Christmas Bird Count 2008

On December 30, 2008 The western part of St. Tammany Parish held its annual Christmas Bird Count. We always try to participate and with 8 hours of observation on our 9 acres and a little of the neighbors' property we did pretty well. We observed and counted 36 different species of birds. We did not see some of the ones that we know live here, but you must only report what you see on the day of the count.

For more information about the birds of winter in South Louisiana, take a look at our lens, The Wings of Winter.

Here is our CBC list:
2 Red-shouldered Hawk
6 Mourning Dove
8 Red-bellied Woodpecker
3 Downy Woodpecker
6 Blue Jay
3 American Crow
9 Carolina Chickadee
7 Tufted Titmouse
4 Brown-headed Nuthatch
7 Carolina Wren
9 Ruby-crowned Kinglet
2 Eastern Bluebird
19 American Robin
1 Northern Mockingbird
2 Brown Thrasher
6 Cedar Waxwing
9 Yellow-rumped (Myrtle) Warbler
7 Pine Warbler
4 Eastern Towhee
5 Chipping Sparrow
9 White-throated Sparrow
11 Northern Cardinal
24 Red-winged Blackbird
8 Common Grackle
29 American Goldfinch
2 Wood Ducks
1 Cattle Egret
1 Great White Egret
7 Pine Siskin
2 Catbird
2 Eastern Phoebee
1 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
3 White eyed Vireos
4 Black Vulture
3 Pileated Woodpecker
1 Brown Creeper

Flooding & Christmas Bird Count

We received an early Christmas present when we got over 4 inches of much needed rain. The rain was so wide spread that the local rivers reached flood stage. The Tchefuncte crested at 21 feet on Christmas Eve. There was some flooding in the low areas on our land near the river.

The St. Tammany Christmas Bird count was conducted on Dec. 28. The morning was clear and cool, but the weather changed in the afternoon. We saw 37 species of birds during the 5 ½ hours that we observed. Here’s what we saw:

1 Red-shouldered Hawk 14 Mourning Dove 5 Red-bellied Woodpecker 4 Downy Woodpecker 6 Blue Jay 6 American Crow 11 Carolina Chickadee 9 Tufted Titmouse 4 Brown-headed Nuthatch 8 Carolina Wren 6 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 35 American Robin 1 Northern Mockingbird 1 Brown Thrasher 9 Pine Warbler 4 Eastern Towhee 1 Chipping Sparrow 34 White-throated Sparrow 1 Dark-eyed Junco

17 Northern Cardinal 160 Red-winged Blackbird 10 Common Grackle 14 American Goldfinch 1 Golden Crowned Kinglet 2 Orange Crowned Warblers 1 Belted Kingfisher 4 Black Vultures 9 Wood ducks 2 Eastern Woods Phoebe 2 Yellow bellied sapsucker 4 Yellow-rumped warbler 2 Blue-Gray gnatcatcher 1 Hermit Thrush 3 Tree Swallow 1 Eastern Bluebird 1 American Woodcock 1 Great Blue Heron

Christmas Bird Count 2005

We participated in the Audubon Society’s Christmas Bird Count for St. Tammany Parish, even though our heart wasn’t in it. Despite the foggy weather we had a pretty good showing. We observed for 5 hours at the feeders and in the woods on and around our property. During the 5 hour period we counted 25 different species of birds.

Our list includes: 1 Red-shouldered Hawk, 21 Mourning Doves, 3 Red-bellied Woodpeckers, 2 Downy Woodpeckers, 4 Blue Jays, 6 American Crows, 7 Carolina Chickadees, 5 Tufted Titmice, 1 Brown-headed Nuthatch ,6 Carolina Wrens, 5 Ruby-crowned Kinglets, 9 American Robins, 6 Pine Warblers, 3 Eastern Towhees, 1 Chipping Sparrow, 8 White-throated Sparrows, 10 Northern Cardinals, 26 Red-winged Blackbirds, 1 Common Grackle, 2 House Finches, 8 American Goldfinches, 1 Eastern Phoebe, 2 White eyed vireos, 3 Wood Ducks, and 1 Pileated woodpecker.