2024 Cache Valley (Logan) Christmas Bird Count

Thank you to the many who participated in the 2024 Cache Valley (Logan) Christmas Bird Count. Everyone contributed and we could not conduct the count without your service.
Thank you also to those of you who are curious about the numbers of species and our counts. We encourage you to sign up for our preparatory meeting and assist sector leaders in counting next December. Our count is always held on the first Saturday after the count opens. The National Audubon count dates are always December 14-January 5.

Contents:

  • Home Sector Count Summary
  • Count Summary by Sector
  • Analysis: Birds seen in 2024 and not 2023
  • Birds seen in 2023 and not in 2024
  • 2024 Christmas Bird Count Narrative per Jim Cane
  • Logan Christmas Bird Count Spreadsheet (without participants)
  • National Audubon Christmas Bird Count Analysis Tools
  • Return to the Bridgerland Audubon Christmas Bird Count Page

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    Thank you to Debi Evans for compiling the reports for the home sector of the Christmas Bird Count. Once again the bird watchers at home made considerable contributions to the effort, including adding to the total number of species reported.

    Total Participants: 14
    Total Number of Homes: 14
    Total Effort: 26.41 hours
    Total Species: 24
    Total Number of Birds: 418

    Home Sector Watch Counts from the 2024 Cache Valley (Logan) Christmas Bird Count

    Common Name Count
    Ring-necked Pheasant 1
    Red-tailed Hawk 1
    Eurasian Collared-Dove 44
    Mourning Dove 2
    Downy Woodpecker 5
    Hairy Woodpecker 1
    Northern Flicker 8
    Steller’s Jay 1
    Blue Jay 1
    Black-billed Magpie 24
    Black-capped Chickadee 26
    Mountain Chickadee 2
    Red-breasted Nuthatch 5
    Ruby-crowned Kinglet 2
    American Robin 17
    European Starling 55
    Cedar Waxwing 1
    Spotted Towhee 7
    Dark-eyed Junco (Pink-sided) 1
    Dark-eyed Junco (Slate Clrd) 4
    House Finch 120
    Pine Siskin 29
    Lesser Goldfinch 14
    American Goldfinch 18
    House Sparrow 29

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    All Sector Counts from the 2024 Cache Valley (Logan) Christmas Bird Count

    Thank you to Eric Bingham for organizing the count and compiling the reports for the entire Logan Christmas Bird Count. Many, many thanks to the individual sector managers for their work in reviewing their sectors, organizing count teams, and summarizing their counts.

    Sector Numbers Key:
    S1  – Sector 1- Providence
    S2  – Sector 2- Mendon
    S3  – Sector 3 – Roamer
    S4  – Sector 4-North Logan
    S5  – Sector 5- Benson South
    S6  – Sector 6-North Benson
    S7  – Sector 7-Smithfield
    S8  – Sector 8-Amalga
    S9  – Sector 9-Mountains
    S10 – Sector 10-Logan Canyon
    S11 – Sector 11-Feeders
    Total

    Note: Mobile devices may need to view table below in landscape mode to see all 11 sector and the total columns.

