Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge Christmas Bird Count 2016

It was that season again…not the holidays, but the Christmas Bird Count season. Joined by Tom Forwood and Bob Danley at the Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge. We explored the back areas of the Refuge that are typically closed to the public, and we turned up 56 species through a long day. the highlights included a Count-first Pacific Wren along the banks of the Bitterroot River and the first Townsend's Solitaire of the entire year for the Refuge. We also sighted both Trumpeter and Tundra Swans and a lone Northern Shrike. Buteo (that's "hawk" in Montucky) numbers were high with good representation by both Rough-legged and Red-tailed Hawks.