Here’s an update on where things stand with the Carpinteria Christmas Bird Count (CBC), which will be happening Saturday, December 18, 2021.
Everyone who was assigned a location for last year’s (cancelled) count, signed up again for this year’s count, and indicated they were okay with just covering the same area they were assigned last year, should now have been officially assigned for this year. If you think you fall into that category and haven’t heard from us, let me know by emailing [email protected].
This week I’ll be getting everyone else who has signed up to participate this year assigned to a specific location. You should receive that assignment by next Saturday, December 4, 2021. I appreciate everyone’s patience while we get the assignments squared away.
There’s still time to sign up if you haven’t yet. See the sign-up form here if you want to take part:
2021 Carpinteria CBC Sign-up Form
As always, the latest info on the count is available on the Carpinteria CBC web page.
Scouting Report
Lots of great birds have been seen in the count circle lately. Some of the highlights from the past week are:
- Orchard Oriole – A bunch of us saw the continuing adult male Orchard Oriole at Santa Monica Creek during the Carpinteria Birdwatchers outing on November 20 (eBird list). The bird has been seen as recently as November 26, when Teale Fristoe saw him (eBird list).
- Tennessee Warbler – Noah Arthur found this species, which we’ve never had on the Carpinteria CBC, feeding in flowering bottlebrush near the corner of Haida Street and Shemara Street on November 20 (eBird list).
- Baltimore Oriole – Eric Culbertson found an adult male of this species, also one we’ve never had on our CBC before, near the corner of Santa Ynez Avenue and La Tierra Lane on November 24 (eBird list).
- Grasshopper Sparrow – Peter Gaede found one of these, also a species we’ve never had on the CBC, in the restricted-access portion of the Carpinteria Salt Marsh on November 27.
If you’re interested in helping with scouting, go for it! Any eBird reports you submit from within the Carpinteria CBC circle help us plan for the big day. See the count circle map for our circle’s boundaries.
I’ve been playing around with the data available in eBird and in the Carpinteria CBC species summary spreadsheet, and have written a tool that gives a report of all the birds reported in the last 14 days in the count circle, as well as all the birds we’ve had before on the CBC that have not been reported in the last 14 days.
Here’s the output of that report as of a few minutes ago:
Total birds seen (rarest birds first): 117 Category 5 (never seen on the Carp CBC): Baltimore Oriole, 2021-11-24, Santa Ynez Ave and La Tierra Ln Tennessee Warbler, 2021-11-20, East Carp. town streets — Carpinteria US-CA (34.3978,-119.5094) Category 4 (seen 1 time on the Carp CBC): Tree Swallow, 2021-11-26, Santa Monica Creek Category 3 (seen 2 to 4 times on the Carp CBC): Snow Goose, 2021-11-16, CA, Carpinteria, Carpinteria Salt Marsh & Beach White-throated Swift, 2021-11-28, Romero-Camuesa Rd Bonaparte's Gull, 2021-11-23, Carpinteria Salt Marsh Reserve (restricted access) Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, 2021-11-23, Carpinteria Salt Marsh Nature Park Red-breasted Nuthatch, 2021-11-25, Ortega Ridge pines Brown Creeper, 2021-11-17, Toro Canyon Park Pine Siskin, 2021-11-28, Santa Ynez Ave and La Tierra Ln Lawrence's Goldfinch, 2021-11-21, Lake Jocelyn Rufous-crowned Sparrow, 2021-11-27, Romero Canyon Orchard Oriole, 2021-11-26, Santa Monica Creek Bullock's Oriole, 2021-11-26, Sawyer Ave bottlebrush Category 2 (seen 5 to 10 times on the Carp CBC): Canada Goose, 2021-11-28, Carpinteria Salt Marsh Reserve (restricted access) Surf Scoter, 2021-11-20, Sand Point Hooded Merganser, 2021-11-28, Carpinteria Salt Marsh Reserve (restricted access) Red-breasted Merganser, 2021-11-28, Carpinteria Salt Marsh Reserve (restricted access) Dunlin, 2021-11-20, Sand Point Western Sandpiper, 2021-11-28, Carpinteria Salt Marsh Reserve (restricted access) Common