The 124th Christmas Bird Count in Alabama and Mississippi

Alabama conducted thirteen CBC’s and Mississippi 17. The Corinth CBC no longer exists. Neither the Tupelo CBC nor Eagle Lake CBC took place this season. Half the circles tallied 100 or more species. Gulf Shores led with 140 species despite having its lowest number of individual birds ever. Jackson County, MS recorded 139 species, South Hancock 136, Dauphin Island 133, Eufaula N.W.R. 126, Wheeler N.W.R. 118, Noxubee N.W.R. 111, Jackson 107, Arkabutla 105, Hattiesburg 105, Washington County (south), MS 104, Waterloo 101, Wheeler Dam 101, Fort Morgan 100, and Sidon 100.

Waterfowl numbers continued to decline, particularly in the southern portions of Alabama and Mississippi. For many species of geese and ducks, Alabama’s high counts were in the two refuges with the most duck habitat, Eufaula N.W.R. and Wheeler N.W.R. Even at Wheeler N.W.R. the numbers have decreased, however, some of them drastically. Landbirds such as sparrows also continued to show large declines. Wind made it harder to find birds on several circles, and incomplete coverage on at least a few contributed to low counts. Unusual tallies resulted from unusual conditions. For example, at Arkabutla Lake, the lakebed was mostly dry, reducing duck diversity, but producing marsh-like habitat that led to oddities for the circle including Sedge and Marsh wrens, Soras, Virginia Rails, and Leconte’s Sparrows. Overall, habitat loss appears to be a more significant factor.

Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks continued at Gulf Shores and Eufaula, each with its highest number ever; Jackson recorded Black-bellieds for the first time (14) and Vicksburg for the second (1). Wheeler N.W.R. had its highest count ever for Greater White-fronted Geese (265), while Alabama’s only other one was at Eufaula N.W.R.; Jackson set a circle maximum with 317. Single Snow Geese were in Auburn and Gulf Shores, Eufaula tallied 4, and Wheeler N.W.R. 2500; in Mississippi two circles had historically low counts: Dahomey-Great River Road (70); and Washington County (south) (850). Alabama’s only 4 Ross’s Geese were all at Wheeler N.W.R. Twelve of Alabama’s circles recorded Canada Geese, but half of the state’s total of 2777 were either at Wheeler N.W.R. or Guntersville. Montgomery found a Mute Swan, presumably an escape. Wood Ducks were on all seventeen Mississippi circles and nine Alabama circles; 367 of the 504 in Alabama were at Eufaula N.W.R; Guntersville had a historically low 2; 73 in Grenada was an all-time high. Seven Alabama circles recorded Gadwalls, with 7994 of 8864 at Wheeler N.W.R.; tallies of 2 Gadwalls in both Montgomery and Guntersville were notably low, and Gulf Shores failed to find a Gadwall for only the ninth time; Mississippi’s Gadwalls were more evenly distributed. Almost all (162 of 179) of Alabama’s American Wigeons were at Eufaula N.W.R.; Wheeler N.W.R.’s 15 was one of its lowest totals ever; Waterloo had 2; Gulf Shores and Tuscaloosa recorded them only as count week birds; Washington County (south), which has only missed Wood Ducks once, tallied an all-time low of 4. All 9 of Alabama’s American Black Ducks were at Wheeler N.W.R., but this was one of its lowest totals ever; Sidon had Mississippi’s only one, the circle’s sixth record. Mallards were on twelve Alabama circles, but the vast majority were in the north (Wheeler N.W.R., Cullman, and Guntersville); Dauphin Island’s tally of 13 was historically low, and the numbers at Guntersville and Wheeler N.W.R. were also quite low compared to past years; both Dahomey-Great River Road (6) and Washington County (south) (42) set circle minima, although the latter circle had missed Mallard in count 89. As usual, the only Mottled Ducks were on the coast: Dauphin Island, Jackson County, and Southern Hancock County. Alabama recorded only 15 Blue-winged Teal, but they were on an unusually high six circles (Guntersville, Gulf Shores, Eufaula N.W.R., Auburn, Dauphin Island, and Cullman, where it is quite rare in winter); in Mississippi, seven circles found Blue-wingeds, but 35 of its total of 54 were in Southern Hancock County. In Alabama 843 of 852 Northern Shovelers were at either Wheeler N.W.R. or Eufaula N.W.R., with the others at Wheeler Dam and Fort Morgan; it was a major miss for Guntersville; twelve Mississippi circles tallied shovelers, led by Sidon with 3624. Northern Pintails were primarily at either Wheeler N.W.R. (170, low for the circle) or Eufaula N.W.R. (36), with the other 5 being at Waterloo; Mississippi had a total of only 16. Seven Alabama circles found Green-winged Teal; all but 58 of the 1309 were at Wheeler N.W.R. or Eufaula N.W.R. In Mississippi, two circles established new maxima: Brooklyn-Camp Shelby, with 15 Green-winged Teal; and Hattiesburg (29). Guntersville recorded 56 Canvasbacks, and Alabama’s others were at Gulf Shores (8) and Wheeler N.W.R. (5, one of its lowest counts ever); their absence at Birmingham and at Eufaula N.W.R. was conspicuous; 220 of Mississippi’s 244 Canvasbacks were in Jackson. Almost all of Alabama’s Redheads were in Gulf Shores (265 of 272), while Waterloo found 3 and four other circles one each. Although most of Alabama’s Ring-necked Ducks (894) were at Wheeler N.W.R., the others were scattered throughout the state; Montgomery had only one, its minimum and far below its maximum of 474; and Fort Morgan none – as in most years; Washington County (south) set a circle high with 1,000. Greater Scaup bucked the general pattern; 21 were at Wheeler Dam, 5 at Gulf Shores, 3 at Auburn, and one on Dauphin Island. Although found in eleven circles, most of Alabama’s Lesser Scaup were either at Guntersville or Gulf Shores; 5 at Wheeler N.W.R. was a historically low number; Birmingham was the only circle that failed to record any, a rare miss; Fort Morgan’s 9 exceeded the sum of its totals since 2007, but was far below the thousands the circle recorded in most of the 1980’s and 1990’s; Washington County (south) recorded a circle low of 2. The region’s only Surf Scoter and only White-winged Scoter were near each other at Fort Morgan. Each of Alabama’s southernmost circles found Black Scoters in small numbers: Dauphin Island, 4; Gulf Shores, 2; and Fort Morgan, one. Bufflehead numbers were low on many Alabama circles; there was only one in Birmingham, none in Cullman, and a record low of 7 in Guntersville; no Mississippi circles found a scoter. The four northern circles had most of Alabama’s Common Goldeneyes (Wheeler Dam, 13; Wheeler N.W.R., 13; Waterloo, 7; and Guntersville, 6 – its lowest total ever), with 5 others on Dauphin Island and one in Birmingham. As usual, most of Alabama’s Hooded Mergansers were at Wheeler N.W.R. (439 of 691), but 77 in Montgomery and 73 on Dauphin Island. As expected, most Red-breasted Mergansers were on the coast or in the Tennessee Valley, but only a single Red-breasted was at Guntersville; Gulf Shores was within one of tying the circle’s all-time minimum. Auburn tallied 72 Ruddy Ducks, but Guntersville and Wheeler N.W.R., which often record good numbers, each had none.

