized and except for the Painted Bunting, some variety of the species is located throughout the United States.
We are familiar with most of the target species. They are our backyard birds. The Spotted Towhee kicking up dirt and leaves to get to a tasty morsel is a special treat and the Red-breasted Nuthatch with his quirky call always brings a smile.
The celebrity in all of the target birds has to be the American Goldfinch. A state bird in many states across the United States, including Washington where it was designated as state bird in 1951. Like the summer sun, the American Goldfinch stands out, a sparkle of bright yellow after a dismal grey winter sky. The goldfinch arrives in late spring. It is one of the latest nesters of the migrating birds. It stays throughout summer and into late fall. I love to see it as it forages in my yard on the autumn hawk bit, a late fall dandelion look-alike.
A onetime border species that is visiting our area more frequently and you guessed it, one of my favorite songbirds, is the Western Bluebird. The winter climate watch survey only tell us a little about this species. Reviewing eBird, however, tells you there are quite a few sightings during this time period that are never reported as part of the survey at Railroad Park Bridge, Hendrickson Road, Taylor Ranch Road, Olympic Discovery Trail, and Port Angeles Airport. During migration, several return to the site where they have nested such as the Western Bluebird pictured here, nicknamed by the property owners as “Spot”.
Western Bluebird “Spot”: Courtesy of Joyce Volmut with permission by property owners.
There remains a lot we don’t know about the Western Bluebird in the Northwest. In 2013, the University of Victoria set about to improve the habitat on various campus sites so that it’s hospitable to the Western Bluebird. Western Bluebirds were common in southern Vancouver Island through the 1950s but were extirpated by 1995. Their project included restoring the Garry Oak ecosystem, developing a nest box plan, and reintroducing breeding pairs, similar to the plans developed on the San Juan Islands. Both projects are monitored by volunteers and have seen a return of Western Bluebirds to the area.
The OPAS Western Bluebird project attempts to place nest boxes in areas where there have been multiple sightings, such as the DNR clearcuts on River Road in Sequim where 4 boxes have been placed, and on Thompson Road on the Miller Peninsula where there are 6 boxes.
Western Bluebird pair: Photo courtesy of Joyce Volmut with permission by property owners.
More volunteers are needed at these sites to give a more complete picture of the outcome. The Western Bluebird begins nest building early in late March or early April. They generally have two broods during the nesting period and on at least one occasion, three have been reported.
For more information about volunteering for the Climate Watch survey, or if you think your property is suitable for Western Bluebirds, or simply would like more information about the Western Bluebird project please contact me by email joyce.volmut@gmail.com.
As a reminder, the Climate Watch Survey begins January 15 and lasts until February 15. It is a one time 5 minute survey that takes place any day throughout the survey period.