Hermit Thrush banner image copyright 2022 by Marla and Kevin Kerr, used with permission.
Ponca State Park Christmas Bird Count
wednesday, 14 December 2022
The Ponca State Park area count had 17 participants either watching their feeders or traveling (walking or driving) around the count area. Temperature varied from 29F to 34F with light snow showers and an East wind at 10mph to 15mph.
Thank you to everyone who helped with our count!
Compilers: Bill Huser and Katie Leware
Total Species: 59
Total Birds: 8411
| BIRD | No. | BIRD | No. | BIRD | No. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greater White-fronted Goose | 2 | Rough-legged Hawk | 32 | Red-breasted Nuthatch | 4 |
| Snow Goose | 200 | Ring-billed Gull | 3 | White-breasted Nuthatch | 45 |
| Ross's Goose | 1 | Rock Pigeon | 112 | Brown Creeper | 1 |
| Cackling Goose | 1 | Eurasian Collared-Dove | 13 | Golden-crowned Kinglet | 1 |
| Canada Goose | 2023 | Mourning Dove | 3 | Eastern Bluebird | 30 |
| Gadwall | 12 | Barn Owl | 2 | American Robin | 173 |
| American Wigeon | 13 | Eastern Screech-Owl | 1 | European Starling | 350 |
| Mallard | 3706 | Great Horned Owl | 1 | Bohemian Waxwing | 4 |
| Canvasback | 24 | Barred Owl | 3 | Cedar Waxwing | 62 |
| Ring-necked Duck | 2 | Red-bellied Woodpecker | 17 | Lapland Longspur | 65 |
| Common Goldeneye | 40 | Downy Woodpecker | 33 | Snow Bunting | 1 |
| Common Merganser | 79 | Hairy Woodpecker | 12 | American Tree Sparrow | 109 |
| Ring-necked Pheasant | 92 | Northern Flicker | 12 | Dark-eyed Junco | 254 |
| Wild Turkey | 68 | Northern Flicker (yellow-shafted) | 10 | Dark-eyed Junco (pink-sided) | 1 |
| Golden Eagle | 1 | American Kestrel | 1 | Northern Cardinal | 24 |
| Northern Harrier | 6 | Northern Shrike | 7 | Red-winged Blackbird | 237 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 2 | Blue Jay | 53 | Western Meadowlark | 39 |
| Cooper's Hawk | 1 | American Crow | 68 | House Finch | 32 |
| Bald Eagle | 22 | Horned Lark | 1 | American Goldfinch | 29 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 20 | Black-capped Chickadee | 62 | House Sparrow | 189 |
Above images copyright 2022 by Marla and Kevin Kerr, used with permission.
Rough-legged Hawk (left)
Northern Shrike (right)
Westfield Christmas Bird Count
Thursday, 15 December 2022
The Westfield count had 21 participants either watching their feeders or traveling (walking or driving) around the count area. Thank you to everyone who helped with our count!
Compiler: Dotty Zales
Total Species: 57
Total Birds: 4285
| No. | BIRD | No. | BIRD | No. | BIRD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 424 | Snow Goose | 6 | Mourning Dove | 1 | Red-breasted Nuthatch |
| 4 | Ross's Goose | 1 | Killdeer | 12 | White-breasted Nuthatch |
| 5 | Greater White-fronted Goose | 1 | Northern Harrier | 1 | Brown Creeper |
| 7 | Cackling Goose | 23 | Bald Eagle | 102 | European Starling |
| 249 | Canada Goose | 10 | Red-tailed Hawk | 6 | Eastern Bluebird |
| 2 | Gadwall | 9 | Rough-legged Hawk | 1 | American Robin |
| 2 | American Wigeon | 2 | Eastern Screech-Owl | 303 | House Sparrow |
| 400 | Mallard | 3 | Great Horned Owl | 4 | House Finch |
| 2 | Canvasback | 3 | Barred Owl | 10 | American Goldfinch |
| 4 | Ring-necked Duck | 2 | Red-headed Woodpecker | 755 | Lapland Longspur |
| 1 | Bufflehead | 12 | Red-bellied Woodpecker | 35 | Snow Bunting |
| 2 | Common Goldeneye | 21 | Downy Woodpecker | 1 | Fox Sparrow |
| 1 | Hooded Merganser | 5 | Hairy Woodpecker | 483 | American Tree Sparrow |
| 18 | Common Merganser | 2 | Northern Flicker | 256 | Dark-eyed Junco |
| 4 | Ruddy Duck | 3 | American Kestrel | 1 | White-crowned Sparrow |
| 111 | Wild Turkey | 55 | Blue Jay | 15 | Harris's Sparrow |
| 10 | Ring-necked Pheasant | 98 | American Crow | 1 | Song Sparrow |
| 55 | Rock Pigeon | 10 | Black-capped Chickadee | 11 | Western Meadowlark |
| 17 | Eurasian Collared-Dove | 699 | Horned Lark | 1 | Red-winged Blackbird |
| . | . | . | . | 4 | Northern Cardinal |
Sioux City Christmas Bird Count
saturday, 17 December 2022
The Sioux City count had 25 participants either watching their feeders or traveling (walking or driving or bicycling) around the count area. Temperature varied from 12F to 22F. Wind was Northwest from 5 mph to 29mph! Thank you to everyone who helped with our count!
