Pullman

The 9th annual Lewiston-Clarkston Christmas bird count was held on December 30th. Despite the early December cold weather, we had an average species total (89) and several rarities. The weather was beautiful with temperatures just below freezing at the beginning and rising to 40 degrees during the day.

Waterfowl were in generally good numbers represented by 29 species of loons, grebes, geese, ducks and herons. Raptors were below average but an impressive four- Prairie Falcons were located. Four highlights for the count were also new for the cumulative list: a Thayer’s Gull was observed flying with a large number of adult Herring Gulls along the Clearwater River; a Chipping Sparrow in nearly complete breeding plumage was observed on the Clarkston side; a Clark’s Grebe (or possible Western-Clark’s Hybrid) was seen during count week; and a Red-necked Grebe (which has been present throughout the fall and winter) was located while feeding on both the Snake and Clearwater Rivers. The presence of Lesser Goldfinches is increasing in numbers and were seen in 4- different locations east of Lewiston. Common Redpolls were seen at two locations.

I extend my thanks to the 22- participants (listed below) who worked hard to make this another successful count and who have helped to document the importance of the Lewiston-Clarkston valley for a large variety of wintering bird species. I also wish to thank the area leaders for their local knowledge contributions and to Palouse Audubon, Canyon Birders, and Idaho Fish and Game (who allowed the use of their facility for an after- count potluck) for their financial support.

Participants: Keith Carlson, Marilyn Carlson, Jerry Cebula, Kas Dumroese, Doris Ferguson, Christine Gray, Terry Gray, Kent Henderson, Sue Henderson, Winnie Hepburn, Dwight Kilgore, Nancy Miller, Reid Miller, Diane Pettit, Larry Pulley, Charles Swift, Linda Vance, Carole Vande Voorde, Diane Weber, Tom Weber, Claire Wiser and Sharon Wiser. Feeder-watchers included: Dwight Kilgore and Keith Carlson.

Common Loon 1	Red-tailed Hawk 31	American Crow 31
Red-necked Grebe CW	Rough-legged Hawk 1	Horned Lark 2
Horned Grebe 2	Buteo (species?) 3	Black-capped Chickadee 35
Eared Grebe 1	Golden Eagle 3	Red-breasted Nuthatch CW
Pied-billed Grebe 6	Bald Eagle 4	Brown Creeper 2
Western Grebe 5	Merlin 2	Bewick's Wren 23
Clark's Grebe CW	American Kestrel 78	Marsh Wren 2
Double-crested Cormorant 71	Prairie Falcon 4	Rock Wren 5
Great Blue Heron 17	Peregrine Falcon 1	Canyon Wren 5
Black-crowned Night Heron 6	California Quail 467	Golden-crowned Kinglet 17
Canada Goose 1537	Chukar 3	Ruby-crowned Kinglet 17
Wood Duck 467	Ring-necked Pheasant 47	Townsend's Solitaire 2
Mallard 3099	American Coot 108	American Robin 136
Gadwall 2	Killdeer 13	European Starling 4953
Northern Pintail 10	Dunlin 4	Yellow-rumped Warbler 30
Northern Shoveler 7	Common Snipe 2	Spotted Towhee 1
American Wigeon 376	Ring-billed Gull 224	Chipping Sparrow 1
Eurasian Wigeon 3	California Gull 38	White-crowned Sparrow 356
Green-winged Teal 103	Herring Gull 53	Song Sparrow 301
Canvasback 6	Thayer's Gull 1	Dark-eyed Junco 716
Ring-necked Duck 193	Mourning Dove 943	Dark-eyed (Slate-colored) Junco 3
Lesser Scaup 102	Rock Pigeon 841	Western Meadowlark 7
Long-tailed Duck 2	Great Horned Owl 2	Red-winged Blackbird 4
Common Goldeneye 511	Northern Pygmy-Owl CW	Brewer's Blackbird 33
Barrow's Goldeneye 3812	Belted Kingfisher 3	House Finch 467
Bufflehead 1975	Downy Woodpecker 4	Common Redpoll 8
Hooded Merganser 8	Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) 59	Lesser Goldfinch 42
Common Merganser 14	Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 1	American Goldfinch 342
Ruddy Duck 4	Say's Phoebe 1	House Sparrow 623
Northern Harrier 12	Northern Shrike 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk 8	Black-billed Magpie 211
Cooper's Hawk 14	Common Raven 32	90 SPECIES (23,727 individuals)

Great Blue Heron 5	Rock Pigeon 284	Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1
Canada Goose 1591	Mourning Dove 167	Townsend's Solitaire 4
Green-winged Teal 9	Barn Owl 1	American Robin 152
Mallard 1695	Great Horned Owl 6	Varied Thrush 3
Northern Pintail 1	Northern Pygmy Owl 1	Bohemian Waxwing 38
Common Goldeneye 3	Barred Owl 1	Cedar Waxwing 21
Bufflehead 1	Short-eared Owl 1	Northern Shrike 2
Bald Eagle 3	Downy Woodpecker 4	European Starling 3159
Northern Harrier 7	Yellow-shafted Flicker 1	Spotted Towhee 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk 5	Red-shafted Flicker 76	Clay-colored Sparrow CW
Coopers Hawk 6	Steller's Jay 8	Song Sparrow 76
Goshawk 1	Black-billed Magpie 495	White-crowned Sparrow 4
Red-tail Hawk 48	American Crow 8	Dark-eyed (Slate) Junco 6
Harlan's Red-tail Hawk 1	Common Raven 51	Oregon Dark-eye Junco 671
Rough-leg Hawk 3	Black-capped Chickadee 84	Red-winged Blackbird 51
Buteo (species?) 2	Mountain Chickadee 25	Western Meadowlark 1
American Kestrel 50	Chestnut-backed Chickadee 11	Brewer's Blackbird 8
Merlin 1	Red-breasted Nuthatch 27	Cassin's Finch 6
Peregrine Falcon 1	White-breasted Nuthatch 6	House Finch 530
Gray Partridge 8	Pygmy Nuthatch 38	Pine Siskin 1
Ring-neck Pheasant 51	Brown Creeper 2	American Goldfinch 310
Ruffed Grouse 1	Bewick's Wren 10	House Sparrow 209
Wild Turkey 73	Winter Wren 3
California Quail 390	Marsh Wren 1
Common Snipe 1	Golden-crowned Kinglet 36	68 SPECIES (10,559 individuals)