ASWP Birding
Pittsburgh CBC 2008
Results
2008 Data Table (PDF, 23k)
The complete results of the 2008 Pittsburgh CBC, listed by species and count area. The 2008 results are also available as an Excel spreadsheet. All results since 1959 are available in a single table as an Excel spreadsheet or a PDF.
The weather was overcast all day with no precipitation. Temperature ranged from 54 to 69 degrees F. Winds were 7-23 mph. There was no snow cover. Ponds, rivers and small streams were all open. We had 111 observers, 93 in the field and 19 at feeders. Our totals included 65 species and 25,578 birds. The species count was exactly at our 10 year average, but the total count of birds was nearly 4,000 higher than the 10 year average, due to the high number of crows.
Noteworthy sightings include:
- Our lowest count of Mallards in 15 years, about half of the 10 year average.
- No American Black Ducks for the first time ever.
- Our first Greater Scaup (found by Oscar Miller) since 1994 and only the sixth occurrence on the count.
- 149 Wild Turkeys, our second highest total ever.
- A Horned Grebe on the Allegheny River in Harmar Township, near where the last one was found in 1980 by the same observer, Sam Sinderson.
- Two adult Bald Eagles found by Dan Yagusic on the Allegheny River made it the third year in a row on the Pittsburgh CBC.
- 6 Red-shouldered Hawks, a new record.
- Merlin returned to the count this year after 11 consecutive years and last year.s miss. Paul Hess, Sue Solomon, and Clair Staples found the Merlin at Duck Hollow.
- Two Bonaparte.s Gulls were found in Pittsburgh by Oscar Miller, our first since 2001 and only the sixth record on our count.
- Gull numbers returned to normal numbers after last year.s very low totals.
- 65 Northern Flickers were our third highest total ever.
- 22 Pileated Woodpeckers were our second highest total ever.
- 10,260 American Crows were our second highest total ever.
- A Common Raven was found for the second year in a row, following a trend of ravens moving out of higher elevations and into more developed areas.
- Our totals of 4 Brown Creepers and 5 Golden-crowned Kinglets tied for the lowest number ever on our count.
- 41 Northern Mockingbirds were our third highest total.
- 5 Swamp Sparrows were a new record. The previous high of 4 was set in 1998.
- 139 White-throated Sparrows were our lowest total in 14 years, possibly due to the low number of feeder watchers this year.
- A single Purple Finch found by Bob Van Newkirk in North Park was the only report.
- 34 Common Redpolls were a nice find by Kathy Saunders in North Park.
- 206 Pine Siskins were our second best ever, trailing only the 305 spotted in 1987.
Northern Harrier was found during count week, but not on count day.
No Ring-necked Pheasants were seen for the 8th year in a row and no Ruffed Grouse were seen for the 7th year in a row. Soon, sightings of these species will require documentation if this trend continues, which in all likelihood, it will.
I'd like to thank all of the compilers and participants, especially Eric Hall who compiled the Penn Hills area on short notice, following the sudden death of long-time leader Ron Byrom.
--Jim Valimont