2022 Washington State Christmas Bird Count Information.
Thanks go to Chris Kessler for filling in for Jim Danzenbaker this year to gather Christmas Bird Count information statewide. If your Audubon chapter’s Christmas Bird Count is not listed here or needs to be edited, please send the information to the WOS webmaster webmaster@wos.org and the information will be added or corrected.
For an article on “History of the Christmas Bird Count: How the count started and how the data is used today” go to https://www.audubon.org/conservation/history-christmas-bird-count
Wednesday, December 14
Bridgeport CBC
Contact Meredith Spencer, merdave@homenetnw.net or 509-686-7551
Saturday, December 17
Admiralty Audubon (Port Townsend) CBC
The count is an all-day event open to anyone wishing to participate. Usually an excellent opportunity for novice birders to join with seasoned veterans and learn more about identifying and finding the local birds. Half-day participants and home feeder watchers are also welcome. We would like to particularly encourage anyone with feeders in the count circle who can spare at least one hour to watch their yard to participate. Participants should bring cold and wet-weather gear, binoculars, a scope if you have one, lunch and snacks for the day. A notepad and pencil or electronic recording devices, field guides, camera and a thermos with something hot are always good ideas as well. For more information contact Monica Fletcher at 360-379-3136 or monicaflet@gmail.com.
Camas Prairie/Trout Lake circle (Glenwood and Trout Lake, WA) CBC
If you are interested in participating, or for more information, please contact Jim White, jwhite.mars@gmail.com or 509-961-2775
Chelan Christmas Bird Count
Previous participants will receive notice from the coordinator; new people wishing to participate should contact the coordinator after (not before) November 16 by email at seasley@nwi.net or call at (509)682-2318. Chelan CBC Coordinator Stephen Easley
Eastside Audubon Christmas Bird Count
The count covers the area both west and east of Lake Sammamish including Marymoor Park south to east Bellevue and Issaquah and east to Redmond and Sammamish. We are expanding this year to accept more volunteers. However, we will keep the teams between 3 and 8 participants. Registration will be online at www.eastsideaudubon.org beginning November 10 and closing on December 10. We are also recruiting feeder watchers to count birds in their yards, which must be within the EAS CBC Circle.
Edmonds / South Snohomish County CBC
Hosted by Pilchuck Audubon Society, the Edmonds CBC is centered near Martha Lake in Lynnwood and has 13 areas located in northern King, southern Snohomish and southeastern Island Counties. Those wishing to join a field team should contact the compiler via email to coordinate an area assignment. Birders wishing to conduct feeder/yard counts also need to contact the compiler to determine their location within the CBC circle and to receive directions. We have openings for people to count the large movement of American Crows to their roost site in the late afternoon. Finally, we have openings for a couple of teams to survey owls. More information is available at https://www.pilchuckaudubon.org/christmas-bird-count
Compiler: Brian Zinke (director@pilchuckaudubon.org, 425-232-6811).
Ellensburg CBC
For information, email coordinator Gloria Baldi, gloriabaldi55@gmail.com
Kitsap Audubon Society’s “Kitsap Circle” CBC
Contact compiler Janine Schutt, at jeschutt@hotmail.com
Moscow-Pullman CBC
This will be the 52nd consecutive (and 69th overall) Moscow-Pullman Christmas Bird Count. Birders interested in counting birds at their feeders or spending the day in the field are welcome: enthusiasm is desired more than expertise. Our count circle is divided in half.
Birders interested in participating on the Idaho side should contact Kas Dumroese (kas.birder at gmail.com).
Birders interested in participating on the Washington side should contact Marie Dymkoski (Marie-Dymkoski at msn.com).
Oak Harbor CBC
Contact compiler Jay Adams at protectionisland8.9@gmail.com but please note that most of our teams are long-standing and are not open to additional participants.
San Juan Ferry CBC
Contact person is John Aspnes, 360-303-2675, jdaspnes@alaska.edu
San Juan Islands CBC
Barbara Jensen is the overall coordinator and there will be individual coordinators for SJ, Lopez, Orcas and Shaw Islands. Please contact Barbara Jensen if you want to participate at skylark@rockisland.com
Tahoma Audubon (TAS) CBC in Pierce County
We have eight different areas, ranging from urban to suburban, lakes and rivers to bays.
Contact Faye McAdams Hands at zest4parus@hotmail.com to sign up.