Compiler: Jerry Probst
Total Species: 61
Total Birds: 14,375
| BIRD | No. | BIRD | No. | BIRD | No. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greater White-fronted Goose | 100 | Red-tailed Hawk | 28 | Red-breasted Nuthatch | 1 |
| Snow Goose | 404 | Rough-legged Hawk | 3 | White-breasted Nuthatch | 64 |
| Ross's Goose | 4 | Rock Pigeon | 591 | Brown Creeper | 2 |
| Cackling Goose | 242 | Eurasian Collared-Dove | 97 | Eastern Bluebird | 14 |
| Canada Goose | 7757 | Mourning Dove | 5 | Hermit Thrush | 1 |
| Gadwall | 1 | Great Horned Owl | 1 | American Robin | 1 |
| American Wigeon | 5 | Barred Owl | 1 | European Starling | 1032 |
| Mallard | 502 | Red-headed Woodpecker | 15 | Cedar Waxwing | 37 |
| Green-winged Teal | 12 | Red-bellied Woodpecker | 53 | American Tree Sparrow | 473 |
| Redhead | 1 | Downy Woodpecker | 73 | Dark-eyed Junco | 712 |
| Ring-necked Duck | 6 | Hairy Woodpecker | 19 | White-crowned Sparrow | 4 |
| Lesser Scaup | 25 | Northern Flicker (yellow-shafted) | 10 | Harris's Sparrow | 1 |
| Common Goldeneye | 130 | Pileated Woodpecker | 1 | Song Sparrow | 1 |
| Common Merganser | 41 | American Kestrel | 1 | Northern Cardinal | 64 |
| Ring-necked Pheasant | 9 | Merlin | 3 | Red-winged Blackbird | 751 |
| Wild Turkey | 320 | Northern Shrike | 1 | Western Meadowlark | 20 |
| Northern Harrier | 3 | Blue Jay | 45 | Brewer's Blackbird | 1 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 2 | American Crow | 48 | Brown-headed Cowbird | 8 |
| Cooper's Hawk | 4 | Horned Lark | 1 | House Finch | 60 |
| Bald Eagle | 19 | Black-capped Chickadee | 87 | American Goldfinch | 59 |
| . | . | . | . | House Sparrow | 399 |
Hermit Thrush banner image copyright 2022 by Marla and Kevin Kerr, used with permission.
All slide show images copyright 2022 by Randall D. Williams, used with permission.
Bald Eagle soaring over the Riverside area of Sioux City
Big Sioux River near Riverside Park
Cackling Geese and Canada Geese along the Big Sioux River
Common Mergansers and Canada Geese along the Big Sioux River
Red-tailed Hawk near Riverside Park
Snow Geese and Canada Geese along the Missouri River
Missouri River and Highway 20 bridge near Chatauqua Park
Yankton Christmas Bird Count
sunday, 18 December 2022
The Yankton Christmas Bird Count (CBC) took place on Sunday, December 18, 2022. Thirty-two people, from teenagers to seniors, from Yankton, Vermillion, and Sioux Falls, South Dakota; and South Sioux City, Norfolk, and Wayne, Nebraska enjoyed a cold but sunny day to be out counting birds. A total of 16,351 birds of 79 different species of birds which is better than the 78 species seen last year but not quite as high as the 82 species record set in 2012 and recorded again in 2020.
Highlights of the day:
Yellow-headed Blackbirds were observed for the first time ever on the Yankton CBC.
Tundra Swan observed for just the second time ever.
Record high counts: Tundra Swan-2; Northern Shoveler-11; Lesser Scaup-500; Greater Prairie Chicken-12; Sharp Shinned Hawk-7; Eastern Screech-Owl-13; Long-eared Owl-2; Northern Saw-whet Owl-2; Red-breasted Nuthatch-20; Red-winged Blackbird-6,302; and Yellow-headed Blackbird-100.
Two additional species that we did not find on Sunday but were observed for “Count Week” (three days before and three days after our Sunday count day): Wood Duck & Harris's Sparrow.
Species expected to be found that were missed this year include Cooper’s Hawk, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Hermit Thrush, Great Blue Heron, Lapland Longspur, and Snow Bunting.
