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 | January 10, 2017 |
Results of the 2016 Christmas Bird Count Announced
Apple River) On Jan. 3rd, 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. Sixteen volunteers working in six count teams traveling 293 miles in 40 hours counted only 1,974 birds of 41 different species. This is the fewest number of birds ever recorded in the over 50 years of Terrence Ingram's compiling this count.
Species with the greatest numbers included: House Sparrows--224, Starlings--422, Crows--343,
Dark-eyed Juncos--285, and Rock Doves--114. Summer birds seen included: 1 Great Blue Heron, 23 Eastern Bluebirds, 1 Song Sparrow, 1 White-throated Sparrow, and 4 Robins. Winter species counted included: only 35 Tree Sparrows, 2 Purple Finches, 2 Pine Siskins, 6 Snow Buntings, and 15 Rough-legged Hawks.
What was most surprising was that fact that very few waterfowl, only 1 Canadian Goose was seen in spite of the warm weather. Birds of prey included; 31 Bald Eagles, 2 Northern Harriers, 48 Red tailed Hawks, 15 Rough-legged Hawks, 3 Cooper's Hawks, 19 Kestrels, 1 Great Horned Owl and 1 Screech Owl.
Common winter birds absent from this year's count included: Mallards, Sharp-shinned Hawks, Goshawks, Ringed-neck Pheasant, Killdeer, Redpolls, Pileated and Red-Headed Woodpeckers. Those species with lower numbers than normal include: Blue Jays--53, Cardinals--31, Slate colored Juncos--179, and American Tree Sparrows--64. Past counts have recorded over 1,000's of Juncos and Tree Sparrows each in a single count.
Each year, Mr. Ingram, 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 summer birds were seen, and a good number of winter birds were seen, he is predicting that we will have a mildly severe winter.
For more information contact: Terrence N. Ingram, 8384 N. Broadway, Apple River, IL 61001 Ph. 815-594-2592.
For more information contact: Terrence N. Ingram, Exec. Director, Eagle Nature Foundation, 300 East Hickory St., Apple River, IL 61001 Phone 815-594-2306