Christmas Bird Count (CBC)
The National Audubon Society has been performing Christmas Bird Counts (CBC) across the United States for more than 100 years. Yakima Valley Audubon Society’s CBC has been continuously carried out for more than 50 years! The count is undertaken by teams of birders in a single 24 hour period in late December each year. Counting starts before dawn with owl tracking (mostly by sound identifying) and continuing throughout the day. The teams work within the same 15-mile diameter circle that has been registered with National Audubon. This is an intense and exciting event for all participants and birders of all levels are welcome to participate on one of the expert lead teams. Contact us to take part.
Yakima Valley Christmas Bird Count 2025
Scott Downes, Yakima Valley CBC Compiler
On Saturday January 3rd the Yakima Valley CBC was held. Twenty-one observers were in 8 teams plus 1 feeder watcher. Rain overnight questioned how the day would unfold. Luckily, the day was mild, with an overnight low of 33 and highs in the mid-forties. Most of the count enjoyed partial sunshine. The wind was generally light with a slight breeze. The mild weather allowed most ponds to be partly open and the running water open. The observers found 81 species on count day plus three additional count week species and 14,489 individuals. The 81 species is higher than the all-time average of 74 species but lower than the most recent 10-year average of 88 species. The number of birds was lower than the all- time average of 15,097 and but slightly higher than the 10-year average of 14,337.
There were a few notable species found and a few notable misses. For this analysis, we are counting it as a notable species if the species has been seen for 10 or less years out of the 56-year history of the count. A notable miss is if the species has been recorded at least 20 years out of the count history. Notable species included two count firsts, a Black Phoebe on the Yakima River and a count week Lapland Longspur at Konnowac Pass. Other unusual species included a single Snow Goose along the Yakima River corridor, five Trumpeter Swans during count week on Lake Buchanan, a Redhead on Lake Myron, nine Wild Turkeys on the Yakima River floodplain property managed by the Bureau of Reclamation, six Black-crowned night herons found by two teams along the Yakima River and a Canyon Wren along Cowiche Canyon. Notable misses included Northern Pintail, Ring-necked Pheasant, Rough-legged Hawk, American Barn Owl, Western Screech-owl, Prairie Falcon, Steller’s Jay, Horned Lark, American Dipper and Pine Siskin.
Notable numbers included new high counts for California Scrub-Jay (124) and tied for high count for Rock Wren (3) and Lesser Goldfinch (16). The jays continue to show expansion within the count circle, being recorded in numbers throughout the circle. Species substantially above average numbers were (2025 numbers/average): Cackling Goose (66/27), Bufflehead (79/31), Common Goldeneye (331/117), California Scrub-jay (124/43), American Robin (2063/661), Cedar Waxwing (312/41), Lesser Goldfinch (16/7) and Spotted Towhee (64/28). Some species were substantially below the average (2025/average): Common Merganser (43/142), Sharp-shinned Hawk (3/9), Black-billed Magpie (172/475), Varied Thrush (2/28), White-crowned Sparrow (274/541), Brown-headed Cowbird (6/81),
Thank you to all the counters who participated!
Belted Kingfisher, photo: Sarah Shippen
Orange-drowned Warbler, photo: Sarah Shippen
Single Snow Goose among Canado Geese, photo: Sarah Shippen