To island birders, starlings could be the fruitcake of the avian world. This invasive species hangs around year after year in increasing numbers, and no one can get rid of the speckled birds — just as no one can escape that infamous Christmas sweet speckled with bits of dried fruit that even when doused with alcohol creates no cheer.

No matter how much birders may loathe starlings, Saturday, Dec. 18, people will count these loud, stubby-bodied creatures. Because during Audubon Society’s Christmas Bird Count, every bird matters.

“We need to keep an eye on how starlings spread,” Steve Ellis, Whidbey Audubon’s bird count coordinator, said one early December morning.

Ellis was scanning Penn Cove from a Monroe Landing beach. In just a few moments, he identified scoters, a pied-billed grebe and loons riding the cove’s dark waters. Farther down the beach, a GBH (great blue heron) hunched against the breeze near driftwood.

Ellis and his wife Martha have completed 14 Christmas Bird Counts on Whidbey Island. Their territory focuses on Fort Ebey State Park, where winter wrens call from tangles of brush and gangs of kinglets, siskins and chickadees flit in fir and alder. This count area requires much walking; but other routes require a vehicle to complete. Counters on these routes drive, stopping at different spots and counting birds before moving on. While the driver concentrates on the road, spotters scan fields, fence posts and the sky for birds.

Weather bad, count continues

Steve Ellis looks forward to this year’s count, which will happen Dec. 18 no matter the weather or strength of wind.

“We’ve been hearing about boreal bird sightings — mountain chickadees and northern pygmy owls — coming down from the mountains,” he said.

Ellis, along with every other birder, hopes for ideal birding conditions on the day of the count. Ellis describes ideal conditions as calm weather, sun and warm temperatures.

Weather before the count is as important as the day of the count. Ellis said nasty weather in the mountains two weeks before the count drives birds to lower elevations. Wind, rain and cold the day before the count will keep birds hunkered down. When sun comes out, birds will be out feeding.

Ellis said such ideal conditions occur on Whidbey Island only occasionally. He admits poor weather can mean low count numbers. Poor weather may also discourage some birders but stalwarts like Central Whidbey resident Sarah Schmidt keep the count alive.

“Nothing’s more special than looking at birds,” Schmidt said. “Besides it’s tradition and you make a commitment to your team.”

Schmidt birds on Whidbey all year. A few weeks ago, she and Janet Hall saw sandhill cranes at Crockett Lake – the first recording of the species on Whidbey Island.

That sighting drew birders from all over to see the large waders. In spite of this species excitement, local birds star in Schmidt’s memory. A bird smaller than cranes remains her favorite Christmas Bird Count.

That count three years ago was extremely windy, Schmidt recalled. Her team struggled to count waterfowl bobbing and disappearing with the waves. Suddenly a harlequin duck popped into Schmidt’s view.

Blotches of white, black and chestnut stand out against this small duck’s slate grey feathers.

“It’s such a beautiful bird,” Schmidt said. Harlequin ducks winter on Whidbey and Schmidt has seen many of them but she said its sudden appearance made that windy day special.

Weather doesn’t keep Schmidt from the count.

“At the end of the day, visions of birds dance before my eyes,” she said.

Birders expand their education

Oak Harbor birder Patty Cohick also has pleasant bird count memories.

“The atmosphere’s so welcoming,” she said.

Cohick, a veteran counter, was a team leader in 2003 and recalls her first counts fondly.

“Every experienced birder was so gracious and made me a part of the team,” she said.

Cohick calls Christmas Bird Counts tremendous learning experiences. After birds are spotted and identified, everyone on the team gets a chance to study the bird, learn its markings and habitat preferences. Cohick said this study helps people sharpen their eyes.

“Looking through a scope and binoculars and hearing people discuss a bird really helps me learn,” she said.

Certain species of birds winter on Whidbey Island and others inhabit the island’s varied terrain year round. These birds draw increasing numbers of birders to Whidbey Island; but as interest in birds increases, the number of birds decreases.

