This year we prepared for the first-ever Christmas Bird Count (CBC) at Fair Meadows Sanctuary. We had been doing counts at Fair Meadows on our own for the past 20 years, but we recently learned that we were not part of any of the official National Audubon CBC circles. At the advice of staff, we decided to continue to maintain our own records and submit them via eBird.
An American Goldfinch, one of the most frequently seen species during the 2023 Fair Meadows CBC (photo by Gary Shackelford).
For this first count, we considered how to cover the entire property. We decided to recruit four teams of two to four people and designated four routes, ranging from 1.5 to 3.5 miles roundtrip. Each route was a distinct habitat—woods, prairie, wetland, and savanna/pond/driveway. The feeders near the house were counted separately. Our goal was to walk these routes twice, before and after lunch (Sloppy Joes) in our home.
The weather forecast was not promising—windy and cold. But by 10 a.m., the wind speed decreased to 10 to 15 mph and the temperature rose to a “comfortable” 27 degrees. Twelve eager birders arrived, and we were off!
The feeders and morning routes yielded the most species, and habitats were remarkably similar in numbers of species: 17 species in the wetlands, 11 species in the prairies, 13 species in the woods, 16 species in the savanna/pond/driveway, and 15 species at the feeders.
On our way back from the second three-mile round trip to the marsh, we were lamenting that we had not found the Northern Shrike that usually hangs out there. A half mile from the house, someone called out, “Shrike on the top of that tree!”—sure enough, there it was.
The species most seen were Canada Goose (50), Blue Jay (37), Black-capped Chickadee (29), Red-bellied Woodpecker (24), American Goldfinch (22), Mourning Dove (20), American Crow (18), Mallard (15), and White-breasted Nuthatch (14).
Red-bellied Woodpecker (photo by Gary Shackelford).
Lots of Red-bellied Woodpeckers! eBird questioned our total, but we were careful not to count possible overlapping areas. There were 12 in the woods, two at the feeders, four in trees around the prairies, three along the driveway, three in the wetlands (wooded area).
The best part of the day was gathering at the end of the count to share results and special moments. Our totals were: 27 species (with three additional sightings recorded by genus only: gull, accipiter, duck) and 351 individual birds.
Favorite sightings were Golden-crowned Kinglets, Brown Creepers, Tundra Swans, a Northern Harrier (seen several times throughout the day), and the Northern Shrike.
Written by Penny Shackelford, Fair Meadows Sanctuary resident manager
Cover image by Gary Shackelford. A Northern Harrier, a favorite species spotted during the 2023 CBC, soars over a golden prairie at Fair Meadows Sanctuary.