Murre, 2021-11-20, Padaro Beach Osprey, 2021-11-28, Carpinteria Salt Marsh Reserve (restricted access) Northern Harrier, 2021-11-28, Carpinteria Salt Marsh Reserve (restricted access) Hairy Woodpecker, 2021-11-27, Romero Canyon Merlin, 2021-11-23, Carpinteria Salt Marsh Reserve (restricted access) Peregrine Falcon, 2021-11-20, La Conchita Loggerhead Shrike, 2021-11-22, Carpinteria Bluffs seal haulout Steller's Jay, 2021-11-27, Romero Canyon Marsh Wren, 2021-11-23, Carpinteria Salt Marsh Reserve (restricted access) American Pipit, 2021-11-28, Franklin Trail Purple Finch, 2021-11-25, 1387–1415 Park Ln, Santa Barbara US-CA 34.44871, -119.61093 Wilson's Warbler, 2021-11-25, Franklin Park (Santa Barbara Co.) Scaly-breasted Munia, 2021-11-28, Franklin Trail Category 1 (seen on all 11 Carp CBCs): Mallard, 2021-11-28, Carpinteria Salt Marsh Reserve (restricted access) Bufflehead, 2021-11-28, Carpinteria Salt Marsh Reserve (restricted access) California Quail, 2021-11-28, Franklin Trail Pied-billed Grebe, 2021-11-23, Carpinteria Salt Marsh Nature Park Rock Pigeon, 2021-11-28, Franklin Trail Band-tailed Pigeon, 2021-11-28, Sawyer Ave bottlebrush Eurasian Collared-Dove, 2021-11-28, Santa Ynez Ave and La Tierra Ln Mourning Dove, 2021-11-26, Heath Ranch Park Anna's Hummingbird, 2021-11-28, Santa Ynez Ave and La Tierra Ln Allen's Hummingbird, 2021-11-27, 6935 Shepard Mesa Rd, Carpinteria US-CA 34.39411, -119.47048 American Coot, 2021-11-28, Carpinteria Salt Marsh Reserve (restricted access) Black-bellied Plover, 2021-11-28, Carpinteria Salt Marsh Reserve (restricted access) Semipalmated Plover, 2021-11-28, Carpinteria Salt Marsh Reserve (restricted access) Killdeer, 2021-11-28, Carpinteria Salt Marsh Reserve (restricted access) Whimbrel, 2021-11-16, Rincon Beach County Park Long-billed Curlew, 2021-11-28, Carpinteria Salt Marsh Reserve (restricted access) Least Sandpiper, 2021-11-28, Carpinteria Salt Marsh Reserve (restricted access) Long-billed Dowitcher, 2021-11-28, Carpinteria Salt Marsh Reserve (restricted access) Spotted Sandpiper, 2021-11-28, Carpinteria Salt Marsh Reserve (restricted access) Greater Yellowlegs, 2021-11-28, Carpinteria Salt Marsh Reserve (restricted access) Willet, 2021-11-28, Carpinteria Salt Marsh Reserve (restricted access) Heermann's Gull, 2021-11-22, Carpinteria Bluffs seal haulout Ring-billed Gull, 2021-11-28, Carpinteria Salt Marsh Reserve (restricted access) Western Gull, 2021-11-28, Franklin Trail California Gull, 2021-11-28, Carpinteria Salt Marsh Reserve (restricted access) Royal Tern, 2021-11-20, Sand Point Double-crested Cormorant, 2021-11-28, Carpinteria Salt Marsh Reserve (restricted access) Brown Pelican, 2021-11-28, Carpinteria Salt Marsh Reserve (restricted access) Great Blue Heron, 2021-11-28, Carpinteria Salt Marsh Reserve (restricted access) Great Egret, 2021-11-28, Carpinteria Salt Marsh Reserve (restricted access) Snowy Egret, 2021-11-28, Carpinteria Salt Marsh Reserve (restricted access) Turkey Vulture, 2021-11-28, Franklin Trail Sharp-shinned Hawk, 2021-11-28, Franklin Trail Cooper's Hawk, 2021-11-28, Carpinteria Salt Marsh Reserve (restricted access) Red-shouldered Hawk, 2021-11-28, Franklin Trail Red-tailed Hawk, 2021-11-28, Santa Ynez Ave and La Tierra Ln Belted Kingfisher, 2021-11-28, Carpinteria Salt Marsh Reserve (restricted access) Red-breasted Sapsucker, 2021-11-27, 6935 Shepard Mesa Rd, Carpinteria US-CA 34.39411, -119.47048 Acorn Woodpecker, 2021-11-28, Santa Ynez Ave and La Tierra Ln Downy Woodpecker, 2021-11-28, Franklin Trail Nuttall's Woodpecker, 2021-11-28, Franklin Trail Northern Flicker, 2021-11-28, Romero-Camuesa Rd American Kestrel, 2021-11-22, Carpinteria Bluffs seal haulout Black Phoebe, 2021-11-28, Franklin Trail Say's Phoebe, 2021-11-28, Franklin Trail Cassin's Kingbird, 2021-11-27, Santa Ynez Ave and La Tierra Ln Hutton's Vireo, 2021-11-19, Santa Monica Creek California Scrub-Jay, 2021-11-28, Romero-Camuesa Rd American Crow, 2021-11-28, Santa Ynez Ave and La Tierra Ln Common Raven, 2021-11-28, Romero-Camuesa Rd Oak