PREBLE COUNTY — This past winter, on Dec. 14, 2016, the 20th annual Preble County Plus Christmas Bird Count was held. A total of 47 different species were observed with the total number of birds counted at 1,768.

Participant Bird Watchers from the Audubon Christmas Bird Count included: Catherine Ackerman, Beau Ashley, Lauren Asquith, Nancy Bain, Vicky Benko, Izzy Bowen, Taylor Bowers, Frank Chapman, Martha Chapman, Alyssa Clark, Debra Crumbaker, Ryan Delong, Jim Facette, Dave Fourman, Nicholas Heindl, JoAnn Hoffman, Ann Horvath, Doug Horvath, Jessica Janecek, Ian Kurtz, Carlee Lautensleger, Jacob London, Kyler Maggard, Daryl Michael, John Moore, Jade Peck, Hannah Pemberton, Mike Schleich, Anne Schleigh, Michael Shade, Nick Stacy, Destinly Straszheim, Chelsea Wallace, and Malachi Yates.

The count was compiled and coordinated by Daryl Michael, Preble County Educational Service Center. This activity is sponsored by the Preble County Educational Service Center Governing Board.

Bird Number:

American Crow — 11

American Goldfinch — 30

American Kestrel — 6

American Robin — 13

American Tree Sparrow — 63

Bald Eagle — 2

Belted Kingfisher — 3

Blue Jay — 12

Brown Creeper — 5

Brown Headed Cowbid — 1

Canada Goose — 446

Carolina Chickadee — 33

Carolina Wren — 10

Chipping Sparrow — 2

Cooper’s Hawk — 2

Dark Eyed Junco — 12

Downy Woodpecker — 10

Eastern Towhee — 1

European Starling — 126

Great Blue Heron — 3

Hairy Woodpecker — 3

Horned Lark — 159

House Finch — 35

House Sparrow — 21

Killdeer — 2

Lesser Scaup — 3

Mallard — 28

Mourning Dove — 250

Northern Bobwhite — 4

Northern Cardinal — 26

Northern Flicker — 4

Northern Harrier — 3

Pied-billed Grebe — 1

Purple Finch — 3

Red Bellied Woodpecker — 8

Red Tailed Hawk — 6

Ring-billed Gull — 16

Rock Pigeon — 75

Ruddy Duck — 3

Sandhill Crane (CW) — 266

Song Sparrow — 28

Tufted Titmouse — 11

White-breasted Nuthatch — 13

White-crowned Sparrow — 5

White Throated Sparrow — 2

Yellow-rumped Warbler — 1

Yellow Bellied Sapsucker — 1