On December 19th, sixty enthusiastic birders participated in the first annual Carpinteria (California) Christmas Bird Count, joining 2,500 other groups under the auspices of the National Audubon Society in surveying the population of wild birds in North, Central and South America, the Caribbean, the Pacific Islands and Antarctica.

In this inaugural effort, 15 groups scoured a 15-mile diameter circle centered near Snowball Mountain, extending from Rincon Creek to Romero Canyon and from the southern end of the Santa Ynez Valley to 3 miles offshore. A variety of habitats in this southern California locale (pelagic, coastal salt marsh, chapparal, oak/juniper woodlands, fresh water lakes, pine forest and montane) offer food and shelter to a diversity of resident, wintering and migratory species. This year, the birders' reward was the sighting of 149 different species of birds, including some that are not often seen: Long-eared Owl, Black-and-White Warbler, Red Knot and Black-chinned Hummingbird.

The highest count, by far, was of Western Grebes, an estimated 2,500 of which were spotted off the Carpinteria coast. Other species with high numbers reported were White-crowned Sparrow (609), Yellow-rumped Warbler (595), American Crow (486), Brown Pelican (471), House Finch (401), Western Gull (294), Bushtit (283), Sanderling (279), Willet (264), Brewer's Blackbird (247), Rock Pigeon (228), and Anna's Hummingbird (227).

Attached is the "final" tally of our highly successful first annual Carpinteria CBC. "Final" is in quotes because three birds (Black-and-white Warbler, Red Knot and Black-chinned Hummingbird) require Rare Bird Reports and have to be reviewed before being accepted. Our current total does includes those birds.

For a few species, a "cw" follows their entry. These birds were seen during "count week" but not on Dec. 19. Their inclusion gives National Audubon census information but these birds do not count on our CBC tally.

I've listed Audubon's and Myrtle Yellow-rumped Warblers separately; these are sub-species and count as only one species for the CBC. For some reason, Audubon National lists them separately on their data entry forms. Perhaps a split is in the works. When you're doing your own counts it's a good idea to list sightings by sub-species. Besides providing accurate range data, if and when the species is split you can get yourself a few free Life Birds.

For further information, contact Rob Denholtz (phone: 805-684-4060).