Christmas Bird Count Tallies More Than 1,500

Volunteer birders tallied more than 1,500 birds during the annual Trapper Creek-Talkeetna Christmas Bird Count on January 3rd. 

This marks the 28th year for the count in the Upper Valley and will be tallied along with about 2,500 counting circles across the U.S. The National Audubon Society started the project in 1900 as a way to encourage more people to count birds instead of hunt them. The Society declares it to be the nation’s longest running community science bird project.

Count circles are 15 miles in diameter. The center of the Upper Valley count circle is in the middle of the Susitna River and includes areas of Talkeetna and Trapper Creek. Count organizer Kathy Ernst says that the wind this year likely kept some birds hunkered down. Birders reported that they saw many more birds during count week, three days before and after the official count day. 

This year, large groups of common redpolls bumped the counts. More than 1,300 were seen on count day. Ernst says redpolls are inconsistent, showing with huge flocks or not showing at all. Until this year, the highest tally for redpolls was 805 birds. Black-capped chickadees and pine grosbeaks also had a good showing, though none came close to the numbers of redpolls.

Ernst notes that black-capped and boreal chickadees, black-billed magpies, woodpeckers, and others are reliably seen most years on count day or during count week. Spruce grouse, one that has appeared 19 of the 28 years, were notably absent this year.

Birders can travel on skis, snowshoes, by car, or simply watch the feeder outside their window to participate in the count. This year, 21 birders traveled a total of nearly 75 miles. Some spent up to 16 hours to tally birds. 

The data is captured on the Audubon Society website and is available to the public.