state record.

A Golden Eagle on the

Okefenokee CBC was the ninth record.
The last 10 years totals of Piping Plover
have averaged 41, but only 34 were found
on this count. However, the 739 American
Avocets more than doubled last seasons
record high of 318. Top avocet totals were
410 at Savannah and 326 at Glynn
County. The 301 Long-billed Dowitchers
is a new high total by more than 100, with
the 300 from Savannah leading the way.
The state total of 44 American Woodcock
is the third highest ever, and the most in
Georgia since 52 on the 78th count. A
Pomarine Jaeger at Cumberland was the
sixth state CBC record, and two Shorteared Owls at Harris Neck provided the
12th state CBC record.
An Ash-throated Flycatcher at Albany
was the states second CBC record, and
the five Western Kingbirds statewide
was the highest count ever. This species
has been recorded on 11 of the last 13
counts. The last eight years have averaged only 3.8 Horned Larks, and this
years total of four (all from Dublin)
wont help that much. A Barn Swallow
at Augusta was Georgias ninth CBC
record. The 144 Winter Wrens recorded
was well below last years record 217, but
still the second-highest CBC count for
Georgia, and the 60 Sedge Wrens counted is the third-highest state total.
Golden-crowned Kinglets were found in
good numbers this winter, and the 1243
counted were Georgias fourth-highest
CBC total and the most since the 92nd
count. This years 210 Gray Catbirds
was just below last years record count of
212. American Pipits have been found in
large numbers for the last several years,
averaging 992 over the last five, and this
years total of 1400 is a new record.
The total of 65 Orange-crowned
Warblers is the second-highest CBC total
(below last years 86). A photographed
count week American Redstart at
Savannah was the states third CBC
record. Northern Waterthrushes have
been found on the coast in winter for the
last four years, but this years total of five
is unprecedented. Four were from
Savannah, and the first inland winter
THE

107TH CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT

record for Georgia ever was at Dublin

(also photographed, after the count). A
Painted Bunting at Cumberland was
Georgias seventh CBC record. Finally,
only five Brewers Blackbirds were found,
continuing another recent negative trend.
FLORIDA
Bill Pranty
8515 Village Mill Row
Bayonet Point, Florida 34667
billpranty@hotmail.com

This season a record number of

Christmas Bird Counts65was conducted in Florida. Even though the
Perdido Bay CBC was not run because of
continued access difficulties, a new count
was created at West Marion. Floridas
CBCs accounted for 7910 accepted
observations of 330 taxonomic forms and
more than 1.64 million individuals. The
taxonomic forms are composed of 281
native species (two of these count week
only, and including the non-countable
Whooping Crane), all 11 of Floridas
countable exotics, 22 non-countable
exotics, three subspecies or morphs, one
hybrid, and 12 species-groups.
Eleven CBCs exceeded 150 species:
Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge
and West Pasco (167 each); Cocoa (162);
Zellwood-Mount Dora (161; inland);

Glen E. Woolfenden of Lake Placid,

Florida, died following surgery on June
19, 2007. A former president of the
American Ornithologists Union and longterm researcher of Florida Scrub-Jays,
Glen moved to Florida in 1957 to pursue
a Ph.D. He participated on his first
Christmas Bird Count in Florida later that
year, and participated annually through
2005. Glen and his wife, Jan, visited the
Antarctic in December 2005 and so he
missed that CBC season. Glen resumed
CBCs this past season, his 50th year of
participation in Florida. This photo of
Glen was taken in the early evening on
the Lake Placid CBC, December 28,
2006. Glens group had just recorded
Great Horned Owl in the woods behind
him, and in a few minutes they would see
two Roseate Spoonbills fly over, a species
not previously recorded on the Lake
Placid count. It was a fitting ending for
Glens final CBC. Photo/Bill Pranty

Count circles in
FLORIDA

AMERICAN BIRDS

67

Vermilion Flycatcher (Pyrocephalus rubinus), Econlockhatchee, Florida.

Photo/Roy Halpin

Jacksonville and South Brevard (156

each); Alafia Banks and St. Petersburg
(155 each); and Gainesville (inland),
Sarasota, and St. Marks (154 each).
Seven CBCs tallied more than 50,000
individuals: Cocoa (88,855), Lakeland
(74,390; inland), Merritt Island
(63,498), Gainesville (57,046; inland),
West Pasco (55,900), St. Petersburg
(52,644), and South Brevard (51,583).
Five species were observed on all 65
counts: Double-crested Cormorant,
Great Blue Heron, Turkey Vulture,
Belted Kingfisher, and Palm Warbler. In
contrast, 33 other native species were
seen on only one CBC each, with 22 of
these representing single individuals.
Nine species exceeded 50,000 individuals
statewide: American Robin (175,532),
Tree Swallow (115,038), Laughing Gull
(90,747), Lesser Scaup (88,018), Yellow-

Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula), Fort

Myers, Florida. Photo/Vincent Lucas
68

AMERICAN BIRDS

rumped Warbler (80,921), Ring-billed

Gull (78,336), Fish Crow (64,924),
American Coot (60,217), and Redwinged Blackbird (58,564).
The format of this summary follows
those from previous seasons to facilitate
comparison of selected species.
Undocumented rarities and most count
week reports are not mentioned. Blackbellied Whistling-Ducks numbered
2406 individuals statewide, with tripledigit numbers on seven counts, including
950 at Sarasota. In contrast, the only
Fulvous Whistling-Ducks were four at
Zellwood-Mount Dora. There were 3140
Muscovy Ducks and 4247 mostly feral
Mallards on 45 CBCs each. Of growing
concern is the apparent increase in Mallard
x Mottled Duck hybrids. This season,
237 hybrids were found on five CBCs,
with 200 of these at Aripeka-Bayport. It
was a good season for diving ducks, with
Common Eiders, all three scoters, and
Long-tailed Ducks all reported.
The only Red-throated Loons were
two at Jacksonville and one at Cocoa;
the latter count also tallied the states
only Pacific Loon. There were 1753
Common Loons on 43 counts, with
672 at Choctawhatchee Bay. Dry
Tortugas National Park reported all four
of Floridas sulids, including a juvenile
Red-footed Booby. There were 6301
American White Pelicans on 46 counts,
and 22,078 Brown Pelicans on 45
counts, including birds inland at
Lakeland (87) and Lake Placid (1).
Among Floridas 106,269 wading birds
were 117 Great White Herons, one
Wurdemanns Heron, 198 Reddish
Egrets, 43,683 White Ibises, 6926
Glossy Ibises, 1260 Roseate Spoonbills,
and 4963 Wood Storks.
Ospreys totaled 3318 individuals on
every CBC except Dry Tortugas, and
1276 Bald Eagles were tallied on 59.
Long Pine Key produced the only
White-tailed Kite, while 58 Snail Kites
were found on seven counts. Accipiter
totals were 193 Sharp-shinned Hawks
on 52 counts and 349 Coopers Hawks
on 58. There were 55 accepted Shorttailed Hawks on 11 counts, all south of

Lake Okeechobee except for one lightmorph at Myakka River State Park.
Crested Caracaras numbered 45 on nine
CBCs, with three north to Econlockhatchee.
Statewide falcon totals consisted of 2070
American Kestrels, 69 Merlins, and 50
Peregrine Falcons.
The sole Black Rail came from West
Pasco. Of Floridas 324 Purple Gallinules,
167 were at Lakeland and 100 at
Emeralda-Sunnyhill. More than 11,250
Sandhill Cranes were estimated, with
4150 at Gainesville and 2700 at Lake
Placid. Snowy Plovers numbered 88 on
six counts: 68 in the Panhandle and 20
along the Peninsular Gulf coast. Exactly
100 Piping Plovers were found on 12
counts. Red Knots totaled 1830 birds on
18 counts. Myakka River reported
remarkable numbers of inland shorebirds, such as 850 Least Sandpipers, 73
Dunlins, 300 Long-billed Dowitchers,
and 515 dowitcher species (probably all
Long-billed).
Tallies of black-backed gulls were 317
Lessers on 17 counts and 332 Greats on
19. Two Sooty Terns were at Dry
Tortugas, while the only documented
Common Tern came from Apalachicola
Bay. Black Skimmers totaled 10,458
individuals on 28 CBCs, with 2500 at
Jacksonville and 2250 at St. Augustine.
Casual in Florida, a single Dovekie flew
past Merritt Island.
Eurasian Collared-Doves totaled
11,137 on 59 counts, and White-winged
Doves numbered 872 on 35 CBCs.
Seventeen species of psittacids were tallied statewide, mostly at Dade County.
Most successful were Monk Parakeets
with 1833 individuals on 25 counts, followed by 809 Black-hooded Parakeets on
nine. Budgerigar numbers were down to
19 at Aripeka-Bayport and four at West
Pasco. Seven Scaly-headed Parrots
(Pionus maximiliani) at Dade County
added a new bird to the cumulative
North American CBC list. After last seasons hiatus, Smooth-billed Anis returned
to the CBC, with six at Fort Lauderdale.
Burrowing Owls numbered 169 on 10
counts, with 77 at Fort Myers. The total
of 177 hummingbirds was divided into

