Photos by Hugh Ranson (left to right) — Broad-billed Hummingbird, LeConte’s Sparrow, and Northern Shoveler. Birds observed just before 118th CBC
Hello birders,
124th SB CBC Results Notes (Preliminary)
- Sea-watches from land found the following pelagic species: Black-Vented Shearwater, Surf Scoter, Red-throated, Common and Pacific Loons.
- Owling efforts produced Spotted, Northern Saw-whet, Western Screech, Barn, and Great Horned species.
- Nine less-common warbler species were found: Lucy’s, Chestnut-sided, Macgillivray’s, Black-and-White, Nashville, Hermit, Black-throated Gray, Wilson’s and Yellow.
- Five oriole species were found: Bullock’s, Orchard, Hooded, Baltimore and Scott’s.
- The wintering Warbling Vireo, back for its 11th year at Bohnett Park, was seen in late November, but not on count day or during count week. The “ancient” vireo was refound shortly after count week.
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Some of the species seen during this montane year including Red Crossbill were found on count day.
Notable misses (excluding pelagics) are listed below. Some of these were recorded during Count Week but not on Count Day:
- White-tailed Kite
- Northern Pygmy-Owl
- Burrowing Owl
- Rock Wren
- Wilson’s Snipe
- Redhead
- Caspian Tern
- Tennessee Warbler
We look forward to analyzing the numbers for each species to obtain a pulse on how they are faring. Many observers have noted reduced numbers of sparrows and other birds, but it’s unclear what this indicates about the overall health of these populations. Some species seem to be arriving later than typical this season. Final details will be determined in the coming weeks as we compile the data and confirm documentation. Many thanks to the efforts of our local and visiting birders for another successful CBC!
Thanks for your interest,
Libby Patten, Liz Muraoka, Glenn Kincaid, Conor McMahon, Linus Blomqvist and Mark Holmgren
SB CBC Coordinators
123rd SB CBC Results Notes:
Saturday’s Santa Barbara CBC (12/31/22) was one for the record-books—unfortunately not in species numbers but in the amount of rain falling on count day. Most of the count circle had at least 2.5 inches of rain, with mountain areas over 4 inches. But 150+ birders dug out their raincoats and logged a total of 196 species. This number is a bit lower than our usual species count but a respectable total given the weather conditions.
Some highlights:
Despite grim sea watching conditions, birders by boat and on land found PACIFIC, COMMON, and RED-THROATED LOONS, SURF, BLACK, and WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS, NORTHERN FULMAR, PARASITIC JAEGER, COMMON MURRE, and a SOOTY/SHORT-TAILED SHEARWATER. Thanks to the ChannelKeeper vessel and captain Ben Pitterle for their efforts.
The long-staying PACIFIC GOLDEN-PLOVER was found at East Beach.
Owling efforts produced SPOTTED, NORTHERN SAW-WHET, WESTERN SCREECH, BARN, GREAT HORNED, and BURROWING.
Two MACGILLIVRAY’S WARBLERS were found—the continuing bird at the Goleta Tech Park, and a new bird found while scouting Isla Vista.
The WHITE-HEADED WOODPECKER from the Goleta Tech Park was found at another of its sometime haunts, Bella Vista Open Space.
The downtown parking lot Tipu trees produced LUCY’S WARBLER, NASHVILLE WARBLER, TENNESSEE WARBLER, and an apparent HERMIT x TOWNSEND’S WARBLER HYBRID. Another Tennessee was found in a Goleta backyard.
The wintering WARBLING VIREO is back for its 10th year at Bohnett Park.
Three species of oriole in the count circle: BULLOCK’S, ORCHARD, AND HOODED.
Notable misses, most weather-related. Many of these birds have been recorded during Count Week but not on Count Day.
SHORT-EARED OWL
WINTER WREN
AMERICAN BITTERN
VIRGINIA RAIL
TROPICAL KINGBIRD
OSPREY
BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER
COMMON RAVEN
WILLIAMSON’S SAPSUCKER
GREATER ROADRUNNER
WHITE-THROATED SWIFT
Thanks as always to the efforts of our local and visiting birders for a memorable CBC. Anyone else considering new rain gear??