Alabama’s only Northern Bobwhites were at Fort Morgan (16) and Eufaula N.W.R. (6), and Mississippi’s at Noxubee N.W.R. (11), Sardis Lake (4), and Southern Hancock County (count week). The only Common Loons north of the coast and south of the T.V. were one in Auburn, one in Hattiesburg, and 7 in Jackson. Birmingham (6), Gulf Shores (5), Montgomery (5), and Dahomey-Great River Road (one) tallied some of their lowest numbers of Pied-billed Grebes ever, but Strawberry Plains established a circle maximum with 49. Gulf Shores found 5 Horned Grebes, an all-time low; the circle’s maximum is 509. Only Waterloo (one) and Hattiesburg (11) found any Eared Grebes. Gulf Shores recorded 51 Northern Gannets, one of its lowest totals ever. Washington County (south) had 4 Neotropic Cormorants, its second record, and one was in Natchez during count week. In Montgomery, 8 Anhingas established a new high for the circle; 13 others were in Eufaula N.W.R. and one in Gulf Shores. Alabama’s only 2 American Bitterns were at Eufaula N.W.R.; 2 were at Southern Hancock County and one at Jackson County. At Guntersville, 15 Great Egrets provided a maximum for the circle. The only 4 Little Blue Herons were in Eufaula N.W.R. Dauphin Island recorded Alabama’s only 2 Tricolored Herons and Alabama’s only 2 Reddish Egrets. Five Alabama circles that usually have Black-crowned Night-herons found them this year, but what has been a stable population in Birmingham decreased to 3. Five circles set all-time high counts for White Ibis: Gulf Shores (72); Hattiesburg (47); Jackson (34); Noxubee N.W.R. (20 – formerly only count week); and Brooklyn-Camp Shelby (9), where it was recorded for the first time in the circle’s ten-year history. The only other Alabama circle with White Ibis was Eufaula N.W.R. (9). The only Roseate Spoonbills were in Mississippi: one in Southern Hancock County provided the circle’s second record; and 14 in Vicksburg were an all-time high as well as just the fourth record for the circle.