    Common Name S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S6 S7 S8 S9 S10 S11 Total
    Canvasback 1 1
    Chukar 1 1
    Ruffed Grouse 1 1
    Ferruginous Hawk 1 1
    Northern Pygmy-Owl 1 1
    Short-eared Owl 1 1
    Pacific Wren 1 1
    Hermit Thrush 1 1
    Lincoln’s Sparrow 1 1
    Dunlin 1 1
    Grey Catbird 1 1
    Cackling Goose 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2
    Blue-winged Teal 0 1 0 1 2
    Virginia Rail 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2
    Northern Saw-whet Owl 1 1 2
    Prairie Falcon 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 2
    Northern Shrike 1 1 2
    Steller’s Jay 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 2
    Blue Jay 1 1 2
    Cassin’s Finch 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2
    Northern Mockingbird 1 1 2
    Northern Pintail 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 3
    Hooded Merganser 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 3
    Common Merganser 3 3
    Sharp-shinned Hawk 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 3
    Golden Eagle 3 3
    Barn Owl 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 3
    Hairy Woodpecker 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 3
    Merlin 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 3
    White-throated Sparrow 3 3
    Yellow-headed Blackbird 2 1 3
    Bald Eagle (Imm.) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 4
    Cooper’s Hawk 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 5
    Rough-legged Hawk 1 0 0 0 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 5
    Herring Gull 5 5
    Canyon Wren 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 5
    Horned Lark 0 0 0 0 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 6
    American Dipper 0 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 3 0 6
    Pied-billed Grebe 1 2 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 7
    Yellow-rumped Warbler 0 0 6 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 7
    Dark-eyed Junco (Slate Clrd) 1 1 1 4 7
    Wood Duck 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 9
    Marsh Wren 0 3 0 0 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 9
    Wilson’s Snipe 0 7 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 10
    Red-breasted Nuthatch 1 0 0 1 0 3 2 0 0 0 5 12
    Brown Creeper 0 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 7 1 0 12
    Killdeer 0 9 0 0 0 3 0 1 0 0 0 13
    Great Horned Owl 0 2 0 0 4 1 4 0 0 2 0 13
    Bald Eagle 0 5 0 0 6 0 1 2 0 0 0 14
    Mountain Chickadee 0 0 1 0 0 5 4 0 2 0 2 14
    Downy Woodpecker 1 1 2 4 2 0 0 1 0 0 5 16
    Belted Kingfisher 1 7 0 0 1 3 1 3 0 3 0 19
    Lesser Goldfinch 0 4 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 14 21
    Golden-crowned Kinglet 8 2 13 23
    Dark-eyed Junco (Pink-sided) 0 5 3 0 0 0 15 0 0 0 1 24
    Barrow’s Goldeneye 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 25 0 25
    American Tree Sparrow 0 15 0 0 12 0 0 0 0 0 0 27
    Great Blue Heron 1 6 0 0 7 7 0 7 0 0 0 28
    American Pipit 0 10 0 0 1 1 0 16 0 0 0 28
    Spotted Towhee 4 1 7 2 2 4 2 0 0 0 7 29
    Ruby-crowned Kinglet 2 2 4 0 3 0 16 0 1 0 2 30
    Sharp-tailed Grouse 31 31
    American Crow 4 3 16 0 1 0 4 5 0 0 0 33
    Western Meadowlark 0 4 0 0 21 15 0 5 0 0 0 45
    Common Goldeneye 0 10 0 0 13 0 0 0 0 25 0 48
    Northern Harrier 2 14 0 0 30 6 0 4 0 0 0 56
    Townsend’s Solitaire 1 0 3 1 0 0 9 0 24 19 0 57
    American Kestrel 1 0 3 8 20 15 2 14 0 0 0 63
    Common Raven 0 27 3 1 5 10 5 1 3 8 0 63
    Lesser Scaup 1 30 0 0 34 0 0 0 0 0 0 65
    Bufflehead 0 15 0 0 52 0 0 0 0 0 0 67
    California Gull 0 65 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 67
    Ring-necked Pheasant 15 12 0 0 44 1 2 1 0 0 1 76
    Ruddy Duck 0 2 0 0 75 0 0 0 0 0 0 77
    Redhead 0 1 0 0 78 0 0 0 0 0 0 79
    Northern Flicker 7 11 14 9 13 16 10 4 2 1 8 95
    Cedar Waxwing 0 0 14 17 0 0 73 0 0 0 1 105
    American Goldfinch 19 11 1 24 16 15 11 4 0 0 18 119
    Song Sparrow 4 18 15 1 50 19 0 3 0 12 0 122
    Red-tailed Hawk 5 16 1 19 24 22 9 32 1 0 1 130
    White-crowned Sparrow 0 26 0 0 64 23 0 22 0 0 0 135
    Pine Siskin 5 0 102 9 0 42 2 0 0 0 29 189
    Ring-necked Duck 0 50 0 0 169 0 0 0 0 1 0 220
    Black-capped Chickadee 27 31 38 16 26 15 23 6 21 9 26 238
    Wild Turkey 244 244
    Mourning Dove 101 67 0 14 31 31 2 3 0 0 2 251
    American Coot 6 115 0 0 150 6 0 0 0 1 0 278
    American Robin 54 1 96 14 0 5 65 7 47 14 17 320
    Black-billed Magpie 37 62 32 33 24 26 57 24 12 3 24 334
    Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) 25 40 42 84 37 45 64 23 0 3 0 363
    American Wigeon 0 53 0 0 330 0 0 0 0 0 0 383
    Northern Shoveler 0 61 0 0 345 0 0 0 0 0 0 406
    Rock Pigeon 0 67 103 0 150 19 100 54 0 0 0 493
    House Finch 53 12 44 137 32 37 95 10 2 0 120 542
    Eurasian Collared-Dove 30 29 0 30 400 89 17 50 0 0 44 689
    Brewer’s Blackbird 0 670 0 0 80 1 0 233 0 0 0 984
    Canada Goose 68 547 60 0 251 118 0 11 0 6 0 1061
    Green-winged Teal 0 114 0 0 1105 0 0 1 0 0 0 1220
    Mallard 19 326 18 1 764 18 0 19 0 162 0 1327
    Red-winged Blackbird 35 31 0 2 386 1482 2 58 0 0 0 1996
    Great-tailed Grackle 45 45
    Ring-billed Gull 6 290 2 0 4 11 0 0 0 0 0 313
    House Sparrow 8 19 0 0 2500 148 0 89 0 0 29 2793
    Gadwall 8 51 0 0 3532 0 0 0 0 3 0 3594
    European Starling 113 2398 175 319 5000 21044 475 730 0 0 55 30309
    Total 50619

