Results of the 2022 Lawrence CBC
By Galen Pittman, Lawrence CBC Compiler
Thirty-one participants in 15 parties, plus eight at feeders, found 96 species on Dec. 17, 2022, on the occasion of the 123nd National Audubon Christmas Bird Count and the 79th Lawrence Christmas Bird Count.
Finding 96 species always makes for a GREAT count. The last few years have been an incredible run for the count with 100 or more species recorded eight times since 2010 (2010, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2020, and 2021.) This year was a very good effort, by all involved.
We recorded 27+ species of waterfowl and other water birds and missed only a few birds in that category, including Greater White-fronted Goose, Lesser Scaup, Red-breasted Merganser, Ruddy Duck, and Canvasback.
We added one new species for the count — Northern Saw-whet Owl — and one more for the count week — Red Crossbill. In general, even though the number of species was high, the number of individuals per species was fairly low with some notable exceptions. We set a record high count for Ring-billed Gull (16,000) and Western Meadowlark (73).
Other unusual species were Trumpeter Swan, American Black Duck, Merlin, Short-eared Owl, Marsh Wren, Brown Thrasher, Field Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, and Pine Siskin. Notable misses this year, include Killdeer, Pied-billed Grebe, Northern Bobwhite, Prairie Falcon, Lapland Longspur, LeConte’s Sparrow, and Brown-headed Cowbird.
Thanks to all of this year's participants and to their perseverance in the face of the continuing Covid pandemic! Hope to see you all again next year for the 124rd National Audubon Christmas Bird Count.
The complete list that follows has the unusual species and/or unusually high individual numbers underlined and/or highlighted.
Species List for the 2022 Lawrence CBC
Ross’s Goose – 3
Snow Goose – 19
Cackling Goose – 110
Canada Goose – 2445
Trumpeter Swan – 2
Wood Duck – 2
Gadwall – 311
American Wigeon – 28
American Black Duck – 2
Mallard – 1670
Northern Shoveler – 75
Northern Pintail – 2
Greenwinged Teal – 5
Redhead –6
Ring-necked Duck – 70
Bufflehead – 18
Common Goldeneye – 127
Hooded Merganser – 112
Common Merganser – 5
Wild Turkey – 38
American White Pelican – 18
Doublecrested Cormorant – 1
Great Blue Heron – 16
Bald Eagle – 53
Northern Harrier – 25
Sharpshinned Hawk – 5
Cooper's Hawk – 6
Red-shouldered Hawk – 20
Redtailed Hawk – 97
Rough-legged Hawk – 1
American Kestrel – 12
Merlin – 1
American Coot – 3
Bonaparte’s Gull – 53
Ringbilled Gull – 16,000
Herring Gull – 8
Rock Pigeon – 157
Eurasian Collared-Dove – 12
Mourning Dove – 69
Eastern Screech-Owl – 2
Great Horned Owl – 4
Barred Owl – 5
Northern Saw-whet Owl – 1
( new to the count)
Short-eared Owl – 1
Belted Kingfisher –1
Red-headed Woodpecker – 55
Redbellied Woodpecker – 106
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker – 5
Downy Woodpecker – 92
Hairy Woodpecker – 11
Northern Flicker – 116
Pileated Woodpecker – 7
Blue Jay – 250
American Crow – 438
Horned Lark – 69
Blackcapped Chickadee – 261
Tufted Titmouse – 134
Red breasted Nuthatch –11
Whitebreasted Nuthatch – 61
Brown Creeper – 10
Carolina Wren – 49
Winter Wren – 3
Marsh Wren – 1
Golden-crowned Kinglet – 13
Ruby-crowned Kinglet – 6
Eastern Bluebird – 131
Hermit Thrush – 4
Brown thrasher – 1
American Robin – 1490
Northern Mockingbird – 4
European Starling – 2990
Cedar Waxwing – 181
Yellowrumped Warbler – 35
Spotted Towhee – 3
American Tree Sparrow – 352
Field Sparrow – 9
Savannah Sparrow – 1
Fox Sparrow – 18
Song Sparrow – 152
Lincoln’s Sparrow – 2
Swamp Sparrow – 8
Whitethroated Sparrow – 144
Harris's Sparrow – 172
Whitecrowned Sparrow – 25
Darkeyed Junco – 1385
Northern Cardinal – 349
Redwinged Blackbird – 375
Eastern Meadowlark – 34
Western Meadowlark – 73
Sturnella, spp. – 50
Common Grackle – 50
Rusty Blackbird – 1
Purple Finch – 7
House Finch – 113
Pine Siskin – 1
Red Crossbill – ( count week only)
American Goldfinch – 232
House Sparrow – 257