Maxima for Black Vultures were established by Gulf Shores (105), Birmingham (79) and Brooklyn-Camp Shelby (123). Both Brooklyn-Camp Shelby (173) and Washington County (south) (77) set maxima for Turkey Vultures. In Dauphin Island, 33 Ospreys set a new high for the circle. Waterloo failed to record any Sharp-shinned Hawks. Alabama circles tallied 193 Bald Eagles, setting circle maxima for Wheeler N.W.R. (30), Eufaula N.W.R. (27); and Montgomery (14); 7 at Fort Morgan was just one shy of its maximum; and 51 at Guntersville was 3 less than its highest total. On Dauphin Island, 6 Red-shouldered Hawks established a maximum; Dahomey-Great River Road (10) and Jackson County (19) also set new highs. Cullman reported a Broad-winged Hawk, but because of insufficient details, ultimately submitted it as a Buteo sp. Guntersville had only 13 Red-tailed Hawks, one more than its record low. The only 2 King Rails were at Eufaula N.W.R., where they are expected. A total of 8 Virginia Rails were found on six Alabama circles, including Guntersville (one), where they are unusual; five Mississippi circles tallied 9, including the first ones for Arkabutla Lake (2). Eufaula N.W.R. established a count record with 43 Common Gallinules, and Alabama’s only 2 others were one each on Dauphin Island, where they are unusual, and Fort Morgan. Alabama’s 2 Limpkin records were both inland: 6 in Birmingham and 5 at Wheeler N.W.R. Mississippi's recent Limpkin invasion continued, with six CBCs reporting Limpkins: Moon Lake CBC had 5; Brooklyn-Camp Shelby and Jackson County, 2 each; Jackson, Lauderdale County, and Noxubee NWR, one each. Four circles in Alabama reported Sandhill Cranes with 13,371 at Wheeler N.W.R., 59 at Eufaula N.W.R., 4 at Waterloo, and 3 at Wheeler Dam; in Mississippi, 82 were in Jackson County, where expected, and 2 were at Sidon providing the circle with its fourth record. Wheeler N.W.R. also had 16 Whooping Cranes, one less than its maximum.

Jackson County found 53 of the region’s 54 Black-necked Stilt; the other provided Vicksburg with its second record. The region’s only American Avocets were 3 at Arkabutla Lake, the first ones for the circle, and 4 at Sidon, for its fourth record. Of the region’s 14 Snowy Plovers, 12 were at Fort Morgan and singles at Dauphin Island, which has recorded as many as 26, and Gulf Shores. Wilson’s Plovers are rare on the coast in winter; one was at Gulf Shores. Dauphin Island and Gulf Shores each had single Piping Plovers; the Dauphin Island maximum is 76, but despite going ten straight years of double-digit counts, it has not found more than 10 since 2019. As expected, Willets were on each of Alabama’s three coastal circles, but Gulf Shores only had 13, one of the circle’s lowest totals. Vicksburg recorded its first 5 Dunlin; and Washington County (south) set a circle maximum with 350. Eufaula N.W.R. almost invariably records Least Sandpiper with a maximum of 488, but this season failed to do so. Western Sandpiper was the species most conspicuous by its absence on Dauphin Island, which previously recorded it 38 times with as many as 348; Alabama did not record any. Only two Alabama CBC’s tallied Lesser Yellowlegs: Wheeler N.W.R. with its maximum of 100 and Gulf Shores with 3; it was a count week bird for Montgomery. Dauphin Island reported the only 8 Short-billed Dowitchers, but Birmingham had 3 dowitcher sp. Only Mississippi circles found Long-billed Dowitchers, including an all-time high of 66 for Arkabutla Lake; Moon Lake (Luna) found its first 2. For only the tenth time, Gulf Shores failed to record an American Woodcock.

