30th BUFFALO BAYOU, TX, CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT
30 December 2006 -- Count Summary
(Count History: January 1978 - December 2006)
Species reported Count Day: 123 (+ 1 ADDITIONAL FORM + 3 EXOTICS) (+ 5 SPECIES COUNT WEEK, BUT NOT COUNT DAY)
TOTAL INDIVIDUAL BIRDS REPORTED COUNT DAY: 32,599
PARTICIPANTS: 73 (66 IN THE FIELD + 7 AT FEEDEERS/YARDS)
On 30 December 2006, 73 participants in the Buffalo Bayou CBC observed 123 species (results still unofficial until CBC Regional Editor passes judgment). This unofficial species count is about average for the history of the count. Our species totals continue to reflect an impressive diversity in an urban setting. The unfortunate trend is habitat loss in the portions of the circle between the West Loop and Highway 6. Thankfully Barker Reservoir and Addicks Reservoir (including Bear Creek Park) on the west side of the count circle and Memorial Park and the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center on the east still provide large, continuous areas of open space and good habitat. For the third year in a row we have added a Black Phoebe and a Vermillion Flycatcher, making them a regular entry allows us to report them as non-unusual species. All-time high counts for Pine Warbler (311), Henslow’s Sparrow (2), Northern Cardinal (677), and Grey Catbird (22) were recorded on count day. There was a tie with January 2005 for the American Woodcock at 5 individuals. Additional species of note include Anhinga; Green Heron; Merlin; Peregrine Falcon; Caspian Tern; Monk Parakeet. Some of these aforementioned species reflect that this winter seems to be a high-count year for some of the seed/insect eaters. (The complete species list and other data can be found on the CBC web site) Thanks again to the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center, which has hosted our organizational meeting for many years, and also hosts our web site as well.
–Lucien Bouffard, Co-Compiler