Download the Final Species List Here.
Rebecca Coulter
CASB Compiler
2022 Results
The 122nd Audubon Christmas Bird Count (for Santa Barbara on January 1, 2022) is now in the books. Our final official tally is 194 species. State and national ranking for the total number of species is shown below. The full list of species and numbers of birds recorded for each is available at Audubon’s CBC web page.
The video of the compilation Zoom is HERE.
Species Count Circle
230 Matagorda/Mad Island Marsh, TX
211 San Diego, CA
200 Morro Bay, CA30194
195 Freeport, TX
194 Santa Barbara, CA
192 Guadalupe River Delta, TX
We knew when planning for this year’s CBC that it would be another socially distanced event, but we’re getting to be old hands at this, aren’t we? We changed our system for data compilation to leverage eBird, requiring more work by our participants but making data crunching much easier (thank you!). We hoped for rain to help quell the drought and perhaps boost bird abundance for the big day. The weeks of rain in December were a welcome relief, but as CBC approached, we wondered if it had been too much of a good thing. Fortunately, the weather for CBC was clear, crisp and delightful for birding, although the mountain teams were very chilly.
Our final species total of 194 was the lowest in decades and likely reflects many factors. Prolonged drought reduced the food supply that attracts and keeps birds around. Ironically, the significant rain we got just before the count was a mixed bag. It might have helped increase some waterfowl numbers, but mud made some mountain roads impassable, and birding-by-ear near rushing creeks was nearly impossible! Also, COVID continues to impact us. Although the number of participants was higher this year (172) than last (155), we had to scramble to cover areas when participants got sick at the last minute.
Of course, we still enjoyed the day immensely and had some nice highlights. These included the Warbling Vireo returning for its ninth winter at Bohnett Park (such a rare species in winter that we presume it’s the same individual there all these years), Painted Redstart at Rocky Nook Park (there since mid-December), Green-tailed Towhee at a new restoration area in Goleta, Plumbeous Vireo at Chase Palm Park, and Horned Lark at Lane Farms.
For the third year in a row, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron was found at Goleta Beach. Amazingly, we found Lawrence’s Goldfinch, a bird we usually miss, at three different locations. A high count of American White Pelican (28 total) was found, also at three different spots. We counted seven owl species, including the less common Northern Pygmy, Spotted, Northern Saw-whet and Short-eared (which has been gracing More Mesa since late fall). The warbler count was lower than usual (10 versus 13 species) with rarer ones including Nashville, MacGillivray’s, Yellow, Black-throated Gray, and Wilson’s. Both Swamp Sparrow and Clay-colored Sparrow were found (La Cumbre Country Club and the Municipal Golf Course). The pelagic team had reasonably calm conditions on the channel, finding White-winged Scoter and Black Scoter. Among the seabirds, both Clark’s Grebe and Caspian Tern were missed, though routinely found in the past.
Orioles were scarce this year (only two Bullock’s), likely impacted by reduced eucalyptus bloom. Some other trends noted were big drops in Cedar Waxwing, European Starling, Eurasian Collared-Dove, House Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, American Coot and Ruby-crowned Kinglet. Species that showed much higher than typical numbers included Brown Pelican and Brandt’s Cormorant.
This was not a montane year, so the CBC reflected that with only a few Pine Siskin. We saw no Red-breasted Nuthatch, Red Crossbill nor Townsend’s Solitaire. Brown Creeper was frustratingly elusive although several were found not long before and after the count.
Historical data and observations of longtime birders have seen the abundance and diversity of birds decline significantly over the years. About 10 percent of the species found this CBC were represented by a single individual. Some were birds we rarely get in winter, so were a happy surprise, but others used to be much easier to find (e.g. Sora). A final element in our low total species count is that we’ve greatly benefited for many years by amazing scouting prior to CBC, often by out-of- town birders of supreme skill. Again, COVID disrupted these scouting activities, leading to fewer unusual finds on CBC day. Other count circles (e.g. Matagorda County, Texas) also noted that their high count had a significant fraction of species in the single digits and so could be easily missed..