Compiler: Roger Dietrich, Yankton, South Dakota; email: 1947rogerd@gmail.com. Image web site: https://www.flickr.com/photos/yanktonbirds/
Total Species Counted: 79
Total Birds Counted: 16,351
| No. | BIRD | No. | BIRD | No. | BIRD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 370 | Snow Goose | 445 | Rock Pigeon | 78 | Blue Jay |
| 1 | Ross's Goose | 50 | Eurasian Collared-Dove | 1 | Black-billed Magpie |
| 5 | Greater White-fronted Goose | 12 | Mourning Dove | 92 | American Crow |
| 133 | Cackling Goose | 28 | American Coot | 221 | Horned Lark |
| 2036 | Canada Goose | 1 | Wilson's Snipe | 91 | Black-capped Chickadee |
| 2 | Tundra Swan | 8 | Ring-billed Gull | 20 | Red-breasted Nuthatch |
| 11 | Northern Shoveler | 3 | Herring Gull | 55 | White-breasted Nuthatch |
| 80 | Gadwall | 1 | Double-crested Cormorant | 5 | Brown Creeper |
| 2 | American Wigeon | 3 | Northern Harrier | 5 | Golden-crowned Kinglet |
| 1220 | Mallard | 7 | Sharp-shinned Hawk | 15 | Eastern Bluebird |
| 1 | Northern Pintail | 72 | Bald Eagle | 151 | American Robin |
| 6 | Green-winged Teal | 25 | Red-tailed Hawk | 816 | European Starling |
| 1 | Canvasback | 11 | Rough-legged Hawk | 23 | Cedar Waxwing |
| 7 | Redhead | 13 | Eastern Screech-Owl | 249 | House Sparrow |
| 14 | Ring-necked Duck | 6 | Great Horned Owl | 104 | House Finch |
| 4 | Greater Scaup | 2 | Long-eared Owl | 117 | American Goldfinch |
| 500 | Lesser Scaup | 2 | Northern Saw-whet Owl | 140 | American Tree Sparrow |
| 6 | Long-tailed Duck | 4 | Belted Kingfisher | 409 | Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored} |
| 1 | Bufflehead | 1 | Red-headed Woodpecker | 2 | White-crowned Sparrow |
| 1525 | Common Goldeneye | 33 | Red-bellied Woodpecker | 6 | Song Sparrow |
| 3 | Hooded Merganser | 51 | Downy Woodpecker | 54 | Western Meadowlark |
| 135 | Common Merganser | 12 | Hairy Woodpecker | 6302 | Red-winged Blackbird |
| 5 | Red-breasted Merganser | 13 | Northern Flicker (yellow-shafted] | 100 | Yellow-headed Blackbird |
| 233 | Wild Turkey | 4 | American Kestrel | 6 | Brown-headed Cowbird |
| 12 | Greater Prairie-Chicken | 1 | Merlin | 4 | Yellow-rumped Warbler |
| 105 | Ring-necked Pheasant | 3 | Northern Shrike | 52 | Northern Cardinal |
Ida County Christmas Bird Count
Saturday, 31 December 2022
What a great day to count birds with 19 great observers. At this time we have 44 species of birds and total bird numbers of 2,125. With ponds mostly all frozen over, duck numbers were low.
Highlights of the Day: 15 bald eagles, two screech owls, three Great Horned Owls, one Barred Owl, eight Long-eared Owls, two Belted Kingfishers, six Kestrel, 450 Lapland Longspur, three Red Crossbills, and a Townsend’s Solitaire.
Biggest miss today: no Saw-whet Owls.
Count Week birds: quail and two Barred Owl pair.
Compiler: Don Poggensee, Ida Grove, IA; talk/text: 712-369-3454
Total Species Counted: 44
Total Birds Counted: 2125
| No. | BIRD | No. | BIRD | No. | BIRD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 84 | Canada Goose | 2 | Belted Kingfisher | 358 | European Starling |
| 32 | Mallard | 3 | Red-headed Woodpecker | 5 | Cedar Waxwing |
| 150 | Ring-necked Pheasant | 10 | Red-bellied Woodpecker | 140 | House Sparrow |
| 7 | Wild Turkey | 16 | Downy Woodpecker | 17 | House Finch |
| 124 | Rock Pigeon | 4 | Hairy Woodpecker | 4 | Purple Finch |
| 4 | Mourning Dove | 1 | Northern Flicker | 3 | Red Crossbill |
| 2 | Sharp-shinned Hawk | 6 | American Kestrel | 35 | American Goldfinch |
| 1 | Cooper's Hawk | 1 | Northern Shrike | 450 | Lapland Longspur |
| 15 | Bald Eagle | 83 | Blue Jay | 122 | American Tree Sparrow |
| 20 | Red-tailed Hawk | 96 | American Crow | 137 | Dark-eyed Junco |
| 3 | Rough-legged Hawk | 105 | Horned Lark | 4 | Harris's Sparrow |
| 2 | Eastern Screech-Owl | 9 | Black-capped Chickadee | 5 | Western Meadowlark |
| 3 | Great Horned Owl | 8 | Red-breasted Nuthatch | 6 | Red-winged Blackbird |
| 1 | Barred Owl | 20 | White-breasted Nuthatch | 1 | Yellow-rumped Warbler |
| 8 | Long-eared Owl | 1 | Townsend's Solitaire | 17 | Northern Cardinal |