Perhaps it was the exceedingly balmy weather that occurred over the region just before the beginning of the 2015-16 count season that enticed a record number of birders to turn out for the 48 Christmas Bird Counts held in the Virginia-Washington D.C. region. Whatever the reason, at least seven counts exceeded all previous attendance records and four more came close to it. Washington D.C. spiked to nearly 200 observers, eclipsing last year鈥檚 high by seven more people. That is the most participants ever on any count in the region.
We were saddened to learn of the unexpected death of compiler Tom Hunter. He served as co-compiler the first year the Buchanan count was established in 2008, and then as primary compiler in the succeeding six years. An active birder and a good friend to many, his passing was a stunning loss for the birding community of Virginia. Lynda Mayhorn kindly stepped in this year as Tom鈥檚 replacement.
Summer-like days blanketed the region for a period of time just before the counts and some of those unusually high temperatures lingered on in several count circles, notably, Nokesville and Back Bay, in the eastern part of the region that registered 70o and 75o F respectively. Further west in the Blue Ridge, a record-breaking 75o was recorded at Big Flat Mountain, which is the second highest count circle in the region. On the other end of the scale, teeth-chattering lows of 18o F greeted birders on The Plains count and a low of 21o was endured during the early hours on the Augusta County effort. There were, however, plenty of surprises and great finds around the region.
It was perhaps those warm temperatures north of the region that held back several species of waterfowl. Only 30 Ring-necked Ducks were at Nassawaddox, a species that has appeared in triple digits there for the last nine years. Statewide, American Black Duck numbers were the lowest (3837) since 1951. That was not a significant drop from the average of 4500 in the past three years, but there has been a steady decline of black ducks on Christmas counts for many years. In the 1960s and 70s, it was not unusual to count this species in the tens of thousands.
Almost always in triple digit figures in the past 25 years, and in quadruple numbers through most of the 1970s and 80s, the total of 34 Long-tailed Ducks on the Virginia counts is an extremely low count. In fact, it鈥檚 the lowest since 1956, but Washington D.C. chalked up an all-time high of 58 Long-tailed Ducks, eclipsing the previous record high of 16 set in 1992. Wachapreague birders found none at all, a rare miss for them, and Cape Charles reported only two, way down from totals of recent years. The 782 Canvasbacks represented the lowest state-wide numbers since 567 recorded in 1982. Common Goldeneye totals were also low, only 80 state-wide, but this species has had a poor showing on Christmas counts for 10 years or more.
However, all was not completely bleak on the waterfowl scene. Green-winged Teal numbers were up with the most seen statewide (4604) since 2011. Black Scoters appeared in the usual places, but 1003 individuals at Mathews County was way above any numbers counted there before. The previous high was 237 in 2004. The Eurasian Wigeon at Central Loudoun was a first for that count. Numbers of American Wigeon were within normal range around most of the state, although Back Bay recorded a very low total of four. Hopewell recorded 266, the most ever there.
Another year went by on the Washington D.C. count without one single Northern Bobwhite seen or heard. The last Christmas count record was in 2001. In contrast, 264 were found on that count in 1962. Efforts to restore this iconic species in many parts of the region have shown minimal success over the past several years. Around the rest of the region, only five counts reported a total of 26 bobwhites, the lowest number since 1928 when only three counts took place state-wide. It is a bleak picture, indeed. Ruffed Grouse did a little better this year with six counts reporting a total of 11 birds.
The record-breaking 20,000 Red-throated Loons at Back Bay certainly augmented the total of that species, as did the 1280 at Cape Charles and 1690 at Little Creek. It all added up to the record-breaking state total of almost 24,000 individuals, more than twice as many than the previous high set in 2003.
Little Creek and Williamsburg continue to augment the numbers of Double-crested Cormorants with one to three thousand occurring on both counts. This species is also beginning to appear more frequently in western areas of the state, with nine birds on four counts. A surprising 202 cormorants showed up at Banister River Wildlife Management Areas in the Piedmont section. Washington D.C. topped its all-time high count of cormorants with a tally of 329, 16 more than the previous high set in 2011.
