2015-2016 Christmas Bird Count Results for Little River Park

After weeks of temperatures in the 60's and 70's, the day of the bird count the weather turned cold. That may explain the lackluster numbers for this year. Or perhaps these are normal for mid-December. This year marked a change in the date of the count from New Year's Day to the first Sunday after December 13th. This change was to be able to join the count circle in Durham which the park is within.
 
Here's what we recorded for December 20th, 2015:
 
Weather Conditions:

Sky Conditions: Clear
Wind Direction & Velocity: Calm
Temperature: 25°F

Checklist Results:

Black Vulture - 2
Turkey Vulture - 2
Red-bellied Woodpecker - 1
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - 2
Downy Woodpecker - 1
American Crow - 3
Carolina Chickadee - 1
Tufted Titmouse - 3
White-breasted Nuthatch - 1
Carolina Wren - 2
Eastern Bluebird - 7
Yellow-rumped Warbler - 1
Field Sparrow - 2
White-throated Sparrow - 6
Northern Cardinal - 7

There were 14 individual species counted with 41 total birds spotted.  

More information about the Audubon Christmas Bird Count can be found at the National Audubon Society's website: http://birds.audubon.org/christmas-bird-count.

If you'd like to take part in a bird count, the park will participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count from February 12-15, 2016, which is a great event for first-time counters or beginning birders as well as experienced birders. Call the park office for more information: 919-732-5505.
 

By the Numbers: June 2014

This June was the driest on record for the park. Last June was the wettest with over 13 inches.

These are the statistics for June:

Total number of visitors: 3970.5

Total rainfall amount: 2.298 inches

Average daily high: 87.4 degrees F

Average daily low: 66.4 degrees F

Mountain bike trails open: 97% of the month

If you want to compare with last month, these are the statistics for May:

Total number of visitors: 6243

Total rainfall amount: 6.992 inches

Average daily high: 80.8 degrees F

Average daily low: 55.1 degrees F

Mountain bike trails open: 90% of the month

By the Numbers: May 2014

It looks like May was a wet month but most of the rain came down on one day, May 15th with 6.12 inches!

These are the statistics for May:

Total number of visitors: 6243

Total rainfall amount: 6.992 inches

Average daily high: 80.8 degrees F

Average daily low: 55.1 degrees F

Mountain bike trails open: 90% of the month


For those of you keeping track, here are the statistics for April:

Total number of visitors: 4083

Total rainfall amount: 6.177 inches

Average daily high: 71.6 degrees F

Average daily low: 46.4 degrees F

Mountain bike trails open: 70% of the month

By the Numbers: April 2014

These are the statistics for April:

Total number of visitors: 4083

Total rainfall amount: 6.177 inches

Average daily high: 71.6 degrees F

Average daily low: 46.4 degrees F

Mountain bike trails open: 70% of the month

If you are comparing previous months, here's the numbers for March:

Total number of visitors: 2656.5

Total rainfall amount: 5.35 inches

Average daily high: 56.39 degrees F

Average daily low: 35.65 degrees F

Mountain bike trails open: 35% of the month

By the Numbers: March 2014

The mountain bike trails suffered from the snow and ice storm in the month of March, only being open 35%.

These are the statistics for March:

Total number of visitors: 2656.5

Total rainfall amount: 5.35 inches*

Average daily high: 56.39 degrees F

Average daily low: 35.65 degrees F

Mountain bike trails open: 35% of the month

*Precipitation came in the form of ice and snow for much of March and was difficult to collect in our rain gauge. Total rainfall for the month is probably higher than recorded.

A look back at February for comparison:

Total number of visitors: 2440.5

Total rainfall amount: 3.866 inches

Average daily high: 51.11 degrees F

Average daily low: 32.43 degrees F

Mountain bike trails open: 54% of the month

By the Numbers: February 2014

Here are the numbers for February:

Total number of visitors: 2440.5

Total rainfall amount: 3.866 inches

Average daily high: 51.11 degrees F

Average daily low: 32.43 degrees F

Mountain bike trails open: 54% of the month


If you like to keep track, here are the statistics for January:

Total number of visitors: 3223.5

Total rainfall amount: 4.718 inches

Average daily high: 43.06 degrees F

Average daily low: 25.16 degrees F

Mountain bike trails open: 68% of the month

For the Birds: January 2014

Here are our bird count numbers for January:

	January 1	January 27
Number of Species	28	7
Number of Individuals	97	9
Number of Checklists	1	1

Species Name	January 1	January 27	January Total
Black Vulture	8		8
Turkey Vulture	1	1	2
Red-tailed Hawk	1		1
Red-bellied Woodpecker	3		3
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	2		2
Downy Woodpecker	1	1	2
Hairy Woodpecker	1	1	2
Northern Flicker	1		1
Blue Jay	1		1
American Crow	7		7
Carolina Chickadee	2		2
Tufted Titmouse	4	3	7
White-breasted Nuthatch	2		2
Brown Creeper	1	1	2
Carolina Wren	1		1
Golden-crowned Kinglet	8	1	9
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	5		5
Eastern Bluebird	6		6
Brown Thrasher	1		1
Cedar Waxwing	10		10
Pine Warbler	2		2
Eastern Towhee	1		1
Chipping Sparrow	1		1
Field Sparrow	1		1
White-throated Sparrow	11		11
Dark-eyed Junco	7		7
Northern Cardinal	5	1	6
American Goldfinch	3		3

By the Numbers: January 2014

Visitor numbers get a bump in the beginning of the year thanks to the Little River Trail Runs.