Ten Alabama circles reported Bonaparte’s Gulls, and another (Auburn) had one during count week; but the 40 in Guntersville barely exceeded the all-time low number; Southern Hancock County missed Bonaparte’s except during count week. Both Wheeler Dam and Gulf Shores recorded a Lesser Black-backed Gull, each for the third time. Dauphin Island reported Alabama’s only Great Black-backed Gull. Forster’s Tern numbers are stable overall, but two Mississippi circles had maxima: Sardis Lake (216) and Washington County (south) (220); observers saw a Forster’s Tern during count week in the Noxubee N.W.R., where it is unusual. Gulf Shores tallied only 4 Rock Pigeons. Inca Doves continued to increase in Alabama; an all-time high10 were on Dauphin Island, 3 at Gulf Shores and 2 Fort Morgan; 5 in Hattiesburg provided the third circle record. Eufaula N.W.R. recorded an all-time high of 36 Common Ground-doves. Five Alabama circles reported White-winged Doves, including a first for Tuscaloosa; Auburn had one during count week. Gulf Shores, which has had a maximum of 60 Eastern Screech-owls and tallied them in double digits through 2004 (but not since) recorded only one. Gulf Shores had Alabama’s only hummingbirds: 2 Ruby-throated, 2 Black-chinned, 2 Rufous, one Calliope, and one Selasphorus sp.

All the region’s circles reported Red-headed Woodpecker; Cullman had an all-time high of 16, but four Alabama and two Mississippi circles had only one, including Tuscaloosa, which had its lowest total for its 46 (of 47) counts with one or more. All the region’s circles also found Downy Woodpeckers; of Alabama’s total of 637, 307 were in Auburn, more than seven times as many as the previous high for that relatively new (twelve years) circle. Waterloo established a new minimum with 20 Northern Flickers; Gulf Shores and Washington County (south) each only had 13. There were 3 Merlins at Eufaula N.W.R. and 4 at South Hancock County; two other Mississippi circles found 2; six other Alabama circles and two other Mississippi circles had singles; Noxubee N.W.R., where Merlins are unusual, saw one during count week. In Mississippi, three circles set all-time maxima for Killdeer: Dahomey-Great River Road (19) and Lauderdale County (8), and Sardis Lake (634). Dahomey-Great River Road (73) and Washington County (south) (74) recorded historically high numbers of Eastern Phoebes. For the third straight count, Dahomey-Great River Road had what appears to be the same Say’s Phoebe. Vermilion Flycatchers are rare in winter in the region, but regular in the G.C.; Gulf Shores recorded 2; Dauphin Island, one; and Birmingham, one; Jackson County found 3 and Southern Hancock County 4. Single Western Kingbirds were at Fort Morgan and Gulf Shores; one was on Dauphin Island during count week. Loggerhead Shrikes have been on Birmingham on all but eight of their CBCs, but they were absent this year; Montgomery set an all-time low for the circle with 5. In addition to Dauphin Island, Fort Morgan, Gulf Shores (3), where White-eyed Vireos are regular, Birmingham reported one, its second record. The only Bell’s Vireo was at Dauphin Island.

Fish Crows continued their expansion into the Tennessee Valley; Guntersville recorded an all-time maximum of 48; and 2 at Wheeler N.W.R. provided its third C.B.C. record. Eufaula N.W.R. found its all-time high of 17 Horned Larks. Birmingham reported Tree Swallows (3) for the second time. Red-breasted Nuthatches were scarce this year; 2 were in Waterloo, one in Birmingham, one during count week at Eufaula N.W.R. and 3 were in Natchez. Winter Wrens were unusually common with several circles recording highest numbers ever and other circles highs since what was formerly considered a species was split in the United States into Winter Wren and Pacific Wren: Birmingham (13 – maximum of 27 before the split); Tuscaloosa (6); Dahomey-Great River Road (8) Hattiesburg (9 – high of18 before the split), Jackson (10 – high of 14 before the split), Washington County (south) (7 – high of 27 before the split). Gulf Shores had only 3 Sedge Wrens and 4 Marsh Wrens, each close to its minimum for the species. Most Marsh Wrens were in the southern part of the region, but Arkabutla Lake established a circle maximum of 5. Tuscaloosa recorded only 8 Ruby-crowned Kinglets, 2 above the circle’s minimum and far below its maximum of 131; Arkabutla Lake (55) and Dahomey-Great River Road (63) both established circle maxima. Four circles tallied all-time low numbers of American Robins: Guntersville (22, where the maximum is 12783), Gulf Shores (199 robins, far less than its maximum of 102,000), Hattiesburg (10), and Sardis Lake (2); Washington County (south) (32) and Lauderdale County (19) also recorded historical lows. In addition to the Gray Catbirds in the southern half of Alabama, where expected, one was at Wheeler Dam for its first on a CBC, and one was found count week at Waterloo. Brown Thrasher numbers were barely above circle minima for both Montgomery and Tuscaloosa. In Montgomery, 8 Eastern Towhees was only two more than the circle’s minimum; the high is 58. For the first time on a CBC, Dauphin Island recorded a Lapland Longspur; Dahomey-Great River Road had a circle maximum of 162.

