3 January 2004 -- Count Summary
(Count History: January
1978 - January 2004)
Species reported Count Day:
125 (+ 0 additional form + 2 exotics)
(+ 5 species Count Week but not count day)
Total individual birds
reported Count Day: 36,155
On 3 January 2004, 123 participants in the Buffalo Bayou CBC observed 125 species. This species count is the third highest in the 27-year count history. And it appears that once again the Buffalo Bayou CBC was the most popular count (i.e., most participants) in Texas. (Last year, the Buffalo Bayou CBC was the most popular in Texas [and 21st most popular of all CBCs] with a count record high 136 participants, and observed a count record high 132 species.) This is the only count in Houston, and it annually records an impressive diversity of species in an urban setting. The large areas of open space on the east (Memorial Park) and especially the west (Barker and Addicks Reservoirs) sides of the count circle still provide outstanding habitat, while the sections of the circle between the West Loop and Highway 6 continue to lose green space. Species of note include Merlin, Peregrine Falcon, American Woodcock, Monk Parakeet, Scissor-tailed and Vermilion Flycatcher, Gray Catbird, Winter Wren, Eastern Towhee. and Rusty Blackbird. A Yellow-throated Warbler was reported by a Feeder Watcher in the Buffalo Bayou corridor. (The complete species list and other data can be found in the CBC web site.) Notable misses include Golden-crowned Kinglet and Brown Creeper. A Creeper was seen during Count Week as were Black-and-white Warbler, Ovenbird, and Dark-eyed (Slate-colored) Junco. All-time count highs were established or equaled for Neotropic Cormorant, White Ibis, Roseate Spoonbill, Turkey Vulture, Osprey, Cooper's Hawk, Spotted Sandpiper, American Woodcock, Ring-billed Gull, Eurasian Collared-Dove, White-winged Dove, Barred Owl, Pileated Woodpecker, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, White-eyed-vireo, Carolina Chickadee, Marsh Wren, Gray Catbird, Yellow-throated Warbler, and House Finch. To some extent this likely reflects the high participation level (123 total participants = second highest for the count). However, for some of these species (e.g., Eurasian Collared-Dove, White-winged Dove, Ring-billed Gull, and House Finch), these numbers appear to be a reflection of increasing local populations; this may also be true for Neotropic Cormorant (or is it just a mild winter?). Is the return of Northern Bobwhite to the count an indicator of improved conditions for this species? (I have heard reports that Bobwhite are doing very well on the Katy Prairie, just west of the count circle; contrast this to what seemed to be the prevailing opinion just a few years ago, when it appeared that Bobwhite on the Katy Prairie were not doing so well, with fire ants and flooding during nesting season being implicated as contributing factors.) Many thanks to Don Greene of Whitewater Experience River Trips who provided a canoe to survey Buffalo Bayou and has offered to provide multiple canoes for future counts; and to the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center which has hosted our morning organizational meeting for many years and is now hosting our web site as well. --Bob Honig, Compiler
--Bob Honig, Compiler
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(Buffalo Bayou Christmas Bird Count web pages are hosted by the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center)