Ashcroft and Cache Creek reached several personal bests in the world of bird counts again in 2012 as a result of the 8th annual Christmas Bird Count.
Out of the more than 5,300 birds counted by the nine volunteers over six hours on Dec. 19, the group had a record count of Canada geese (147), Red-tailed hawks (5) and merlins (3), and Brewer’s blackbirds (25). The group also entered huge counts for Rock pigeons (1,050) and American robins (441), as well as “a big burst of Common redpolls, as elsewhere in B.C.”
Many of the usuals were observed flying around, such as the bald eagles, chukars, flickers, magpies, ravens, mallards, towhees and song sparrows, but they were one species shy of 40.
“Attempts to reach 40 species was thwarted once again,” stated regional team leader Karl Ricker. “I will blame it on the winds that hit Cache Creek mid-morning to hide their presence.”
New to the count were long-overdue Green-winged teals, seen at the trailer court in Cache Creek.
Next year organizers plan to hold the local Count in early November.