Eufaula N.W.R. reported a count week record of Alabama’s only Northern Waterthrush but declined to provide any details, so it appears only as a note in an entry for “warbler sp.”. Black-and-white Warblers appeared at Eufaula N.W.R. (5), where expected, and also in Montgomery (1), where rare, and Guntersville (1) which had its first for a CBC; one was on Dauphin Island count week. Tennessee Warblers are occasional in the region in winter; one in Montgomery was the circle’s first and Alabama’s first on a CBC; there are six CBC records for Mississippi. Five circles set maxima for Orange-crowned Warbler: Dauphin Island (24), Eufaula N.W.R. (35), Arkabutla (6), Dahomey-Great River Road (7) and Noxubee N.W.R. (12); five other circles tallied the birds in double digits Auburn (10), Gulf Shores (20); Hattiesburg (26); Jackson County (16); and Southern Hancock County (31). Overall, Alabama recorded 118 Orange-crowneds, and Mississippi 123, yielding an all-time high of 241 for the region. At Wheeler N.W.R., Alabama’s only Yellow Warbler was photographed during count week. An American Redstart at Jackson County was the third for the region. At Guntersville, 17 Pine Warblers exceeded the circle’s minimum by only 2; the maximum is 212; for Tuscaloosa, 8 was a very low count.

Birmingham recorded Alabama’s only Grasshopper Sparrow and Brooklyn Camp-Shelby all 5 for Mississippi. Vicksburg tallied the circle’s first 2 Henslow’s Sparrows; the region’s only others were In Jackson County (21). Single LeConte’s Sparrows were at Tuscaloosa and at Wheeler N.W.R.; a circle high of 4 were at Arkabutla Lake, and 2 were at Noxubee N.W.R. As is generally the case, Dauphin Island and Southern Hancock County each found the only Nelson’s Sparrows and the only Seaside Sparrows, 2 of the latter for Southern Hancock County. Gulf Shores missed Field Sparrow for the first time in fifty years, and Sidon did for the fourth time in thirty-five; Montgomery and Grenada each set an all-time minimum of one; Strawberry Plains had a circle low of 6. At Eufaula, 2 Dark-eyed Juncos exceeded the circle’s minimum by one; the maximum is 200. Natchez reported the only Harris’s Sparrow, its first; this was the region’s twelfth record. Gulf Shores tallied only 24 White-throated Sparrows; the circle’s minimum is 6, and its maximum is 957. The only Lincoln’s Sparrows were singles at Wheeler N.W.R., Jackson, and Moon Lake (Luna) (its second) and a circle maximum of 4 at Arkabutla Lake. Wheeler N.W.R. tallies for Swamp Sparrow have exceeded 16,000; this year the tally was 95, one of the lowest ever. In Montgomery, 5 Eastern Towhees established an all-time minimum for the circle. Gulf Shores turned up the only Summer Tanager, the only Indigo Bunting, and the only 3 Painted Buntings. In Dahomey-Great River Road, one Eastern Meadowlark was the circle’s lowest count ever; Birmingham, 3 Eastern Meadowlarks barely missed tying the count’s lowest tally (two); Gulf Shores found 36, not much more than its minimum of 22 and far less than its maximum of 831; and Sardis Lake failed to find any for only the second time. Wheeler N.W.R. had an all-time high of 250 Brewer’s Blackbirds, and Eufaula N.W.R. a record high of 98. Gulf Shores tallied 116 Common Grackles; the circle’s minimum is 21 and its maximum 12100. One Mississippi circle, Strawberry Plains, missed Common Grackle after recording it in each of its previous six seasons, and three reported counts that tied or set circle minima: Hattiesburg (one), Sidon (2), and Vicksburg (5). Boat-tailed Grackles have expanded to Eufaula N.W.R., where 2 were identified by call and then seen. Gulf Shores had 2 Bullock’s Orioles at a single home, which also hosted 3 Baltimore Orioles. A high number (4) of Baltimore Orioles were in Montgomery, and a single was in Birmingham. On Dauphin Island, 247 House Finches established a new high for the circle. For the second time, Southern Hancock County found Mississippi’s only Scaly-breasted Munias (25, compared to 4 last season).