Here are the statistics for January:

Total number of visitors: 3223.5

Total rainfall amount: 4.718 inches

Average daily high: 43.06 degrees F

Average daily low: 25.16 degrees F

Mountain bike trails open: 68% of the month


For those keeping track, here's what December looked like:

Total number of visitors: 2563

Total rainfall amount: 8.478 inches

Average daily high: 52.3 degrees F

Average daily low: 35.9 degrees F

Mountain bike trails open: 52% of the month

By the Numbers: Year 2013

Here's a wrap-up of this past year's stats:

Total number of visitors: 40,102

Total rainfall amount: 63.891 inches

Mountain bike trails open: 71% of the year

__________________________________________________________________

For those who like graphs, here's what the year looked like:

By the Numbers: December 2013

Here are the totals for December:

Total number of visitors: 2563

Total rainfall amount: 8.478 inches

Average daily high: 52.3 degrees F

Average daily low: 35.9 degrees F

Mountain bike trails open: 52% of the month

For those keeping track, here's what November looked like:

Total number of visitors: 2985

Total rainfall amount: 3.555 inches

Average daily high: 57.5 degrees F

Average daily low: 37.6 degrees F

Mountain bike trails open: 93% of the month

For the Birds: December 2013

Here are our bird count numbers for December 2013:

	December 4	December 11	December 17
Number of Species	9	10	6
Number of Individuals	18	39	22
Number of Checklists	1	1	1

	December 4	December 11	December 17	Totals for Month
Species Name
Turkey Vulture		1		1
Red-bellied Woodpecker	1		1	2
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker		1		1
Downy Woodpecker	1			1
Northern Flicker	1		2	3
Pileated Woodpecker			3	3
American Crow	2	2	2	6
Carolina Chickadee		3		3
Tufted Titmouse		1		1
Winter Wren		1		1
Carolina Wren	2	3	4	9
Golden-crowned Kinglet	2	12	10	24
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	2			2
Dark-eyed Junco	5	5		10
sparrow sp.	2			2
Northern Cardinal		10		10

New Year’s Day Bird Count Results

Thousands of birders across the country participated in the 114^th Audubon Christmas Bird Count. The citizen science project has been tallying birds for over a century and documents the different bird species in North America and also tracks changes in nesting and migration patterns. The count takes place from December 14^th to January 5^th each year.

Eastern Bluebirds and Cedar Waxwings hanging out together.

The count at Little River Park has taken place for the last three years on New Year’s Day. This year’s count started at 9:00am and volunteers spent the first day of the New Year combing the trails, focusing on the feeders and ticking their checklists. Over 20 different species of birds were seen or heard with our citizen scientists covering a combined total of over 10 miles of trails.

Here are the results from this year’s count:

Weather Conditions:

	A.M.	P.M.
Sky Conditions	Partly Cloudy	Mostly Cloudy
Wind Direction and Velocity	Calm	South/4-6 mph
Temperature	33°F	51°F

 Checklist Results:
 

Black Vulture	American Crow	Eastern Bluebird
Turkey Vulture	Carolina Chickadee	Northern Mockingbird
Red-tailed Hawk	Tufted Titmouse	Brown Thrasher
Red-bellied Woodpecker	White-breasted Nuthatch	Pine Warbler
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	Brown Creeper	White-throated Sparrow
Downy Woodpecker	Golden-crowned Kinglet	Dark-eyed Junco
Hairy Woodpecker	Ruby-crowned Kinglet	American Goldfinch
Pileated Woodpecker

Volunteers walked various trails throughout the park, checking off all the species of birds they saw or were able to identify by vocalization.

Feeder Results:

Black Vulture	7	Eastern Bluebird	6
Red-bellied Woodpecker	2	Cedar Waxwing	10
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	1	Pine Warbler	1
Northern Flicker	1	Eastern Towhee	1
Blue Jay	1	Chipping Sparrow	1
American Crow	7	Field Sparrow	1
Carolina Chickadee	2	White-throated Sparrow	10
Tufted Titmouse	3	Dark-eyed Junco	6
White-breasted Nuthatch	1	Northern Cardinal	5
Carolina Wren	1	American Goldfinch	2

Participants watched the feeders located behind the park office and the areas within view of the feeders. Some of the birds listed will not eat at bird feeders but may be seen in the vicinity.

For more information on the National Audubon Society’s Christmas Bird Count, go to www.christmasbirdcount.org. Participating in the count is free. To participate in next year’s bird count, contact park staff at littleriverpark@orangecountync.gov.