How Fast Can You Count?
A very casual report of the AVA Christmas Bird Counts by Sue Duncan
G’s Restaurant in Oscoda was a perfect place to compare notes and recharge before setting out for a few more bird sightings.
The two Christmas Bird counts done in Iosco County for 2017 were so different, and yet so alike!
They were alike because both had great participation; 18 or more members for both, good food at breakfast and lunch with exciting conversation and really wonderful bird finds in both areas. What fun and stimulating days! (That’s a BIG reason to “like” the CBC adventure for me! )
They were different too: the weather! Lots of new snow and pretty chilly on on Saturday, December 16 in Tawas and then balmy 41 degrees and sunshine (some) on Tuesday, December 19 in Oscoda. Bird finds usually duplicate each other to some extent, but there are also differences! Like lots of hawks on one, lots of starlings on the other! You’ll have to wait for the official tally to find out all the contrasts.
The really exciting bird finds included a Snowy Owl in each count, Brown Creepers -2 (a first for a count, we rarely see two together on counts) No Redheaded ducks! No Cedar Waxwings, Bohemian or not. But a number of Ruffed-grouse and a lot of leaf-birds were spotted. Most unusual and surprising? Rose-breasted Grosbeaks! All four people on that team swear to it!
If you were lucky enough to go on one of the counts, what did you see that thrilled, amazed or puzzled you? Maybe you expected to find a species that wasn’t around this year. What was it? Let’s continue this group ‘conversation’ by watching for the official report coming to this website and by discussing it all again at the January meeting in 2018!
