Christmas Birders Count 35 Species

by Paul Noeldner

Lots of birds can be found in Madison even on the shortest day of the year during a cold winter! The Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance coordinated the annual Madison-area Christmas Bird Count (CBC) held on Saturday, December 20. A team representing Madison Friends of Urban Nature and Friends of Cherokee Marsh conducted the 2025 count for Area 1, including Cherokee Marsh Conservation Parks and surrounding neighborhoods.

Birding from dawn to dusk, the team spotted 35 species. Highlights included a Rough-legged Hawk at Cherokee Marsh North Unit at dawn, a flock of 10 Bluebirds at Hickory Island, a Harrier and a Northern Shrike far out in the Marsh, and a Kingfisher and Great Blue Heron at School Road Landing at sunset. This year's participants included Jan Axelson, Tim Baker, Marcus Mueller, Barb Noeldner, Paul Noeldner, Brian Schneider, Courtney Woods, and Jim Mand.

Anyone can participate in the annual Christmas Bird Count, a national event. Teams of expert and beginning birders count as many bird species and total birds of each species they can find in assigned geographic areas. All teams report their totals to the Audubon/Cornell Lab of Ornithology eBird database. The data is then used by scientists to study bird populations, species distribution, and impacts of climate change, and to recommend management and policies.

City wide totals are being compiled by Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance and will be posted at https://swibirds.org.  

Our Northside team recorded these observations:

Canada Goose: 24

Gadwall: 1

Mallard: 304

Common Merganser: 8

Wild Turkey: 12

Rock Pigeon: 81

Mourning Dove: 39

American Herring Gull: 4

Great Blue Heron: 1

Northern Harrier: 1

Bald Eagle: 3

Red-tailed Hawk: 3

Rough-legged Hawk: 1

Barred Owl: 1

Belted Kingfisher: 1

Red-bellied Woodpecker: 4

Downy Woodpecker: 2

Hairy Woodpecker: 1

Northern Flicker: 4

Northern Shrike: 1

Blue Jay: 2

American Crow: 4

Black-capped Chickadee: 9

Tufted Titmouse: 1

White-breasted Nuthatch: 3

Brown Creeper: 3

European Starling: 4

Eastern Bluebird: 12

American Robin: 4

House Sparrow: 10

House Finch: 3

American Goldfinch: 9

American Tree Sparrow: 5

Dark-eyed Junco: 12

Northern Cardinal: 4

Link: https://ebird.org/checklist/S289369907