Cattle Egrets showed up at Back Bay for the second year in a row, and one individual was spotted in a pasture amongst a herd of cows at Walkerton, a first for that circle. A Green Heron at Wachapreague was the only one reported this year. For the fourth straight year White Ibises were seen at Back Bay in triple digits, which would seem to indicate that this species has established a significant wintering population at this site. Single individuals were recorded at Cape Charles and Little Creek.
Numbers of Bald Eagles continue to steadily climb upward. About 1400 were detected throughout the region, again breaking all previous record highs. Calmes Neck birders found the only Northern Goshawk seen on a count in the region for three years. The sighting of a Broad-winged Hawk came from Nassawaddox. It is the only confirmed CBC sighting of this species since 2006.
Clapper Rails were very scarce this year. The state total was 44, less than half the number recorded in the past two years. After being present for three years running, Virginia Rails were not found on the Glade Spring count this year, nor were they recorded at Northern Shenandoah Valley and Fort Belvoir, two other sites where they usually appear. But a species that did occur for the first time on the Glade Spring count was a Common Gallinule, a first for birders in that area and the only CBC record in two years.
After tantalizing count participants with glimpses off and on for eight years, or showing up as only count week birds, two Sandhill Cranes finally gave Gordonsville birders a break and were present on count day, even coming in close enough for photographs. The last time Sandhills were seen on count day anywhere in the region was back in 2011 when four appeared at Wachapreague.
Eleven American Avocets were at Nansemond River, the third highest Christmas count record in the region. A stunning 1146 American Oystercatchers were a welcome sight at Nassawaddox and added to the totals from four other counts around the Bay to comprise the record high of 1373 individuals.
This was one of those years that occurs every so often when almost no Semipalmated Plovers are around. Two at Chincoteague were the only ones discovered. And Chincoteague was the only count that recorded Spotted Sandpiper. Only three Willets showed up, a species which is usually quite plentiful at Chincoteague during most winters. Perhaps the heavy winds and wild surf conditions on count day drove them away from their usual hangouts along the exposed eastern beaches of the refuge.
In the last 26 years, the only Christmas Count sighting of a Long-billed Curlew was one bird at Wachapreague in 2011, so it was quite an event to find three individuals at Nassawaddox, the most ever recorded on any count. Only seven Red Knots were found. Most often they are spotted on the Cape Charles count but all were at Chincoteague this year. Sanderling numbers were the lowest in five years. Dunlins were also relatively scarce, the total of 13,359 the lowest in five years.
A Parasitic Jaeger at Newport News was a first ever sighting for that count. The only sighting of a Black-legged Kittiwake was one during count week at Back Bay, the only report since 2009. Bonaparte鈥檚 Gull numbers were very low. One or two Black-headed Gulls are usually seen every year and 2015 was no exception. One was at Cape Charles, the other at Chincoteague. Black-headeds has been spotted in the latter count circle quite often, but usually not on count day.
Laughing Gull numbers were very high this year, augmented by Brooke鈥檚 record-breaking 2101 and 2732 at Hopewell, not an all-time high, but many more than is usually seen there. Twenty-two Black Skimmers were the most for Virginia in 14 years. Another individual was seen during count week at Chincoteague.
Sixty Eurasian Collared-Doves were recorded on four counts - Cape Charles, Little Creek, Blacksburg, and Glade Spring. A Ruby-throated Hummingbird was photographed on the Nansemond River count, a first for there, but generally speaking, hummingbirds were not as much in evidence as years past.
Red-headed Woodpeckers seemed to be everywhere. All-time high counts were noted at Walkerton, Washington鈥檚 Birthplace, Fort Belvoir, Manassas-Bull Run, and Banister River WMAs. Washington D.C. birders rarely ever record this species, most probably because of lack of proper habitat. Red-headeds don鈥檛 thrive well in the carefully manicured environments which dominate that metropolis.
Nevertheless, the constant increase in the number of all woodpecker species in the northeastern section of the region is remarkable. Washington D.C., Fort Belvoir, and Manassas-Bull Run broke record high counts of Red-bellied Woodpeckers. Those three counts, plus Brooke recorded record-high numbers of Hairy Woodpeckers. In fact, Manassas-Bull Run topped all-time high counts of six of the seven woodpecker species regularly recorded on those counts. Northern Flicker was the only species that did not reach a record high.