Toppenish CBC
All interested in attending the count can email Eric Heisey at heiseyew@gmail.com to sign up
Walla Walla CBC
Contact MerryLynn Denny at m.denny@charter.net for information and to participate.
Sunday, December 18
Bellingham CBC
The northernmost CBC on the Washington coast includes the neighborhoods, forests, and shorelines of Bellingham and has been running every year since 1967. Contact the compiler Alex Jeffers at Ajeffers@northcascadesaudubon.org.
Cheney CBC
Contact Compiler Sandy Schreven at sschreven@hotmail.com or (509) 999-90
Kent-Auburn Valley CBC
Rainier Audubon already has a healthy list of volunteers but will be advertising on our website and Facebook page for those interested in doing a backyard survey on that day. Please feel free to call Jay Galvin at 253-939-3094 or email gjgalvin@comcast.net
Lyle CBC
We typically have 110 to 130 species. Sometimes we have the most Lewis’s Woodpeckers anywhere in the universe, and we are regularly the only count in Washington with Acorn Woodpeckers. Our 15-mile diameter count circle straddles the Columbia River between Mosier and The Dalles.
We organize about 10 sectors prior to the count, and each sector operates independently on count day.
Contact John Bishop at bishopjg@icloud.com or at 360 546-9612
Okanogan/Omak
Contact compiler Matt Danielson, mattie_rubio@hotmail.com or 509-846-3392.
Olympia CBC
Interested persons who wish to join the count can contract me directly. HOWEVER, I will be out of country from 11/15 through 12/6. I will not have cell service or internet access for most of that time and I am unlikely to get back to people until after 12/6. Contact me after 12/6 at georn1@hotmail.com Compiler Bill Shelmerdine
Seattle Audubon CBC
Everyone is welcome to participate in the Field Count, and anyone within the Seattle CBC circle is encouraged to participate in Feeder Watch. Registration closes on December 11. Details and registration information at https://seattleaudubon.org/get-involved/community-science/cbc/
Contact: cbc@seattleaudubon.org
Monday, December 19
Cle Elum CBC
Contact Michael Hobbs at 425-301-1032 or at birdmarymoor@gmail.com
ORSI – Sauvie Island, Vancouver Lake Bottoms, Ridgefield Circle CBC
The date for the ORSI – Sauvie Island, Vancouver Lake Bottoms, Ridgefield Circle CBC has changed and will now be Monday, December 19, 2022. (It was Dec 16.) Please contact Susan Setterberg at smsetterberg@yahoo.com or text/phone to 856-701-2542 to participate. Everyone is welcome, novice to expert. Feeder watchers within the circle can also participate.
Sequim-Dungeness CBC
Contact compiler Bob Boekelheide at bboek@olympus.net
Tuesday, December 20
Leavenworth CBC
This will be the 22nd annual Christmas Bird Count for Leavenworth. Newcomers welcome!
Compiler Joe Veverka, joe_veverka@yahoo.com
Lewis County CBC
Interested participants can contact Allison Anholt at allison.anholt@gmail.com or via call/text at 609-751-7972.
Neah Bay CBC
After a two year hiatus, the Neah Bay CBC, Washington’s most remote circle, will resume its CBC. Contact Charlie Wright at cwright770@gmail.com for more information.
Thursday, December 29
Wahkiakum County CBC
To participate, contact compiler Andrew Emlen at 360-795-8009.
Friday, December 30
Padilla Bay CBC
Skagit Audubon Society will again be organizing the Padilla Bay CBC. Contact Tim Manns, Conservation Chair, Skagit Audubon Society, at conservation@skagitaudubon.org
Port Angeles CBC (WAPA)
We welcome new participants. Please contact Barbara Blackie, the compiler, by email blackieb@olypen.com (preferred) or by phone (360.477.8028) ahead of time to arrange where to go. We arrange coverage ahead of time and so do not meet as one group until the end of the day. The post birding tally location is still to be determined but we hope to gather this year after the day’s count.
Satsop CBC
Contact compiler Liam Hutcheson at liamhutcheson2020@gmail.com.
Twisp CBC
Contacts are Peter Wimberger, phwimberger@pugetsound.edu or Jen Fisher, jenwalsh1219@msn.com
Wenatchee CBC
Contact Daniel Stephens at dstephens@wvc.edu to sign up.
