Tell us your birding goals or results in the comment section. Did you keep track? How many species did you see?

January
Our club is wonderfully varied in interests and skills. For those of us who are more 'avid' birders, or for those wishing to practice their birding, winter is a good time to view our resident species.

On average, 51 species of birds have been recorded on eBird for the East Kootenay over the past six years.

This year, 56 species have been recorded in the regional district.
EBird  EK

​There are higher than usual numbers of Pine Grosbeak and White-winged Crossbill. Numbers of Bohemian Waxing are lower than usual.

Of all the species that have ever been recorded, there are still a couple of dozen we could get in January.  Since our club is not doing a 'Winter Challenge' this year, perhaps you would like to focus on getting  these for the monthly list and adding them to eBird (for eBird beginners, I recommend starting with the 'Incidental' or 'Stationary' types of checklists - correct species, date, time, location, and duration are all you really need).


Here are the possible species we could add to the January list:


TRUS  NOPI  GWTE  RNDU  HOME  RBME  DUGR  PBGR  RNGR  TUVU  GOEA  NOHA  NOGO  AMCO  KILL  MODO  BDOW  NSWO  NHOW  ATTW  AMKE  HOLA  BOCH  PYNU  MOBL  BRTH  CEWA  WCSP  WTSP  BRBL  GCRF  CAFI  HORE  AMGO

For those not familiar with these abbreviations, take a guess! Consider this a quiz! Browse a bird guide or the eBird Web page linked above for clues!

Happy birding!


February
31-Jan-2016

Way to go team of 30 eBirders! You have recorded above average species for January with 68 species - 17 species above the average of 51!

And the muffin prize goes to the contributors to Wardner--Ha  Ha Creek Rd hotspot with DOUBLE the number of species compared to the closest hotspot (number-wise) of Marysville.  To collect your muffin .....  P-)

FEBRUARY eBIRD GOAL:  52. And it's a leap year! Go!

Dianne C.
Kimberley, BC