state record. A Golden Eagle on theOkefenokee CBC was the ninth record.The last 10 years totals of Piping Ploverhave averaged 41, but only 34 were foundon this count. However, the 739 AmericanAvocets more than doubled last seasonsrecord high of 318. Top avocet totals were410 at Savannah and 326 at GlynnCounty. The 301 Long-billed Dowitchersis a new high total by more than 100, withthe 300 from Savannah leading the way.The state total of 44 American Woodcockis the third highest ever, and the most inGeorgia since 52 on the 78th count. APomarine Jaeger at Cumberland was thesixth state CBC record, and two Short-eared Owls at Harris Neck provided the12th state CBC record.

An Ash-throated Flycatcher at Albanywas the states second CBC record, andthe five Western Kingbirds statewidewas the highest count ever. This specieshas been recorded on 11 of the last 13counts. The last eight years have aver-aged only 3.8 Horned Larks, and thisyears total of four (all from Dublin)wont help that much. A Barn Swallowat Augusta was Georgias ninth CBCrecord. The 144 Winter Wrens recordedwas well below last years record 217, butstill the second-highest CBC count forGeorgia, and the 60 Sedge Wrens count-ed is the third-highest state total.Golden-crowned Kinglets were found ingood numbers this winter, and the 1243counted were Georgias fourth-highestCBC total and the most since the 92ndcount. This years 210 Gray Catbirdswas just below last years record count of212. American Pipits have been found inlarge numbers for the last several years,averaging 992 over the last five, and thisyears total of 1400 is a new record.

The total of 65 Orange-crownedWarblers is the second-highest CBC total(below last years 86). A photographedcount week American Redstart atSavannah was the states third CBCrecord. Northern Waterthrushes havebeen found on the coast in winter for thelast four years, but this years total of fiveis unprecedented. Four were fromSavannah, and the first inland winter

record for Georgia ever was at Dublin(also photographed, after the count). APainted Bunting at Cumberland wasGeorgias seventh CBC record. Finally,only five Brewers Blackbirds were found,continuing another recent negative trend.

FLORIDABill Pranty8515 Village Mill Row

Bayonet Point, Florida 34667

billpranty@hotmail.com

This season a record number ofChristmas Bird Counts65was con-ducted in Florida. Even though thePerdido Bay CBC was not run because ofcontinued access difficulties, a new countwas created at West Marion. FloridasCBCs accounted for 7910 acceptedobservations of 330 taxonomic forms andmore than 1.64 million individuals. Thetaxonomic forms are composed of 281native species (two of these count weekonly, and including the non-countableWhooping Crane), all 11 of Floridascountable exotics, 22 non-countableexotics, three subspecies or morphs, onehybrid, and 12 species-groups.

Eleven CBCs exceeded 150 species:Merritt Island National Wildlife Refugeand West Pasco (167 each); Cocoa (162);Zellwood-Mount Dora (161; inland);

THE 107TH CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT AMERICAN BIRDS 67

Count circles inFLORIDA

Glen E. Woolfenden of Lake Placid,Florida, died following surgery on June19, 2007. A former president of theAmerican Ornithologists Union and long-term researcher of Florida Scrub-Jays,Glen moved to Florida in 1957 to pursuea Ph.D. He participated on his firstChristmas Bird Count in Florida later thatyear, and participated annually through2005. Glen and his wife, Jan, visited theAntarctic in December 2005 and so hemissed that CBC season. Glen resumedCBCs this past season, his 50th year ofparticipation in Florida. This photo ofGlen was taken in the early evening onthe Lake Placid CBC, December 28,2006. Glens group had just recordedGreat Horned Owl in the woods behindhim, and in a few minutes they would seetwo Roseate Spoonbills fly over, a speciesnot previously recorded on the LakePlacid count. It was a fitting ending forGlens final CBC. Photo/Bill Pranty

Jacksonville and South Brevard (156each); Alafia Banks and St. Petersburg(155 each); and Gainesville (inland),Sarasota, and St. Marks (154 each).Seven CBCs tallied more than 50,000individuals: Cocoa (88,855), Lakeland(74,390; inland), Merritt Island(63,498), Gainesville (57,046; inland),West Pasco (55,900), St. Petersburg(52,644), and South Brevard (51,583).Five species were observed on all 65counts: Double-crested Cormorant,Great Blue Heron, Turkey Vulture,Belted Kingfisher, and Palm Warbler. Incontrast, 33 other native species wereseen on only one CBC each, with 22 ofthese representing single individuals.Nine species exceeded 50,000 individualsstatewide: American Robin (175,532),Tree Swallow (115,038), Laughing Gull(90,747), Lesser Scaup (88,018), Yellow-

rumped Warbler (80,921), Ring-billedGull (78,336), Fish Crow (64,924),American Coot (60,217), and Red-winged Blackbird (58,564).

