We held the Des Moines Christmas Bird Count on Saturday, 12/26.  The purpose is to tally all birds within a 15-mile diameter circle and report the results to the National Audubon Society.  This is very useful in monitoring bird population trends.  The Des Moines circle is centered at 63rd and University.  It basically runs from Saylorville Dam to Lake Colchester (north of Norwalk) and the I-80 rest stop to the fairgrounds.  The Des Moines CBC has been held since 1948.

The weather and holiday plans limited the number of participants this year, but we still had a respectable total of 63 species.  The Des Moines river and Maffitt Reservoir had open water, so that helped our waterfowl count.  Here are the count totals:

Cackling Goose (2); Canada Goose (5733); Trumpeter Swan (7 - record high); Gadwall (1); Mallard (679); Pintail (1); Redhead (2); Ring-necked Duck (2); Common Goldeneye (45); Hooded Merganser (5); Common Merganser (39); Ruddy Duck (1); Ring-necked Pheasant (7); Wild Turkey (56 - record high); Pied-billed Grebe (1); Great Blue Heron (1); Bald Eagle (56); Sharp-shinned Hawk (2); Cooper's Hawk (2); Red-tailed Hawk (53); Rough-legged Hawk (1); Kestrel (4); Merlin (1); Coot (4); Ring-billed Gull (10); Herring Gull (3); Rock Pigeon (387); Eurasion Collared-Dove (7); Mourning Dove (49); Great Horned Owl (3); Barred Owl (4); Long-eared Owl (3); Belted Kingfisher (2); Red-bellied Woodpecker (35); Downy Woodpecker (62); Hairy Woodpecker (16); Northern Flicker (7); Pileated Woodpecker (1); Blue Jay (64); Crow (359 - didn't count the downtown roost, so #'s lower than usual); Horned Lark (10); Black-capped Chickadee (64 - record low); Tufted Titmouse (19); Red-breasted Nuthatch (2); White-breasted Nuthatch (44); Brown Creeper (6); Carolina Wren (7); Robin (18); Starling (167 - didn't count the downtown roosts, so #'s lower than usual); Cedar Waxwing (27); Tree Sparrow (96); Song Sparrow (12); White-throated Sparrow (9); Harris's Sparrow (3); White-crowned Sparrow (2); Dark-eyed Junco (260); Lapland Longspur (4); Snow Bunting (1); Cardinal (148); Red-winged Blackbird (7); House Finch (37); Goldfinch (90); House Sparrow (270)

Many thanks to those who participated in the field and to those who reported feeder birds. 

With heavy snow on the ground, many birds are having a harder time than usual finding food.  Bird feeders offer easier pickings for some species.  Carolina Wrens are showing up at suet and peanut feeders. Tufted Titmice will visit seed or suet feeders and are being seen in higher numbers than normal this winter.  Look for sparrows feeding on the ground beneath feeders.  If you live within a Christmas Bird Count circle, keep track of the birds you see at your feeders on count day!

Each year, birders across the country and beyond get together to celebrate a tradition that is over 100 years old.  The Christmas Bird Count (CBC) was started as an alternative to a day of hunting in which as people competed to see who could kill the most game animals, including birds.  Instead, 27 birders across the country went out and identified and counted birds.  The idea spread, and now there are Christmas Bird Counts across the hemisphere, and tens of thousands of birders participate.  The season begins December 14 and runs through January 5 each year.  One day within that period is designated as "count day" within each CBC circle.  Any bird seen the day of the count, between 12:01 am to midnight can be counted within that circle.  Usually participants are assigned an area so that different people aren't counting the same birds.  Anyone can participate in a count.  Usually beginning birders are teamed up with someone more experienced.  If you happen to live within a count circle you can also count birds at your feeder that day.  There are several counts in Central Iowa.  Check the IOU web site <http://www.iowabirds.org/birds/CBC.asp> for locations, dates, and who to contact about participating.  It can sometimes be a challenge, but it is always fun!

The dropping temperatures this week signal the unofficial start of winter.  A Snowy Owl showed up in Story County this week, but is no longer being seen.  Short-eared Owls are being seen occasionally at Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge.  There are still some migrating waterfowl being seen on Saylorille Reservoir.  Resident feeder birds are actively looking for handouts, so keep the feeders stocked.

On Saturday, Oct. 24, nine people searched for Smith's Longspurs at Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge east of Des Moines.  These birds migrate through Iowa as they travel between wintering grounds to the south and breeding grounds in the arctic.  Searching consists of spreading out and walking across a field with short, sparse grasses and other vegetation.  Two small flocks were located at the refuge, one with seven birds, the other with five birds.  These are the first Smith's Longspurs found on the refuge in the fall, probably because nobody has done a targeted search for them before.   They may be more common this time of year than we realize, but it takes effort to find them.  Other birds seen include Prairie Falcon, Le Conte's Sparrow, Lapland Longspur, American Pipit, and Horned Lark.

After a misfortune with a web provider, Des Moines Audubon is back on-line.  We hope to keep you updated with birding in the Des Moines area as well as all the various natural history activities happening in our area.