    –top– 

    Analysis

    Seen in 2024 and not in 2023:
    Ferruginous Hawk
    Northern Pygmy-Owl
    Short-eared Owl
    Cackling Goose
    Northern Shrike
    Steller’s Jay
    Yellow-headed Blackbird
    Herring Gull
    Dark-eyed Junco (Slate Clrd)
    Golden-crowned Kinglet
    Northern Mockingbird
    Dunlin
    Grey Catbird

    Seen in 2023 and not in 2024:
    Clark’s Grebe
    Greater Yellowlegs
    Trumpeter Swan
    Cinnamon Teal
    Eared Grebe
    California Quail
    Sandhill Crane
    Pine Grosbeak
    Evening Grosbeak
    Orange-crowned Warbler
    Long-billed Dowitcher
    Say’s Phoebe
    –top–  

    Jim Cane’s 2024 Summary

    2024 Christmas Bird Count Narrative per Jim Cane
    Participants in Cache Valley’s 2024 annual Christmas Bird Count enjoyed a clear, calm day that warmed into the low 30’s. Eric Bingham and sector leaders mustered our dedicated crew for the long-standing tradition in this, Logan’s 65th annual CBC over the past 69 years. Eric ably tackled recording, powered by our pizza dinner. Eric plus his son Thomas, Debi Evans and Jim Cane again compiled and reported our count results to national Audubon.

    The good weather on December 14th was a boon for comfortable bird watching by our flock of committed, capable observers both in the field and at home feeders. We collectively found 102 species plus 2 more during count week. 50,763 individual birds were seen. Our crew counted record numbers of Wigeons (383), Green-winged Teal (1220), Bufflehead (67) Mourning Doves (251), Belted Kingfishers (19) Northern Mockingbirds (2), Great-tailed Grackles (45), and Turkey (244). Most surface waters were free of ice but for the sewage lagoons, were almost entirely frozen over.

    Two species had never before been seen on our count, being a Dunlin, a Gray Catbird. Two Northern Mockingbirds doubled the number ever seen on our previous counts. With a warming climate, their winter range in Utah is likely to extend northward, as did that of the Lesser Goldfinch about 20 years ago. Will the occasional stray blue jays (2 seen this year) find each other some year and nest here? We hope the laggard migrants have flown to warmer climes after perhaps being fooled by the record warmth of this past autumn.

    Hardy souls counted a few owls either a-calling (Great Horned, Pygmy, Short-eared and Saw-whet) or perched (barn). Screech owls were again silent. Diurnal raptor numbers generally came close to their 20-year average, excepting sparse counts of Rough-legged Hawks (still up north?) and Sharp-shinned hawks (which on other days have been swooping feeder birds).

    A few Old World species comprised 2/3 of all the birds that we tallied. Our pheasant count returned to our 20 year average (76). Our record count of mourning doves is a welcome sign that they can co-exist with the Eurasian Collared-Dove newcomers.

    Some species are dependable regulars, having been counted every year for the past half century of our CBC. These include too many starlings & house sparrows, but also five duck species (incl. Common Goldeneye & Gadwalls), Great Blue Herons, Dippers & Kingfishers, many of the diurnal raptors (incl. Golden Eagles and Kestrels), Downy Woodpeckers & Flickers, Rock Pigeons, Magpies & Larks, Chickadees, Solitaires, Towhees, House Finches, American Goldfinches and more.

    Our count relies entirely on the keen eyes, identification skills and perseverance of our volunteer birders. We again thank Eric and Debi for fussy hours spent organizing and later compiling the count for Audubon. We greatly appreciate so many stalwarts sticking with our count, particularly sector leaders, and welcome returning new regulars. As a consequence, there is no gap in the continuum of our local CBC over the past half century.

    Jim Cane

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    Logan Christmas Bird Count Spreadsheet
    2024 Logan Christmas Bird Count Spreadsheet (Download .xlsz file. Participants redacted for Privacy)
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    National Audubon Christmas Bird Count Reports & Analysis Tools

    2023 Logan Utah Count Summary

    Audubon’s Christmas Bird Count Results-Year 124

    Audubon’s Christmas Bird Count-Historical Results By Count

    Where Have All The Birds Gone? Audubon’s Christmas Bird Count Trend Viewer
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