Saturday, December 31
Everett-Marysville CBC
Hosted by Pilchuck Audubon Society, the Everett-Marysville circle includes the areas of: Marysville, northern Everett, Tulalip Reservation, Smokey Point, Hat Island, southern tip of Camano Island, and portions of Arlington and Lake Stevens. Those wishing to join a field team should contact the compiler to coordinate an area assignment. Birders wishing to conduct feeder/yard counts also need to contact the compiler to determine their location within the CBC circle and to receive directions. For more information, visit https://www.pilchuckaudubon.org/christmas-bird-count
Compiler: Scott Atkinson can be reached at cbc.waev@pilchuckaudubon.org or 425-210-2716
Kitsap Audubon’s North Kitsap/Port Gamble CBC
Interested participants can contact Jennifer Standish at magma1306@gmail.com. Please sign up before December 24.
Spokane CBC
Contact compiler Alan McCoy at ahm2352@gmail.com or (509) 999-9512
TriCities CBC
Time to dig out those binoculars and dust off the bird identification book. All are welcomed to participate. The count has been conducted in the Tri-Cities count circle since the 1960s and is a significant contributor to the local, regional and national bird data base.
We still have to be careful since the Covid virus has not been eradicated. Each individual will have to determine what is safe for them. We usually have a potluck dinner at the end of the day but that decision, due to the virus, has not been made yet, so stay tuned for upcoming information on that.
The count circle is divided into three sections with Lisa Hill (509-869-6715) leading the Richland Team, Rich Barchet (509-430-0053) leading the Kennewick Team and Dana Ward (509-545-0627) leading the Pasco Team and the overall coordinator. Please consider contacting them early to participate in one of those count areas.
After many years of being the Christmas Bird Count Coordinator, I would like to hand this wonderful Audubon program off to another member starting next year. It does not take a lot of time to organize since most work is charted out and I would be happy to help the new coordinator. I could also remain as the team lead for Pasco.
For more information on the Tri-Cities Christmas Bird Count, please contact me at (509-545-0627) or by email at dcarlward@gmail.com. Thank you for considering participating in this year’s CBC,
Wenatchee CBC
Contact Dan Stephens, dstephens@wvc.edu or 509-679-4706
Yakima CBC
This count covers the greater Yakima area and includes both walking and driving routes. Volunteers may join an established route leader or sign up to count birds at their feeders if you live in the greater Yakima area.
Volunteers wishing to join a route should contact the compiler, Scott Downes at downess@charter.net. If you live in the count area and wish to count your feeders, please also contact Scott at the email above.
It can be cold, so be sure to bring plenty of layers! Make sure to also bring lunch; a hot beverage is always nice too. The count is always a ton of fun, as we typically see a lot of birds and spend the day in some great birding areas.
Sunday, January 1
Cowlitz – Columbia CBC
Our count circle covers a 15-mile diameter circle that is centered just south of Rainier, OR. This year we will continue with LOW LEVEL COVID guidelines. We will have 8 or 9 areas within the circle that will be counted. There will be no compilation meeting again this year. All results will be handled by mail or e-mail.
The contact is Bob Reistroffer at 360-751-5595 or breistrof@aol.com.
Goldendale CBC
The Goldendale area offers an enjoyable mix of eastside birding, with extensive grasslands and ag fields, Ponderosa Pine forest, and the Columbia River. Contact Samuel if interested in participating. sam4cb@embarqmail.com
Grays Harbor CBC
If you would like to start off the New Year with a day of FOY birds, come join us for the Grays Harbor CBC! Please contact me, Dianna Moore, for more information. Cell: 360-590-1395; E-mail: osdlm1945@gmail.com
Skagit Bay CBC
The count circle is centered near the Wylie Slough refuge and includes Fir Island, Stanwood, the north end of Camano Island and the SE tip of Whidbey Island. This year, we will continue with a Covid-avoidance policy, with small groups and no formal compilation gathering.
Contact is Scott Ramos, nearpost@gmail.com.
Monday, January 2
Chewelah CBC
This is a fun count that includes the 40Degrees Ski area down to the Colville River Valley and the north tip of Waits Lake. As in the past we will meet at Zip’s in Chewelah. Interested parties feel free to contact me at Michael_munts@fws.gov
Vashon CBC
We are looking for a few experienced birders to lead teams on Vashon where past route leaders are unavailable or have retired from the survey.
Please contact Ezra Parker at ezra@cfgrok.com or 206-463-0383 for more information, or to sign up to participate in the count.