Redbud Audubon’s 2025 Christmas Bird Count
By Kathy Barnwell
The data for the 51st Redbud Audubon Christmas Bird Count has been compiled and reviewed, and the total species seen on Saturday, December 20, 2025 was reduced to 127. The total birds seen has been adjusted up to 31,706 and our count week birds remain at 7.
The weather conditions were likely a factor in our count numbers this year. Although the temperatures were warmer than usual, the cloudy morning and rainy afternoon made viewing and identifying birds more difficult. Several groups, including our kayakers, were forced to stop birding early due to steady rain. Fortunately, we had 37 birders, bumping up our total effort hours to 73.
This year we had two birds we have not had on our count before: Ross’s Goose and Long-tailed Duck. We had good numbers of Wood Ducks (60), Wild Turkey (84), Pied-billed Grebe (175), Eared Grebe (638), Western and Clark’s Grebes (4587-W; 1077-C; 4836-W/C), Double-crested Cormorant (2785), Great Egret (91), California Thrasher (13), Brewer’s Blackbird (797), and Lesser Goldfinch (260).
We had birds show up that we haven’t seen in many years: Northern Pintail (4) – not reported since 2009; Barrow’s Goldeneye (1) – not reported since 2019; Golden Eagle (1) – not reported since 2021, and Tree Swallow (25) – not reported since 2017. On the other hand, we missed birds that we usually get, including Cackling Goose, Green-winged Teal, Osprey, Pileated Woodpecker, and Townsend’s Warbler.
There were no unusually high numbers of any species, but there were a few unusually low numbers: Common Merganser (5) Oak Titmouse (45) and Western Meadowlark (29).
We really appreciate all the participants who went out this year in poor weather conditions and completed your routes and paperwork. We also want to thank all the pre and post count day birders. Their extra work provided us with sightings of 7 very good birds during count week, showing that we had at least 134 species in our count circle from 12/17/25 through 12/23/25.
Please join us this year for the 127th Annual Christmas Bird Count, and Redbud’s 52nd count, on Saturday, December 19, 2026. Mark your calendar!
Click here for a link to a list of the Final Tally CBC December 2025
