The 49th Albany County Christmas Bird Count was held on December 15, 2024. Thirty-four participants conducted field surveys or watched feeders during count day, and observers spent 66 party-hours afield. Effort in 2024 was higher than an average count between 1975 and 2023 for participants (20) and party-hours (45). We recorded a total of 6,772 individual birds (107 birds/party-hour), which greatly exceeded the average of 3,155 birds (71.8 birds/party-hour) recorded on previous counts. A great effort given the blustery day! Thanks to all field and feeder observers who made the 2024 Christmas Bird Count a huge success.
For the second year in a row, we tallied more species during both count day (54) and count week (57), surpassing 2023 records of 47 species during count day and 54 species including count week. New species for the Albany County count in 2024 included a count day male Wood Duck, found by Spencer Hurt and Kyler Smith on the Spring Creek Pond creek, and an immature Black-crowned Night Heron, observed by Mary Schvetz along the Laramie River Greenbelt Trail, and a Gray Catbird, found by Laurel Armstrong in her backyard, during count week. Al Zerbe added a backyard White-crowned Sparrow during count week. These additional three species raised the total to 100 species observed during 49 years of Albany County counts.
Although temperatures were relatively mild, high winds (maximum gusts of 53 mph at the airport!) hampered finding some songbirds. Despite the winds, high counts for several species were achieved in 2024 (in addition to the three new ones above) including Mallard (1,659 individuals), Green-winged Teal (200), Eurasian Collared-Dove (450), Sharp-shinned Hawk (4), Ferruginous Hawk (3), American Kestrel (3), White-throated Sparrow (2), and Great-tailed Grackle (9). Compared to the average count adjusted for effort (1975–2023), more species and numbers of waterfowl were recorded in 2024, whereas winter finches (e.g., crossbills, grosbeaks, rosy-finches) were less abundant. Rough-legged Hawks were noticeably absent from much of the count circle. A table of results is WYAC 2024 Results.
Thanks again to all who participated in this record-setting year. I hope everyone had fun time and will plan on joining our 50th count next year.
Photos by Heather Johnson: White-throated Sparrow, Mallard, Ferruginous Hawk, Black-crowned Night Heron.
Brad A. Andres
No comments:
Post a Comment