Results: 126th Christmas Bird Count

Tampa CBC

By Dave Bowman, compiler, Tampa Christmas Bird Count

The Tampa Christmas Bird Count is an exciting event our birders look forward to every year during the holiday season, from December 13th to January 5th. This year, we had our Bird Count on January 3. I am proud to announce this year’s turnout for the National Audubon Society’s 126th Christmas Bird Count Tampa Division was a success, with a total of 37 participants.

Our results are as follows:

• Together, we observed a total of 13,071 birds encompassing 144 different species. 

• There were 3 Count Week Species: the Peregrine Falcon, Brown-headed Cowbird, and the Northern Parula.

• We missed 12 species that were seen on 40 plus other Christmas Bird Count recordings: the Gadwall, American Wigeon, Mottled Duck, Green-winged Teal, Greater Scaup, Ruddy Duck, Red Knot, Caspian Tern, Sandwich Tern, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Sedge Wren, and the Chipping Sparrow.

Highlights include:

• An exciting TCBC sighting first: the Cape May Warbler! Shoutout to Eric Haney, what a great spot!

• Other exciting species counts include the Egyptian Goose, Canada Goose, and the Solitary Sandpiper. 

Other than the rain that we encountered that afternoon, our CBC was a success! We hope that by sharing these results, our participants feel proud of their accomplishments and our readers get inspired to join the next TCBC. 

Thank you everyone for your efforts as they proved fruitful in our mission to enhance and continue the nation’s longest running community science birding event. We hope to see you (and hopefully even more participants) join us again next year for another successful count!

Alafia Banks CBC

By Charlie Fisher, compiler, Alafia Banks Christmas Bird Count

It was a comeback year for the Alafia Banks CBC. This was the 29th running of Alafia, and we rebounded to 148 species detected, up from last year’s 131 and the low water mark two years prior of 125. Our average is 152.

Weather was fair and cooperative. Forty-nine volunteers entered the field, and we thank them and appreciate their efforts. We carded one new species for the count, Snail Kite

(NW Sector), and we had the return of a species not seen since 2000, Burrowing Owl (SE Sector).

Weather permitting the Boat and the Island 3D groups to get out into the bay also really helped our numbers a lot. Birds of Shame: Prairie Warbler evaded us this year for the first time ever, as did Lesser Yellowlegs. White-winged Dove has been found on 26 prior counts but not this one; Dunlin likewise (on 25 prior). Other unfortunate misses include Brown Thrasher, Ovenbird and Chipping Sparrow.

I would like very much to thank our sector leaders, whose scouting, preparation, recruiting, and leadership are of critical importance every year. The sector leaders are-Dave Bowman, Northeast; Dave Goodwin, Southeast; Mark McRae, Northwest; Charlie Fisher, Center & Wolf Branch; Mary Keith, Southwest/Apollo Beach; Steve Burkholder, Sun City Center; Sharon Masturzo, Southshore Falls Sector.

I thank these leaders very much for their dedication.

Our hearts go out to one long time sector leader, Rocky Milburn, who was not able to join us in the field this year. On the morning of the count, Rocky experienced a personal tragedy and suffered a house fire. We all wish all our best to Rocky and his loved ones in this unfortunate time.

Let’s start thinking about next year- Please mark your calendar for Sunday December 20, 2026.