Titmouse, 2021-11-28, Franklin Trail Bushtit, 2021-11-28, Sawyer Ave bottlebrush White-breasted Nuthatch, 2021-11-28, Franklin Trail Canyon Wren, 2021-11-28, Franklin Trail House Wren, 2021-11-28, Franklin Trail Bewick's Wren, 2021-11-28, Romero-Camuesa Rd Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, 2021-11-25, Ortega Ridge pines Ruby-crowned Kinglet, 2021-11-28, Romero-Camuesa Rd Wrentit, 2021-11-28, Romero-Camuesa Rd Western Bluebird, 2021-11-28, Franklin Trail Hermit Thrush, 2021-11-28, Romero-Camuesa Rd American Robin, 2021-11-20, East Carp. town streets — Carpinteria US-CA (34.3978,-119.5094) California Thrasher, 2021-11-28, Romero-Camuesa Rd Northern Mockingbird, 2021-11-28, Franklin Trail European Starling, 2021-11-28, Franklin Trail Cedar Waxwing, 2021-11-25, Heath Ranch Park House Finch, 2021-11-28, Santa Ynez Ave and La Tierra Ln Lesser Goldfinch, 2021-11-28, Santa Ynez Ave and La Tierra Ln American Goldfinch, 2021-11-25, Franklin Park (Santa Barbara Co.) Fox Sparrow, 2021-11-25, Ortega Ridge pines Dark-eyed Junco, 2021-11-28, Romero-Camuesa Rd White-crowned Sparrow, 2021-11-28, Santa Ynez Ave and La Tierra Ln Golden-crowned Sparrow, 2021-11-28, Romero-Camuesa Rd Savannah Sparrow, 2021-11-28, Carpinteria Salt Marsh Reserve (restricted access) Song Sparrow, 2021-11-28, Franklin Trail Lincoln's Sparrow, 2021-11-27, Romero Canyon California Towhee, 2021-11-28, Romero-Camuesa Rd Spotted Towhee, 2021-11-28, Romero-Camuesa Rd Brewer's Blackbird, 2021-11-28, Franklin Trail Orange-crowned Warbler, 2021-11-28, Franklin Trail Common Yellowthroat, 2021-11-28, Franklin Trail Yellow-rumped Warbler, 2021-11-28, Santa Ynez Ave and La Tierra Ln Townsend's Warbler, 2021-11-28, Franklin Trail House Sparrow, 2021-11-28, Franklin Trail Total birds missed (most common birds first): 120 Category 1 (seen on all 11 Carp CBCs): Green-winged Teal Ring-necked Duck Ruddy Duck Eared Grebe Western Grebe Marbled Godwit Black Turnstone Pelagic Cormorant Black-crowned Night-Heron Great Horned Owl Western Meadowlark Category 2 (seen 5 to 10 times on the Carp CBC): American Wigeon Blue-winged Teal Gadwall Northern Shoveler Northern Pintail Lesser Scaup Common Merganser Horned Grebe Clark's Grebe Greater Roadrunner Sora Snowy Plover Sanderling Wilson's Snipe Parasitic Jaeger Short-billed Gull Herring Gull Glaucous-winged Gull Caspian Tern Forster's Tern Red-throated Loon Pacific Loon Common Loon Black-vented Shearwater Brandt's Cormorant American White Pelican Green Heron White-tailed Kite Barn Owl Western Screech-Owl Mountain Chickadee Rock Wren Chipping Sparrow Lark Sparrow White-throated Sparrow Red-winged Blackbird Brown-headed Cowbird Black-and-white Warbler Yellow Warbler Black-throated Gray Warbler Category 3 (seen 2 to 4 times on the Carp CBC): Brant Greater White-fronted Goose Wood Duck Cinnamon Teal Canvasback Common Goldeneye Common Ground-Dove Costa's Hummingbird Black Oystercatcher Surfbird Pomarine Jaeger Rhinoceros Auklet Elegant Tern Golden Eagle Gray Hawk Northern Pygmy-Owl Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Pacific Wren Golden-crowned Kinglet Varied Thrush Phainopepla Harris's Sparrow Swamp Sparrow Hooded Oriole Palm Warbler Category 4 (seen 1 time on the Carp CBC): Cackling Goose Black-chinned Hummingbird Rufous Hummingbird Virginia Rail Pacific Golden-Plover Ruddy Turnstone Red Knot Solitary Sandpiper Lesser Yellowlegs Iceland Gull Black Skimmer Northern Fulmar White-faced Ibis Bald Eagle Ferruginous Hawk Long-eared Owl Red-naped Sapsucker Lewis's Woodpecker Eastern Phoebe Western Kingbird Northern Rough-winged Swallow Barn Swallow Chestnut-backed Chickadee Pygmy Nuthatch Mountain Bluebird Bell's Sparrow Vesper Sparrow Green-tailed Towhee Great-tailed Grackle Lucy's Warbler Nashville Warbler Blackburnian Warbler Northern Waterthrush Prairie Warbler Hermit Warbler Painted Redstart Western Tanager Rose-breasted Grosbeak Black-headed Grosbeak Category 5 (never seen on the Carp CBC): Mountain Quail Tropical Kingbird Red Crossbill Yellow-breasted Chat Summer Tanager