The format of this summary followsthose from previous seasons to facilitatecomparison of selected species.Undocumented rarities and most countweek reports are not mentioned. Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks numbered2406 individuals statewide, with triple-digit numbers on seven counts, including950 at Sarasota. In contrast, the onlyFulvous Whistling-Ducks were four atZellwood-Mount Dora. There were 3140Muscovy Ducks and 4247 mostly feralMallards on 45 CBCs each. Of growingconcern is the apparent increase in Mallardx Mottled Duck hybrids. This season,237 hybrids were found on five CBCs,with 200 of these at Aripeka-Bayport. Itwas a good season for diving ducks, withCommon Eiders, all three scoters, andLong-tailed Ducks all reported.

The only Red-throated Loons weretwo at Jacksonville and one at Cocoa;the latter count also tallied the statesonly Pacific Loon. There were 1753Common Loons on 43 counts, with672 at Choctawhatchee Bay. DryTortugas National Park reported all fourof Floridas sulids, including a juvenileRed-footed Booby. There were 6301American White Pelicans on 46 counts,and 22,078 Brown Pelicans on 45counts, including birds inland atLakeland (87) and Lake Placid (1).Among Floridas 106,269 wading birdswere 117 Great White Herons, oneWurdemanns Heron, 198 ReddishEgrets, 43,683 White Ibises, 6926Glossy Ibises, 1260 Roseate Spoonbills,and 4963 Wood Storks.

Ospreys totaled 3318 individuals onevery CBC except Dry Tortugas, and1276 Bald Eagles were tallied on 59.Long Pine Key produced the onlyWhite-tailed Kite, while 58 Snail Kiteswere found on seven counts. Accipitertotals were 193 Sharp-shinned Hawkson 52 counts and 349 Coopers Hawkson 58. There were 55 accepted Short-tailed Hawks on 11 counts, all south of

Lake Okeechobee except for one light-morph at Myakka River State Park.Crested Caracaras numbered 45 on nineCBCs, with three north to Econlockhatchee.Statewide falcon totals consisted of 2070American Kestrels, 69 Merlins, and 50Peregrine Falcons.

The sole Black Rail came from WestPasco. Of Floridas 324 Purple Gallinules,167 were at Lakeland and 100 atEmeralda-Sunnyhill. More than 11,250Sandhill Cranes were estimated, with4150 at Gainesville and 2700 at LakePlacid. Snowy Plovers numbered 88 onsix counts: 68 in the Panhandle and 20along the Peninsular Gulf coast. Exactly100 Piping Plovers were found on 12counts. Red Knots totaled 1830 birds on18 counts. Myakka River reportedremarkable numbers of inland shore-birds, such as 850 Least Sandpipers, 73Dunlins, 300 Long-billed Dowitchers,and 515 dowitcher species (probably allLong-billed).

Tallies of black-backed gulls were 317Lessers on 17 counts and 332 Greats on19. Two Sooty Terns were at DryTortugas, while the only documentedCommon Tern came from ApalachicolaBay. Black Skimmers totaled 10,458individuals on 28 CBCs, with 2500 atJacksonville and 2250 at St. Augustine.Casual in Florida, a single Dovekie flewpast Merritt Island.

Eurasian Collared-Doves totaled11,137 on 59 counts, and White-wingedDoves numbered 872 on 35 CBCs.Seventeen species of psittacids were tal-lied statewide, mostly at Dade County.Most successful were Monk Parakeetswith 1833 individuals on 25 counts, fol-lowed by 809 Black-hooded Parakeets onnine. Budgerigar numbers were down to19 at Aripeka-Bayport and four at WestPasco. Seven Scaly-headed Parrots(Pionus maximiliani) at Dade Countyadded a new bird to the cumulativeNorth American CBC list. After last sea-sons hiatus, Smooth-billed Anis returnedto the CBC, with six at Fort Lauderdale.Burrowing Owls numbered 169 on 10counts, with 77 at Fort Myers. The totalof 177 hummingbirds was divided into

68 AMERICAN BIRDS

Vermilion Flycatcher (Pyrocephalus rubi-nus), Econlockhatchee, Florida.Photo/Roy Halpin

Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula), FortMyers, Florida. Photo/Vincent Lucas

118 Ruby-throated, 12 Rufous, threeCalliope, single Buff-bellied and Black-chinned, and 42 unidentified.Twenty-two Red-cockaded Woodpeckerswere found on four counts, while 20Hairy Woodpeckers were found on 11.

The tyrannid total at Zellwood-MountDora consisted of 11 Least Flycatchers,350 Eastern Phoebes, the states sole Ash-throated Flycatcher, one CassinsKingbird, 45 Western Kingbirds, andfour Scissor-tailed Flycatchers. VermilionFlycatchers were found at Gainesville andSt. Marks (two each), with singles at CootBay-Everglades National Park andEconlockhatchee. Great CrestedFlycatchers seem to be increasing: thisseason, 186 were accepted on 25 counts.Western Kingbirds totaled 101 birds on15 CBCs, and there were 79 Scissor-tailed Flycatchers on nine. LoggerheadShrikes numbered 1880 on 58 CBCs,with four counts in the triple-digits.Florida Scrub-Jays totaled 363 on 19 counts.Unexpected anywhere in the peninsula,a White-breasted Nuthatch at PonceInlet was accompanied by good details.

