2023 CBC Summary

2023 Skagway CBC -- Saturday, 16 December

Summary

We had record-breaking warm autumn and early winter weather leading up to our CBC . Unsurprisingly, count day produced report after report of open water throughout the circle. Skies were cloudy, temperatures and winds were 15-20 with gusts, and no precipitation except light rain or snow at high elevation.

The pass was closed until midday, none of our Canadians birders made it to Skagway. One field observer drove up Klondike Highway to the pass and a couple hiked to Upper Dewey Lake, giving us 2 high elevation routes. Despite that coverage, the ptarmigan was elusive again this year.

Ten(10) routes were covered by 13 field observers via car, walking or snowshoeing. Five (5) feeders were watched by 7 observers. There were some participants who did more than one route, or a route and a feeder. Our overall participation was 17 people on count day.

All routes and feeders reported at least one bird species. As always, every route and feeder made important contributions to the diversity and number of birds reported.

Thirty (30) bird species were seen on count day. Two (2) additional species were seen during count week - Northern Pintail and Glaucous-winged x Herring Gull hybrid. The total number of individual birds seen on count day came to 1237.

The warm, southern winds seemed to bring in birds to feed on what must have been small schools of fish. Feeding flocks of gulls, murrelets, ducks, grebes and loons hovered over bulls-eye spots in the water, diving from the air or from the surface for their food.

Marbled Murrelets made a nice showing with a count of 160. The Pacific Loon count of 27 was flagged as a high count. A report of 6 Bonaparte's Gulls at the mouth of the Skagway River would be a first for Skagway at this time of year, it will be reviewed by the CBC regional editor. The Northern Pintail is also a new species for the Skagway CBC, it was seen being predated by an eagle and crows during count week, the ID was made by examining the wing left behind.

No Bohemian Waxwings have been seen in town. Most berry trees and shrubs failed to produce fruit this year, probably due to an unusual cold snap in spring when blossoms were out.

- Elaine

Species table, participants list, and links to data are below photos.