Cocoa CBC Final Information by Dave Freeland

Green-wing Teal Missed for First Time in Count History
photo by Dee Fairbanks Simpson

Now that last responses to the compilers' queries have been received, we can confirm that the Cocoa CBC on December 18 recorded a total of 165 species -- 155 of them list-countable -- and 64,707 individuals.  Included are three exotics, one hybrid, one additional form and five birds seen count-week-only, not on count day.  This is a low total for Cocoa thanks to seven hours of rain that made finding passerines difficult.

Still, teams recorded two species new to the CBC's 60-year history -- Dark-eyed Junco and Thayer's Gull (though the latter has been recorded once as a count-week-only species).  Other good finds were the count's first Black Rail since 1990, first Yellow-breasted Chat since 1994 and first Dickcissel since 1983.  A record high count of 102 Caspian Terns -- 77 of them roosting on an island in the Banana River -- bettered the 92 recorded way back in 1954.  Other record counts were Mallard (160, previous high 145), Common Peafowl, an exotic (85, previous 54), Tricolored Heron (700, previous 652) and Northern Waterthrush (6, previous 5).

Other high totals included 5 Grasshopper Sparrows, 104 Painted Buntings and 15 Orange-crowned Warblers.  It looks like some species can withstand rain, although maybe it was more the observers refusing to give up.

Missed for the first time in count history were Green-winged Teal and Northern Flicker (the latter noted during count week).  Yellow-crowned Night-Heron was missed for the first time since 1953 and Ovenbird for the first time since 1996.  Eastern Towhee (5) was the lowest CBC total ever, and Red-tailed Hawk (6) was our lowest since 1953.

We were blessed to have 63 participants -- our best number in recent memory -- and 13 dutiful feeder watchers.