News Release
Eagle Nature Foundation, Ltd.
300 East Hickory Street, Apple River, IL 61001
Phone: 815-594-2306 Fax: 815-594-2305 Web Site: eaglenature.com
e-mail: eaglenature.tni@juno.com Tax Exempt No. 36-4015400
| For Immediate Release | December 22, 2015 |
Results of the 2015 Christmas Bird Count Announced
Apple River) On Dec. 15th, members of the Eagle Nature Foundation and the Jo Daviess Conservation Foundation conducted their Annual Jo Daviess County Christmas Bird Count as part of the National Audubon Society’s Annual International Christmas Bird Count. Twenty four volunteers working in six count teams traveling 301 miles taking 26.5 hours counted 2,979 birds of 41 different species.
Species with the greatest numbers included: House Sparrows –573, Starlings—466, Crows—370,Turkeys—206, Dark-eyed Juncos—179, Cedar Waxwings—143, Black Capped Chickadees—140, and Rock Doves—131. Summer birds seen included: 72 Eastern Bluebirds, 1 Red-winged Blackbird, and 1 Robin. New species never counted before were 10 Sandhill Cranes flying south over the area.
What was most surprising was that fact that very few waterfowl, 25 Canadian Geese and one tame duck, were seen in spite of the warm weather and completely open water. Birds of prey included;
14 Bald Eagles, 3 Northern Harriers, 45 Red tailed Hawks, 4 Rough-legged Hawks, 3 Cooper’s Hawks, 19 Kestrels, 1 Barred Owl, 1 Great Horned Owl and 2 Northern Shrikes.
Birds absent from this year’s count included: Mallards, Sharp-shinned Hawks, Goshawks, Ringed-neck Pheasant, Killdeer, Horned Larks, Lapland Long Spurs, Yellow-shafted Flicker, Song Sparrows, Purple Finches, Redpolls, and Pine Siskins. Those species with lower numbers than normal include: Red-Headed Woodpecker—1, Blue Jays—94, Cardinals—80, Slate colored Juncos—179, and American Tree Sparrows—64. Past counts have recorded over 1,000 Juncos and Tree Sparrows each in a single count.
Each year the compiler for the count, Terrence Ingram, who has been the compiler for this count for over 50 years, predicts what the rest of the winter is going to be like based on the birds seen during the count. Based on the fact that very few northern birds were seen, and a good number of summer birds were seen, he is predicting that we will have a mild winter.
For more information contact: Terrence N. Ingram, Exec. Director, Eagle Nature Foundation, 300 East Hickory St., Apple River, IL 61001 Phone 815-594-2306