Kendall Area tallied seven Red-whiskered Bulbuls. Golden-crownedKinglets invaded the northern half ofFlorida in large numbers; 210 werereported on 25 CBCs, with birds southto St. Peterburg, Lakeland, and MerrittIsland. A Swainsons Thrush at CootBay-Everglades was beautifully drawn,and the states only documented WoodThrush enlivened Choctawhatchee Bay.American Robins were abundant andwidespread, with 175,532 on 57 counts.There were 30 Common Mynas on fivecounts from West Palm Beach to KeyWest, and 26 Hill Mynas, all at KendallArea. Cedar Waxwings also staged aninvasion, with 10,128 birds on 47 CBCs;seven waxwings made it to Key West.

Twenty-two warbler species wereaccepted this season, the rarest being theLouisiana Waterthrush at Gainesville. Asalways, the two most numerous specieswere Yellow-rumpeds, numbering80,921 on every count except BiscayneNational Park, and 17,371 Palms, whichwere found on every count. Single

Wilsons Warblers were found on fourcounts, while five Yellow-breasted Chatswere tallied on four. Thirteen SummerTanagers were observed on 12 counts,while a black-backed (zena) WesternSpindalis graced Kendall Area. The twomost abundant sparrows were 3445Savannahs on 56 CBCs, and 2703Swamps on 49. Lake Wales producedthe only Clay-colored Sparrows (5). Thesharp-tailed sparrows were divided into137 Nelsons on 17 CBCs and 19Saltmarsh on five. Three single LincolnsSparrows ranged south to Long PineKey, with another count week atEconlockhatchee. A female Rose-breast-ed Grosbeak was satisfactorily detailed atChoctawhatchee Bay, and another wasseen count week at Fort Pierce. A femaleBlue Grosbeak was photographed atZellwood-Mount Dora. Thirty CBCsaccounted for 203 Painted Buntings,including 44 at Cocoa, 29 at West PalmBeach, and 24 at Fort Pierce. I pho-tographed a male Yellow-headedBlackbird at Aripeka-Bayport and asinging Rusty Blackbird far south at St.Petersburg. Three Shiny Cowbirds weredocumented at Lake Placid. There were63 Bronzed Cowbirds on five counts,including an amazing 51 at DadeCounty. Fourteen Spot-breasted Orioleswere found on three counts (plusanother count week) from West PalmBeach to Kendall Area. The 72Baltimore Orioles at Gainesville estab-lished a new national high count.Tallahassee provided the only BullocksOriole and Pine Siskin. House Finchestotaled 973 individuals on 34 counts,and 3003 House Sparrows were notedon 51 counts. Three Nutmeg Mannikinsenlivened Pensacola.

Finally, the topic of documenting rar-ities. Disappointingly, 41 observationsthat lacked documentation wereappended with Details Desired com-ments, while 54 extremely rare and/oroften misidentified species were deletedfrom 29 CBCs. Although these 95 edit-ed reports represent only 1.2 percent ofthe states CBC observations, I believethat compilers could easily improve doc-

umentation of rare birds found duringtheir counts simply by reading my annualletter, which is posted to . Thisseason, from one CBC I had to deletenine speciesincluding one Yellow-billedCuckoo, five Eastern Wood-Pewees, fourAcadian Flycatchers, one EasternKingbird, one Red-eyed Vireo, and oneBlackburnian Warbler!and I had toquestion three others. I am extremelygrateful to those compilers who careful-ly vet the data from their counts, a taskthat greatly simplifies my editingandhelps to preserve my sanity.

This column is dedicated to the mem-ory of Alexander Sandy Sprunt IV(19282007), an Audubon ornithologistfor 43 years (19521995) who was longassociated with CBCs. Sandy spent mostof his career in southern Florida, first atCorkscrew Swamp Sanctuary and then inthe Keys, and he conducted a long-termstudy of Greater Flamingos at GreatInagua Island, Bahamas.

OHIO/WEST VIRGINIA/KENTUCKYChuck Hocevar50 Palmetto Bay Road, Suite 212

Hilton Head, SC 29928

chocevar@aol.com

If weather patterns continue we maysoon have to change our expectationsregarding conditions during ChristmasBird Counts. This season there were nocounts in any of this regions states thatdid not have open water, and there werenearly no reports of snow cover or dailyhigh temperatures anywhere near freez-ing. These conditions resulted in anunusual number of high counts of indi-vidual species as well as unusualnumbers of certain species. Winterfinches were not common during thecount period, but bark-gleaning speciesand waterfowl were abundant. Ohioobservers found 33 different species ofducks, swans, and geese, and 153 speciesin total. Many counts near large bodiesof watersuch as Lake Erie Islands inOhio and Land Between the Lakes inKentuckyproduced many unusualobservations and good numbers.

THE 107TH CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT AMERICAN BIRDS 69