In a recent report, the U.S. Forest Service showed 69 million Americans counted birdwatching as a hobby. Those 69 million people spent at least $32 billion in retail sales, $13 billion in state and federal taxes and created 863,406 jobs around the country. Statewide, Washington Fish and Wildlife found birders help support 22,000 jobs. Birders bring $980 million to the state compared to $350 million generated by hunters and $854 million by recreational fishermen. When birders take overnight trips to birding spots, they spend $100 to $130 a day. To locations with areas birds find important, birding can be big business, as long as nothing happens to the birds.

In October 2004, Audubon Society released its “State of the Bird” report which studied 700 bird species across the country. This report found bird populations falling. Birds face many threats but the most severe is outright loss of habitat, the report found. Further, it found when habitat was not being lost it was degraded by poor practices, pollution and an influx of invasive and non-native species.

Statewide, bird populations are also falling. In May 2004, the state’s Audubon Society issued its own “State of the Birds” report. This study analyzed populations of 317 species of birds that live or migrate through Washington. Many of these can use Whidbey Island habitat to breed, winter or migrate. This report found at 93 species and four sub-species of birds are vulnerable to drastic population declines. That’s one-third of bird species common to the state. The report also cited loss of habitat as the strongest threat to species.

Birds discussed as threatened in both the national and Washington’s “State of the Birds” reports include the black oystercatcher. This Whidbey visitor has one of the smallest populations at a 2004 estimate of only 8,900 nationwide. Even the rufous hummingbird, a well-known bird on Whidbey Island, made the reports. So did the common loon, Western grebe, harlequin duck, peregrine falcon, hooded merganser, band-tailed pigeon and pileated woodpecker, to list only a few.

Learning about birds is Audubon Christmas Bird Count’s aim. While certain bird populations, including the American bald eagle, have rebounded in recent years, Steve Ellis and others have noted falling trends.

Ellis said numbers of red-winged blackbirds and Brewer’s blackbirds have climbed. While no one’s sure why, Ellis believes changes in agriculture may be the reason. But it’s only a guess. He does know why people count more black-capped chickadees than chestnut-backed chickadees: logging and building.

Smaller chestnut-backed chickadees prefer belts of deep forest, while larger black-capped chickadees thrive in thinner forests and more urban areas.

“Chestnut-backed numbers hang in there,” Ellis said.

“But, over the years, the increase in black-capped in relation to chestnut-backed is the direct result of logging,” Ellis said.

Many other birds depend on heavy cover and counting these birds can be difficult due to private property restrictions.

A more accurate count of birds that prefer heavy forest is possible if landowners cooperate. Because people on the bird count will not trespass, large chunks of forest are off-limits, particularly on the northeast section of Whidbey Island.

Getting permission to count on these properties would give Whidbey Audubon a better picture on bird populations. Ellis said he could add properties to zones if landowners would give their permission for birders to be on their lands.

Ellis said bird counters won’t litter or destroy property, they will simply observe and count. After the count, Ellis said he hopes to offer landowners lists of birds found on their properties.

This would work with Audubon’s “State of the Birds” report which called for stronger environmental protections and rigorous supervision along with more partnerships with private landowners.

“Birders are environmentally aware,” Ellis said.

We wouldn’t litter or leave gates open. We would let landowners know what we saw.”

Birders know how important each bird species is to the ecosystem. Every bird from hummingbird to eagle has its place in nature’s balance.

“If birds are doing well, just about all else is,” Ellis said.

Besides needing people eager to devote time the Saturday before Christmas, he’s looking for a few specific people. Whidbey Island’s Ault Field and Seaplane Base are count locations. People who have base access make developing teams in these areas easier.

Ellis also needs people for feeder counts done from the comfort of home, no boots or gloves required.

Starlings aren’t frequent visitors to feeders, so people on feeder counts won’t score high numbers.

If starlings are fruitcakes to bird counters, what bird would be the Red Ryder BB gun of “A Christmas Story” fame?

Owls and woodpeckers, according to Steve Ellis.

“And we look for a falcon any time we see shorebirds flying,” he said, watching a group of shorebirds wing low over Penn Cove.

“Everyone wants to count a falcon.”

For a lucky few, counting a falcon is possible. In 2003, raptor populations on Whidbey Island were strong. Of the 195 raptors seen, three were peregrine falcons.