For the birds: Taking the annual Christmas count

By Susan Riemer • January 10, 2017 1:30 am
Bird enthusiasts spotted more than 116 species of birds in this year’s count, including, clockwise from top left, an American robin by Jim Diers; a red-breasted sapsucker by Orion Knowler; an adult bald eagle by Jim Diers and an Anna’s hummingbird by Michael Elenko.
Bird enthusiasts spotted more than 116 species of birds in this year’s count, including, clockwise from top left, an American robin by Jim Diers; a red-breasted sapsucker by Orion Knowler; an adult bald eagle by Jim Diers and an Anna’s hummingbird by Michael Elenko.

Last week, on a day when many islanders were still welcoming the new year, some 60 others took to Vashon’s backyards, roadways and open water to participate in a yearly activity: counting birds.

The event, Audubon’s Annual Christmas Bird Count, has taken place for nearly 20 years on Vashon and began nearly 120 years ago on the East Coast. There are now thousands of “counting circles” predominantly in the United States and Canada, according to islander Ezra Parker, who led the local effort this year. Throughout the event, which Vashon-Maury Island Audubon Society held on Jan. 2, volunteers counted every bird they found in a designated area. Within its 15-mile diameter, the Vashon circle also includes part of Kitsap Peninsula and a small slice of Burien’s Three Tree Point.

This year, the rarest bird spotted on Vashon was the northern shrike; there are only a handful of records of it being seen here, Parker said. He saw it himself during counting week, which includes three days before and after the counting day. While not every bird is counted, Parker said the event is valuable.

“It is important because it gives us a snapshot of the bird species that we get every winter,” he said.

This year, 116 species were spotted on the count day with four additional species seen during the count week — numbers that were almost identical to those from last year’s count. Over time, Parker noted, trends become apparent. One of those trends includes the western grebe, a water bird that is featured in the logo of the Vashon Audubon group.

“Back in the day, we had a significant portion of the state’s wintering western grebes in Quartermaster Harbor,” he said.

This year, only one was counted.

“For folks who have been on the island a long time, it is rather shocking,” he added.

He noted that numbers of all seabirds are declining.

“The oceans are not healthy, and it is showing in the seabirds,” he said.

For the western grebes, though, Parker said that while their numbers are declining locally, they are up dramatically near San Francisco. He is not sure anyone has done a formal study as to why, but he said he believes it has to do with availability of food.

“Certainly, Quartermaster Harbor is not as healthy as it was 20 years ago,” he added.

Other notable counts of the day included a large number of American robins — Vashon’s most common bird, he said, as well as a high number of dark-eyed juncos, also common. On the water, one volunteer counted 1,900 American wigeons north of Southworth, while another counted 416 of the ducks near Ellisport.

Islanders interested in Vashon birds are welcome at Vashon’s monthly bird walk, which begins at 9 a.m. in the winter months at the Ober Park parking lot the second Saturday of the month.

“Just bring yourself and your binoculars,” Parker said.