White-crowned Sparrow at Charleston Slough

This year’s Saint Anthony Ranchers’ Birdathon is finished - except for this report. The 2021 Birdathon was another big success! Again following covid-19 restrictions, our members birded individually or as couples or as teams keeping proper distance. The same as last year, but oh so different from two long years ago when we birded as one group.

Numbers tell most of the story. One county – Santa Clara County. Eleven birders, all prior Ranchers, in seven parties covering the county from north to south. Species count – a cracking 102 species, our highest total ever. See the attached list. And finally, $1256 raised to date with more contributions expected.

A little deeper with the birds. We outdid last year. We went further in the county, covering more parks and preserves. We birded over a longer period of time, from March 29 to April 19.

There is an advantage to birding over a longer period. In late March and early April the wintering birds are still here. By mid April some of the breeding birds have arrived from points south. This strategy paid big dividends – we tallied 20 more species than last year.

There were seven species, all fairly common, that were tallied by all parties: Anna’s Hummingbird, American Crow, Common Raven, Violet-green Swallow, Oak Titmouse, House Finch, and California Towhee.

We observed a few species that are less common, or observed only rarely: At Charleston slough Linda and Donna tallied both a Brandt, an uncommon wintering goose in this area, and a Sora, a shy, seldom seen rail. Linda and Kitty saw one of the few Santa Clara County wintering Spotted Sandpipers at Vasona. Sue and Jim found a Great Horned Owl at Rancho. Mary and George picked up a Burrowing Owl at Shoreline Lake at a regular spot for this species.

But enough with all the numbers. The Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society Birdathon is a special event for birders - to gather, to enjoy the birds, and in the process to raise funds for kids’ environmental education.