Spring Count 2009 Results

Area: Transylvania County, NC
17 people in 7 field parties
42 total hours (8 on foot, 34 in car)
212 total miles (12 on foot, 200 in car)
1 hour owling
12 people at feeders
48 feeder-hours total
Hours 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Temperature 55-73 degrees F.
Overcast skies, light showers through most of territory; heavy rain and winds at highest elevations (5000 ft. +)

Participants
Michele and Marvin Barg
Kathy Bartt
Dorothy Bauer
Dick Blee
Pat Bohan
Jeanne Grimmenga
Mike Judd

Ruth Klock
Jenny Lellinger
Pam McFarland
Carolyn and Rick Mills
Eleanor Mockridge
Bill Moore
Carolyn Powell

Norma and Bill Siebenheller
Bill and Shirl Thomas
Charlie and Linda Threatte
Noel Thurner
Connie Updike
Sam Woodruff
Camille Ziegler


Compiler’s Comments. Our total of 109 species for this count is smaller than our general average of 112 and far below the highs of 120 and 123 achieved in the past. Nevertheless we are satisfied that we did as well as we could, given that many of our experienced birders were not participating this year due to various factors, and a number of those who did take part were covering territories they had not done before. Overcast skies and some rainstorms (especially along the Parkway) kept bird activity down, and seemed to inhibit raptor flight as well as birdsong. We had to work hard for what we got! A nice surprise was the small influx of red crossbills, which have been seen at area feeders recently; four were counted at three different (and widely-spaced) locations. We had never had this species on our count before. Major disappointments included our failure to find even one chat, American kestrel, screech owl, or wood duck.
Norma Siebenheller, Compiler

Species Recorded
Pied-billed Grebe 1
Double-crested Cormorant 5
Great Blue Heron 13
Great Egret 2
Green Heron 3
Canada Goose 86
Mallard 11
Black Vulture 2
Turkey Vulture 39
Cooper’s Hawk 1
Red-tailed Hawk 5
Wild Turkey 7
American Coot 2
Killdeer 2
Solitary Sandpiper 2
Spotted Sandpiper 2
American Woodcock 2
Rock Dove 3
Mourning Dove 81
Yellow-billed Cuckoo 1
Great Horned Owl 1
Barred Owl 1
Whip-poor-will 3
Chimney Swift 8
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 16
Belted Kingfisher 2
Red-bellied Woodpecker 14
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1
Downy Woodpecker 13
Hairy Woodpecker 4
Northern Flicker 6
Pileated Woodpecker 18
Eastern Wood-Pewee 1
Acadian Flycatcher 2
Eastern Phoebe 23
Great Crested Flycatcher 6
Eastern Kingbird 2

Purple Martin 41
Tree Swallow 115
N. Rough-winged Swallow 32
Barn Swallow 65
Blue Jay 48
American Crow 138
Common Raven 2
Carolina Chickadee 36
Tufted Titmouse 53
Red-breasted Nuthatch 1
White-breasted Nuthatch 21
Carolina Wren 58
House Wren 35
Winter Wren 1
Golden-crowned Kinglet 6
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 8
Eastern Bluebird 65
Wood Thrush 10
American Robin 146
Gray Catbird 24
Northern Mockingbird 37
Brown Thrasher 28
Cedar Waxwing 9
European Starling 84
White-eyed Vireo 6
Blue-headed Vireo 33
Yellow-throated Vireo 1
Red-eyed Vireo 40
Northern Parula 18
Yellow Warbler 1
Chestnut-sided Warbler 32
Bl. Thr. Blue Warbler 14
Yellow-rumped Warbler 11
Bl. Thr. Green Warbler 13
Blackburnian Warbler 5
Yellow-throated Warbler 6
Pine Warbler 2

Palm Warbler 4
Black-and-white Warbler 11
American Redstart 1
Worm-eating Warbler 5
Ovenbird 32
No. Waterthrush 1
La. Waterthrush 3
Common Yellowthroat 22
Hooded Warbler 41
Canada Warbler 6
Scarlet Tanager 11
Northern Cardinal 83
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 8
Blue Grosbeak 8
Indigo Bunting 29
Eastern Towhee 109
Chipping Sparrow 17
Field Sparrow 8
Savannah Sparrow 5
Song Sparrow 138
Swamp Sparrow 1
White-throated Sparrow 3
Dark-eyed Junco 24
Bobolink 3
Red-winged Blackbird 56
Eastern Meadowlark 12
Common Grackle 36
Brown-headed Cowbird 11
Orchard Oriole 3
Purple Finch 3
House Finch 22
Red Crossbill 4
Pine Siskin 66
American Goldfinch 140
House Sparrow 3