Thank you for your steadfast support of the CBC: Santa Barbara Audubon, the compiling team, mapping and data crunching experts, and all the birders who scout, mobilize, and inspire us to do it every year. Thank you!
2021 Results
January 2, 2021’s 121st Audubon Christmas Bird Count is now going into the books. Our final official tally is 206 species.
State and national ranking for the total number of species is shown below. The full list of species and numbers of birds recorded for each will be available soon at Audubon’s CBC web page.
Species Count Circle
223 Matagorda/Mad Island Marsh, TX
220 San Diego, CA
213 Guadalupe River Delta, TX
210 Freeport, TX
206 Santa Barbara, CA
202 Morro Bay, CA
We’ve heard it said in every possible way: 2020 was a year to remember. To that end, in October the CBC team began discussing how and whether to hold the count during a pandemic. We debated the pros and cons, and in mid-December decided to go ahead, with the thanks of many birders who were eloquent in their pleas to continue: It was no small gift to have something to look forward to in this year of canceled plans.
Our results were a wonderful surprise, considering the reduced number of participants (155 instead of the usual 225+). The final species total of 206 reflected a huge effort by dedicated birders who covered our count circle. There were many highlights: The male Tufted Duck returned for its eighth year, turning up at Rancho Goleta Lake; Mountain Quail were found at several places along Camino Cielo; two sea watch finds—Blacklegged Kittiwake and a Sooty/Short-tailed Shearwater—were a great surprise (identified only to genus level but countable!).
For the second year in a row, Yellow-crowned Night-heron was present at Goleta Beach, and American White Pelican surprised everyone at Lake Los Carneros, as did a Least Bittern discovered there at dusk. We counted seven owl species, including the more uncommon Northern Pygmy, Burrowing, Spotted, and Northern Saw-whet. (The Short-eared was not seen on the day, but at this writing it still continues at More Mesa.) The Warbling Vireo returned for its eighth winter at Bohnett Park. (This species is so rare in winter that we presume it is the same individual favoring the same small park year after year.) Hammond’s Flycatcher, Dusky Flycatcher and Eastern Phoebe made a great flycatcher show; mountain species were represented by Pygmy Nuthatch and Townsend’s Solitaire at La Cumbre Peak. A Lawrence’s Goldfinch was heard calling repeatedly overhead at the Santa Barbara Harbor as a keen-eared birder made his way to the boat for pelagic duty. An unexpected late addition of Pacific Wren in a Goleta backyard came from a savvy birder watching the local listserv for reports. Grasshopper Sparrow was found at San Marcos Foothills preserve, and orioles turned up after scarce reports leading to count day: two Hooded at private residences, and Bullock’s, and Baltimore were also found. Black-and-White Warbler was found at UCSB although very few had been seen around the circle lately. Tennessee, Nashville, MacGillivray’s, Yellow, American Redstart, Northern Parula, Black-throated Gray, and Wilson’s Warblers were all found around the circle after great scouting prior to count day.
Except for the pelagic rarities above, despite calm conditions on the channel, seabirds were few: Clark’s Grebe, Bonaparte’s Gull, Forster’s Tern and Caspian Tern were all missed on count day, though Clark’s Grebe and Forster’s Tern were seen during count week. Other birds recorded during count week were Short-eared Owl, Lucy’s Warbler (actually seen count day, too, but just outside the boundary!), and Hermit Warbler.
Thank you for your steadfast support of the CBC: Santa Barbara Audubon, the compiling team, mapping and data crunching experts, Zoom gurus, and all the birders who scout, mobilize, and inspire us to do it every year.
Thank you.
Rebecca Coulter, Liz Muraoka, Joan Murdoch and Libby Patten
SB CBC Coordinators