118 Ruby-throated, 12 Rufous, three

Calliope, single Buff-bellied and Blackchinned, and 42 unidentified.
Twenty-two Red-cockaded Woodpeckers
were found on four counts, while 20
Hairy Woodpeckers were found on 11.
The tyrannid total at Zellwood-Mount
Dora consisted of 11 Least Flycatchers,
350 Eastern Phoebes, the states sole Ashthroated Flycatcher, one Cassins
Kingbird, 45 Western Kingbirds, and
four Scissor-tailed Flycatchers. Vermilion
Flycatchers were found at Gainesville and
St. Marks (two each), with singles at Coot
Bay-Everglades National Park and
Econlockhatchee. Great Crested
Flycatchers seem to be increasing: this
season, 186 were accepted on 25 counts.
Western Kingbirds totaled 101 birds on
15 CBCs, and there were 79 Scissortailed Flycatchers on nine. Loggerhead
Shrikes numbered 1880 on 58 CBCs,
with four counts in the triple-digits.
Florida Scrub-Jays totaled 363 on 19 counts.
Unexpected anywhere in the peninsula,
a White-breasted Nuthatch at Ponce
Inlet was accompanied by good details.
Kendall Area tallied seven Redwhiskered Bulbuls. Golden-crowned
Kinglets invaded the northern half of
Florida in large numbers; 210 were
reported on 25 CBCs, with birds south
to St. Peterburg, Lakeland, and Merritt
Island. A Swainsons Thrush at Coot
Bay-Everglades was beautifully drawn,
and the states only documented Wood
Thrush enlivened Choctawhatchee Bay.
American Robins were abundant and
widespread, with 175,532 on 57 counts.
There were 30 Common Mynas on five
counts from West Palm Beach to Key
West, and 26 Hill Mynas, all at Kendall
Area. Cedar Waxwings also staged an
invasion, with 10,128 birds on 47 CBCs;
seven waxwings made it to Key West.
Twenty-two warbler species were
accepted this season, the rarest being the
Louisiana Waterthrush at Gainesville. As
always, the two most numerous species
were Yellow-rumpeds, numbering
80,921 on every count except Biscayne
National Park, and 17,371 Palms, which
were found on every count. Single
THE

107TH CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT

Wilsons Warblers were found on four

counts, while five Yellow-breasted Chats
were tallied on four. Thirteen Summer
Tanagers were observed on 12 counts,
while a black-backed (zena) Western
Spindalis graced Kendall Area. The two
most abundant sparrows were 3445
Savannahs on 56 CBCs, and 2703
Swamps on 49. Lake Wales produced
the only Clay-colored Sparrows (5). The
sharp-tailed sparrows were divided into
137 Nelsons on 17 CBCs and 19
Saltmarsh on five. Three single Lincolns
Sparrows ranged south to Long Pine
Key, with another count week at
Econlockhatchee. A female Rose-breasted Grosbeak was satisfactorily detailed at
Choctawhatchee Bay, and another was
seen count week at Fort Pierce. A female
Blue Grosbeak was photographed at
Zellwood-Mount Dora. Thirty CBCs
accounted for 203 Painted Buntings,
including 44 at Cocoa, 29 at West Palm
Beach, and 24 at Fort Pierce. I photographed a male Yellow-headed
Blackbird at Aripeka-Bayport and a
singing Rusty Blackbird far south at St.
Petersburg. Three Shiny Cowbirds were
documented at Lake Placid. There were
63 Bronzed Cowbirds on five counts,
including an amazing 51 at Dade
County. Fourteen Spot-breasted Orioles
were found on three counts (plus
another count week) from West Palm
Beach to Kendall Area. The 72
Baltimore Orioles at Gainesville established a new national high count.
Tallahassee provided the only Bullocks
Oriole and Pine Siskin. House Finches
totaled 973 individuals on 34 counts,
and 3003 House Sparrows were noted
on 51 counts. Three Nutmeg Mannikins
enlivened Pensacola.
Finally, the topic of documenting rarities. Disappointingly, 41 observations
that lacked documentation were
appended with Details Desired comments, while 54 extremely rare and/or
often misidentified species were deleted
from 29 CBCs. Although these 95 edited reports represent only 1.2 percent of
the states CBC observations, I believe
that compilers could easily improve doc-

umentation of rare birds found during

their counts simply by reading my annual
letter, which is posted to <http://www.fosbirds.org/events/CBCLetter.html>. This
season, from one CBC I had to delete
nine speciesincluding one Yellow-billed
Cuckoo, five Eastern Wood-Pewees, four
Acadian Flycatchers, one Eastern
Kingbird, one Red-eyed Vireo, and one
Blackburnian Warbler!and I had to
question three others. I am extremely
grateful to those compilers who carefully vet the data from their counts, a task
that greatly simplifies my editingand
helps to preserve my sanity.
This column is dedicated to the memory of Alexander Sandy Sprunt IV
(19282007), an Audubon ornithologist
for 43 years (19521995) who was long
associated with CBCs. Sandy spent most
of his career in southern Florida, first at
Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary and then in
the Keys, and he conducted a long-term
study of Greater Flamingos at Great
Inagua Island, Bahamas.
OHIO/WEST VIRGINIA/KENTUCKY
Chuck Hocevar
50 Palmetto Bay Road, Suite 212
Hilton Head, SC 29928
chocevar@aol.com

If weather patterns continue we may

soon have to change our expectations
regarding conditions during Christmas
Bird Counts. This season there were no
counts in any of this regions states that
did not have open water, and there were
nearly no reports of snow cover or daily
high temperatures anywhere near freezing. These conditions resulted in an
unusual number of high counts of individual species as well as unusual
numbers of certain species. Winter
finches were not common during the
count period, but bark-gleaning species
and waterfowl were abundant. Ohio
observers found 33 different species of
ducks, swans, and geese, and 153 species
in total. Many counts near large bodies
of watersuch as Lake Erie Islands in
Ohio and Land Between the Lakes in
Kentuckyproduced many unusual
observations and good numbers.
AMERICAN BIRDS

69