Nome’s 50th Christmas Bird Count

Thanks to clear, calm weather, an abundance of volunteers and sightings of most of our expected winter bird species, Nome’s 50th Christmas Bird Count was a success.
Count day began with a stunning sunrise over Norton Sound on a winter day that was only seven seconds longer than the shortest day of the year. Twenty-three volunteers turned out to search the snowy landscape for birds, comprising the largest team of spotters in my experience.
Since its beginnings in 1900, the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count has grown into the world’s longest-running, largest-scale wildlife census. An army of citizen scientists, of which we were a part, collects invaluable information used to assess bird population trends, abundance and distribution over time. The data is used for bird conservation.
Nome’s count area is a circle with a seven and a half-mile radius centered in Nome, which puts almost half the count area in the waters or on the ice of Norton Sound. Observers searched along the road system, on the beach, over the tundra, and in willowy creek bottoms, traveling by truck, ATV, skis, dog team and on foot. Others monitored their home feeders or yards for passing birds.
And this year, for the first time, there was an aerial search of open leads in the count area in Norton Sound. Nick Hajdukovich, a professional pilot and former bird biologist was returning to Nome in his personal plane on count day. Before landing he flew passes over the leads searching for seabirds but found none.
Seabirds have sometimes been found on count day in past years. When sea ice was solid by mid-December, counters occasionally traveled over the ice to open leads to look for them. In many recent years, areas of open water have been visible from land, and seabirds have been seen from shore. But not this year.
Without seabirds to bolster our species count, we found only the few hardy species of land birds, adapted to withstand the rigors of our winters. Collectively we managed to find most of the expected species that typically winter here, including willow ptarmigan (152), downy woodpecker (2), northern shrike (4), common raven (120), black-capped chickadee (7), American dipper (1), snow bunting (21), McKay’s bunting (19) and bunting species (10). 
Two species known to be here now eluded us on the count—rock ptarmigan and gyrfalcon.
Rock ptarmigan typically occur at higher elevations than we search and often are not seen on the Christmas count. And gyrfalcons were seen several times in the count area just before and after the week of the count.
In addition to the expected species, we recorded Nome’s first mourning dove, a bird that arrived on the heels of ex-typhoon Halong. Far north of its normal range, the dove is alive and well, having found refuge in Chuck and Peggy Fagerstrom’s backyard. The Fagerstroms are enjoying the dove’s company and are providing food, water and shelter to see it through the winter.
Additionally, during count week, which is three days before and after the count, an American goshawk was spotted attempting to hunt rock pigeons near the Snake River bridge. And at least one pair of Canada jays visited bird feeders in the area. Both species occur more often in the forested parts of the Seward Peninsula and are adapted for northern winters.
The count of 120 common ravens was similar to last year’s tally of 113. These counts are lower than previous counts since 2000, when the online records for Nome begin.
More snow and McKay’s buntings were counted this year than in the past ten years. They were seen both at feeders and along the coast eating beach grass seeds. Both species are experiencing long-term population declines, so an increase in numbers was nice to see.
A record number of four northern shrikes was seen. Voles and shrews, their preferred prey, are abundant this winter; it is not surprising that more shrikes are wintering here than usual.
Big thanks go to all who volunteered as observers and who are keeping bird feeders, and to those who sent information about birds they had seen in the area.
It seemed that a good time was had by all, and all agreed it was nice to have a reason to get outside to enjoy a short winter day, whether they found birds or not.