The Say鈥檚 Phoebe observed and photographed by many on the Blackford count is only the second time this species has been found on any VA-DC region Christmas Count. Another CBC rarity of the flycatcher family that was found this year was an Ash-throated Flycatcher at Back Bay. Since 1978, Ash-throateds have been recorded on six Virginia counts, mostly on Eastern Shore counts. Others have been recorded at Williamsburg, Hopewell, and Little Creek. This year鈥檚 individual was a first for Back Bay.
Thirteen Loggerhead Shrikes were found on four counts, six of those at Blackford. Almost all records of this species in the past two decades have been reported only in the northern and western sections of the region. The Northern Shrike, much rarer than the Loggerhead, was spotted for the first time since 2004 in Rockingham County, a first for there. The last time it was seen on a VA-DC region Christmas count was at Cape Charles in 2004.
Fourteen Blue-headed Vireos were found on seven counts. They seem to appear sporadically around the state every few years, but usually two to 15 are found in Dismal Swamp almost every year, and 2015 was no exception. Birders found seven individuals there.
Blue Jays were not so plentiful, with less than half the numbers of last year. Fish Crows appeared in the usual numbers, but they still tend to shun Rockingham County, August County, and Waynesboro, where they were once counted in much higher numbers during the winter. Ravens continue to creep eastward, with Danville reporting two, a first for there, and Brooke recording an all-time high of six birds. In fact, all but two Piedmont counts recorded them.
We are getting somewhat accustomed to spotting Cave Swallows on Christmas Counts in the southeastern section of the region, but this year their numbers were unprecedented: three at Newport News were a first for there; two were spotted at Little Creek, and a stunning total of 28 at Nansemond River topped all expectations. Another stunning surprise was the appearance of Northern Rough-winged Swallows at Williamsburg as they swooped out of a barn and perched on nearby wires long enough to be photographed. This is only the second time this species has been recorded on a Virginia CBC.
American Robins nearly doubled their numbers of the past eight years with over 66,000 seen around the state. Cedar Waxwings appeared in higher numbers than any year since 2009, with almost 16,000 seen on all but three counts. Central Loudoun topped their all-time high with a grand total of 1066 individuals. Only one Lapland Longspur was found, that at Cape Charles. Snow Buntings were also in scant supply with only one individual appearing at Newport News.
There were some notable warbler species. A photograph of an American Redstart at Washington DC was a first for that count, and another redstart at Blacksburg was the second CBC record there. Washington D.C. birders photographed a Wilson鈥檚 Warbler, the eighth record for that count, and a Northern Parula seen during count week at Rockingham County was also noteworthy.
Blacksburg birders had two other rarities. A Dickcissel was a first for them, and two Brewer鈥檚 Blackbirds comprised a second record for there.
Several species of sparrows were scarce around the region. Savannah Sparrow counts were the lowest since 1982. White-crowned Sparrow numbers were the lowest since 1983. Swamp Sparrows were found in the lowest numbers in six years, and Dark-eyed Juncos numbers were the lowest in five years.
For the fifth year in a row, Purple Finch numbers remained very low. Pine Siskins also occurred in very low numbers. For quite a few years in this region, it hasn鈥檛 seemed to be weather-friendly conditions for these two species or Red-breasted Nuthatches.
It鈥檚 hard to believe, but that Western Tanager was back at the Williamsburg compiler鈥檚 feeder for the 5th year in a row. Another colorful visitor was a Painted Bunting on the Hopewell count, a first for there.
For the first time since 1952 numbers of Eastern Meadowlarks fell below 1000. From the mid-1950s up through the mid-1990s meadowlark totals usually fell between three and five thousand birds statewide, but then an insidious decline set in, and from then on, the average total has fallen to less than 2000/year state-wide.
Boat-tailed Grackle numbers continue to remain lower than usual, with no more than 600/year, almost half the average numbers of decades past. But Baltimore Orioles certainly had a banner year. Twenty-one individuals, including a second record for Fincastle, were recorded, the most since 1980.