The 125th Christmas Bird Count in California

The a hundred and twenty fifth Christmas Chook Depend interval occurred from December 14th, 2024, to January fifth, 2025. 124 counts had been accomplished in California, with 379 native species and 17 established launched species being recorded, for a grand complete of 396 species. A significant storm system on the weekend of December 14th-Fifteenth introduced heavy rain and powerful winds to most of Northern California and affected a number of counts; Crystal Springs, for instance, handled over 1 inch of rain and 36 mph winds, and South Lake Tahoe handled temperatures as little as 12°F. Exterior of that weekend, nevertheless, climate was largely gentle and didn’t considerably have an effect on most counts. The very best rely by way of variety of species was San Diego with a outstanding 230, which set a brand new state report.

Total, it was a superb 12 months for uncommon species, highlighted by California’s second state report of Juoanin’s Petrel in San Francisco, the northernmost California report of Thick-billed Kingbird in Benicia, the second California CBC report of Louisiana Waterthrush in Rancho Santa Fe, and the primary Central Valley report of Area Sparrow in Springville. Species recorded in unusually giant numbers embrace Solitary Sandpiper, Neotropic Cormorant, Vermilion Flycatcher, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Sage Thrasher, and Lucy’s Warbler. Then again, White-winged Scoter, Tough-legged Hawk, and Glaucous Gull had been recorded in unusually low numbers. A full abstract of uncommon species is under.

An Emperor Goose in Arcata was the primary recorded on a California CBC since 2021, and a Brant in Woodland/Davis established a outstanding inland winter report of this usually coastal species. A Gadwall x Northern Shoveler in Salton Sea (Southern) was solely the second CBC report of this hybrid for California. Six Eurasian Inexperienced-winged Teal was barely above the historic common, whereas Tufted Duck was missed solely for the primary time since 2017. 13 Harlequin Geese was in keeping with the latest 10-year common of 12.5, however nicely under the historic common. White-winged Scoter had one among its worst years on report, with solely 19 people, nicely under the latest 10-year common of 242. Eight Lengthy-tailed Duck was barely under the latest 10-year common of 10.1.

Uncommon inland loons included a single Purple-throated in Sherman Island and one Pacific in Folsom. Inland Purple-necked Grebes had been current in Elsinore and Lake Almanor. Maybe probably the most outstanding report of the whole rely interval was a Jouanin’s Petrel present in poor situation in city San Francisco, which subsequently died in rehab. This establishes simply the second report for California and the USA. A significant storm system on 12/14/2024 deposited a number of storm-petrels alongside the central California coast– Level Reyes, Crystal Springs, and Morro Bay every had one Leach’s, and Level Reyes additionally had one Fork-tailed. Two Brown Boobies in San Diego had been the one boobies reported throughout the rely interval. 62 Neotropic Cormorants smashed the earlier excessive rely of 37 as this species continues its enlargement via Southern California. Tricolored Herons had been recorded in San Diego and Salton Sea (Southern), as this species continues to grow to be extra common in California.

It was a superb winter for Swainson’s Hawks, with 23 of their conventional wintering website in Sherman Island, and extra 10 reported in different counts. Then again, it was an exceptionally poor winter for Tough-legged Hawk as this species continues to say no in California; simply 35 people was nicely under the latest 10-year common of 165. 5 Zone-tailed Hawk, all in Southern California, was much like the 10-year common of 4.5.

A Yellow Rail seen in San Jose was outstanding and established simply the fifth CBC report for California. The one American Oystercatcher was a single fowl in San Juan Capistrano. Six Pacific Golden-Plovers, all coastal, was typical. A outstanding 5 Solitary Sandpipers was the very best California CBC complete since 1984; this species is often discovered solely in spring and fall, and isn’t recorded in most winters. The one Ruff of the interval was one present in Hayward-Fremont. Del Norte produced the one Rock Sandpiper of the whole interval; this species has considerably declined in California during the last a number of a long time. The Little Stint returned to San Diego for its eighth winter. A Pectoral Sandpiper in Salton Sea (Southern) was an uncommon mid-winter report; like Solitary Sandpiper, the species is often discovered solely in spring and fall.

5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls was about common for latest years. Nonetheless, it was a really poor winter for Glaucous Gull with simply two people, the bottom complete since 1989. A single Lesser Nighthawk in Santa Barbara was a outstanding winter report. Uncommon Costa’s Hummingbirds in Northern California had been in Palo Alto, Purple Bluff, and Woodland-Davis. A Broad-tailed Hummingbird at a residential feeder in Ventura was an distinctive report and established simply the seventh California CBC report. Two Rufous Hummingbirds in San Francisco, separated from the almost an identical Allen’s Hummingbird by rectrix form, established simply the third confirmed winter report for Northern California. 15 Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers was much like the latest 10-year common of 14.

