Annual survey finds more birds, fewer species

The Shawano Christmas Bird Count took place from sunrise to sunset Dec. 20. Volunteers observed 42 different species on the count day and 6,158 individual birds throughout the count week. Compared to the last several years of surveys, the number of species seen was down, however the number of birds seen was a bit higher. Birds sighted included the following: 575 Canada geese, 16 American black ducks, one common goldeneye, one common merganser, 927 mallards, one ring-necked pheasant, 230 wild turkeys, 17 bald eagles, 10 red-tailed hawks, nine rough-legged hawks two Cooper’s hawks, one sharp-shinned hawk, three American kestrels, 548 rock pigeons, 370 mourning doves, three great-horned owls, 32 red-bellied woodpeckers, 66 downy woodpeckers, 42 hairy woodpeckers, 2 Northern flickers, 14 pileated woodpeckers, 2 Northern shrikes, 164 blue jays, 315 American crows, eight common ravens, 207 black-capped chickadees, 11 red-breasted nuthatches, 95 white-breasted nuthatches, 10 brown creepers, 1,366 European starlings, 61 cedar waxwings, 64 American tree sparrows, 272 dark-eyed juncos, two snow buntings, 104 Northern cardinals, 17 purple finches, 31 house finches, 127 pine siskins, one tufted titmouse, one chipping sparrow, 219 American goldfinches and 209 house sparrows. Two snowy owls were seen count week, however not on count day. Thirty-three people volunteered to survey areas around Shawano County for the count. Six people drove around Shawano County surveying sites; others counted birds at their feeders. The volunteers were Art Schoff, Bill Koonz, Sue Malliet, Richard and Julie Radtke, Joe Radtke, Ron and Lynn Ackley, Dean and Mary-Anne Schoenike, Kris Doan, Doug and Judy Hansen, June Brockman, Dave and Jean Bartels, Bob Wendt, Al and Gloria Pyatskowit, Daniel and Shirley Krueger, Greg and Diane Rick, Gary and Barb Behnke, Craig and Kathy Akey, Jinny Koehler, Marty Gerdt, Gladys Stezenski, Julie and Doug Wilber, and Myrtle Behnke. The survey information was tallied by Navarino Nature Center staff and sent in to the Audubon Society’s Christmas Bird Count.