christmas bird count 2021

MANY THANKS to Liza Sanden for organizing and administering the Eagle River Area Christmas Bird Count for over 20 years.  Here is her report from the 2021 Count.
 
18 intrepid birders braved the cold and the threatened wind and actually had a pretty good day of birding (12 teams) and counted birds of 24 species (including count week birds)
Temps ranged from -15 to 0 degrees, winds 0-25 mph with clear skies.
 
24 species - including count week species.
 
Bald Eagles - 156 (including 16 immatures; this is likely an undercount but seeing immatures in the trees fringing the dump is very difficult. Note - 139 were at the Anchorage Landfill
Sharp-shinned hawk 
Northern Goshawk - count week
Willow Ptarmigan - count week (lots of fresh tracks, but none seen Sunday)
Great-horned owl - 2
Rock Dove - 3
Downy Woodpecker - 19
Hairy Woodpecker - 15
Gray Jay/ Canada Jay - 10
Stellers Jay - 7
Black-billed Magpie - 102
Common Raven - 131
Black-capped Chickadee - 366
Boreal Chickadee - 45
Red-breasted Nuthatch - 30
Brown Creeper - 1
American Dipper - 4
Bohemian Waxwing - 12
Northern Shrike - 2
Dark-eyed Junco - 10
Grey-crowned Rosy Finch - 22
Pine Grosbeak 170
Red Crossbill - 40 (repeat visitors, previously identified via photo and good views)
Common Redpoll - 230
 
Only the Black-capped Chickadee was observed by all birders. Magpies and Redpolls came in 2nd place, observed by all but 1 team.
 
Happy Birding.
 
Next year's Eagle River Area Bird Count will likely be on January 1., 2023 The Eagle River CBC is always on Sundays to get an accurate census at the Anchorage Landfill -- and has usually been first Sunday of January. Let me know if you have strong opinions on this. Next year will also be my 20th year as coordinator - and if there are folks interested in doing more outreach in up our numbers, recruit more younger, energetic birders also please let me know. I love birding, but recognize burnout on the administrative side of this.  Many of our group have been doing this CBC for 20+ years.