Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge – Christmas Bird Count 2016
January 1, 2017
Birding
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.
Birds Observed
240 | Canada Goose |
|---|---|
9 | Trumpeter Swan |
6 | Tundra Swan |
4 | Gadwall |
1 | American WigeonAge & Sex |
186 | Mallard |
1 | Northern Shoveler |
29 | Northern Pintail |
27 | Green-winged Teal |
90 | Ring-necked DuckLarge flock of about 50 flushed with 28 counted by ones in another flock. Smaller flock of 12. |
4 | Lesser Scaup |
7 | Bufflehead |
18 | Common Goldeneye |
16 | Hooded Merganser |
5 | Common Merganser |
30 | California Quail |
75 | Ring-necked PheasantSeveral large groups |
18 | Wild Turkey |
1 | Pied-billed Grebe |
5 | Great Blue Heron |
1 | Northern Harrier |
4 | Bald Eagle |
23 | Red-tailed Hawk |
1 | Red-tailed Hawk (Harlan’s) |
8 | Rough-legged Hawk |
4 | Virginia Rail2 calling at one point, one flew across some open water. 4th was edging some cattails near open water. |
9 | American Coot |
3 | Killdeer |
1 | Wilson’s Snipe |
11 | Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) |
10 | Eurasian Collared-Dove |
3 | Mourning Dove |
3 | Belted Kingfisher |
9 | Downy Woodpecker |
3 | Hairy Woodpecker |
6 | Northern Flicker |
1 | American Kestrel |
1 | Northern Shrike |
44 | Black-billed Magpie |
10 | Common Raven |
29 | Black-capped Chickadee |
5 | Red-breasted Nuthatch |
10 | White-breasted Nuthatch |
4 | Pygmy Nuthatch |
2 | Pacific Wren |
1 | Marsh Wren |
1 | American Dipper |
2 | Townsend’s Solitaire |
49 | European Starling |
5 | American Tree Sparrow |
9 | Dark-eyed JuncoMostly Oregon types with one or two Slate-colored as well. |
18 | Song Sparrow |
210 | Red-winged Blackbird |
9 | House Finch |
18 | Red Crossbill |
8 | American Goldfinch |
16 | House Sparrow |