It was a superb 12 months for wintering flycatchers. Outstanding was an Olive-sided Flycatcher in Puente-Chino Hills; although frequent as a breeder, the species could be very uncommon in winter. Two Larger Pewees had been reported– one returning for its second winter in Carpinteria, and one in its first winter in San Diego. Two Least Flycatchers had been current in Sherman Island and San Diego. 18 Grey Flycatchers close by doubled the latest 10-year common of 9.8. Six Hammond’s Flycatchers was above the latest 10-year common of three.5, and likewise 14 Western Flycatchers was nicely above the latest 10-year common of 9.2. Eight Japanese Phoebes was above the 10-year common of 4.6. Vermilion Flycatchers once more set a brand new state excessive rely with 253 (earlier excessive, 189) as they proceed their enlargement; uncommon Northern California data included Arcata, Del Norte, Hayward-Fremont, Peace Valley, San Francisco, and Woodland-Davis. Three Dusky-capped Flycatchers had been recorded with people of their first winter in Crystal Springs and Oceanside-Vista-Carlsbad, and a person returning for its second winter in Pasadena-San Gabriel Valley. The one Ash-throated Flycatcher was one in Santa Barbara. 17 Tropical Kingbirds had been barely above the latest 10-year common of 14.5. A outstanding Thick-billed Kingbird in Benicia established the northernmost California report and was the one one reported throughout the rely interval. Western Kingbirds had been recorded in Rancho Santa Fe and Calero-Morgan Hill. The one Scissor-tailed Flycatcher was one returning for its tenth winter in San Diego.

Six Plumbeous Vireos, all from Southern California, was under the latest 10-year common of 8.8. 4 Cassin’s Vireos, however, was extra common. The one Warbling Vireo reported was one in Santa Barbara returning for its twelfth winter, establishing a outstanding longevity report. Two Winter Wrens had been nicely documented in Santa Barbara and Sherman Island. It was typically a poor winter for irruptive montane species, however Golden-crowned Kinglets had been the exception– 2210 people had been reported throughout 66 counts. It was additionally an distinctive winter for Sage Thrasher, with 77 people reported throughout 14 counts, smashing the earlier excessive rely of 29 people in 1991. Two Grey Catbirds had been in San Diego and San Juan Capistrano, and a single Brown Thrasher was in Santa Barbara. A White Wagtail in Santa Cruz established simply the fifth report of this Outdated World species for California CBCs. It was a poor CBC interval for longspurs; six Lapland Longspur was nicely under the latest 10-year common of 12, and single Chestnut-collared in Sherman Island and two Thick-billed in Tejon Ranch had been the one rarer longspurs. The one Snow Bunting was one in Hayward-Fremont.

An Ovenbird in San Diego supplied the primary report for that rely. A Louisiana Waterthrush in Rancho Santa Fe was simply the second California CBC report. 5 Northern Waterthrush was above the latest 10-year common of two.8. 13 Black-and-white Warblers, nevertheless, was nicely under the latest 10-year common of 19.2. 4 Tennessee Warblers was about common, as was eight American Redstarts. Eight Lucy’s Warblers set a brand new state excessive rely, breaking the earlier report of 5 from the 12 months earlier than. 24 Nashville Warblers was barely decrease than the 10-year common of 28. The one Virginia’s Warbler was one returning to Arcata for its second winter. A MacGillivray’s Warbler in Lengthy Seaside-El Dorado supplied a uncommon winter report for California. The one Northern Parula within the rely interval was in Ventura. Two Magnolia Warblers had been in Moss Touchdown and Santa Cruz. 59 Yellow Warblers set a brand new state excessive rely, edging out the earlier report of 54 in 2012. The one Chestnut-sided Warbler was one returning to Santa Barbara for its second winter. Three Grace’s Warblers had been reported– one in San Francisco establishing the primary report for the San Francisco Bay Space, one in San Diego returning for its second winter, and one in Rancho Santa Fe returning for its sixth winter. 56 Black-throated Grey Warblers was typical, whereas 13 Hermit Warblers was barely under the 10-year common of 17.2. The one Black-throated Inexperienced Warbler was in Coastal Orange County, and the one Painted Redstart was returning for its second winter in Kern River Valley. 51 Wilson’s Warblers was barely above the 10-year common of 45.3.

14 Grasshopper Sparrows was the very best recorded complete of this species since 2017. Two Nelson’s Sparrows had been at conventional wintering areas in saltmarshes in Arcata and Hayward-Fremont. Six Clay-colored Sparrows was about common. A Black-chinned Sparrow in San Fernando Valley supplied an distinctive winter report and was the primary California CBC report since 2011. Two Area Sparrows in Crystal Springs and Springville had been the third and fourth California CBC data, with the Springville fowl offering the primary Central Valley report. It was a superb 12 months for Brewer’s Sparrow with 91 reported throughout 9 counts, in addition to Black-throated Sparrow with 501 throughout 6 counts. Two Fox Sparrows of the jap “Purple” subspecies group had been in Arcata and Folsom. Two Harris’s Sparrows in Anza-Borrego and Western Sonoma County is a typical rely for latest years, although nicely under historic counts because the species has declined considerably in California. It was a poor winter for Swamp Sparrows, with solely 20 reported (latest 10-year common is 50.2).

The one Hepatic Tanager was one returning for its second winter to Santa Barbara. A Scarlet Tanager in Crystal Springs was simply the fourth California CBC report; nevertheless, the fowl was probably a late migrant as not it was not seen within the interval following the rely. 24 Summer season Tanagers and 76 Western Tanagers was pretty typical. The one Rose-breasted Grosbeak was in San Diego, and 7 Black-headed Grosbeaks was nicely above the latest 10-year common of three.9. An grownup male Painted Bunting returned for its second winter to Carpenteria. 8 Orchard Orioles was barely above the 10-year common of 6.4, as was 12 Hooded Orioles (10-year common is 8.4). 37 Bullock’s Orioles was barely under the 10-year common of 45.6, and just one Baltimore Oriole was recorded, in San Diego. 12 Scott’s Orioles had been about common.

            An enormous thanks to all who participated in a California Christmas Chook Depend. Gathering this information wouldn’t be potential with out your effort, and we hope you’ll be a part of us once more subsequent 12 months!