Bellingham CBC fifty years ago

[James Duemmel]

Attached is Terry Wahl’s report for the Bellingham CBC held fifty years ago, this one held in January, not the usual timing. Check the absence of Trumpeter Swans and the abundance of Western Grebes. Also note the most common species and all the species with just one individual reported. Old names (Whistling Swan, Oldsquaw, Mew Gull, Water Pipit) were in use.  The miles covered in cars was more than ten times that covered on foot.

Terry’s comments on the second page, as usual, shed some interesting light on the count, and, in this case, even some humor - occasioned by one participant’s report of a strange and troublesome new species.

Jim Duemmel

[Andrea Warner]

Thanks for posting Jim.  I always enjoy looking backwards at what birds use to be here and how some species are still resilient. Gosh, what horrible weather there was for that CBC.