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2004 Yardlist Challenge Results Are In!

Nine yards reported a total 125 species for 2004, more than all previous years except 2000. Three new species were added in 2004. Stephen Lindsay tallied two of the new species, Rough-legged Hawk and Western Screech-Owl, and I saw a third, Lincoln's Sparrow.

Four species were reported from the whole 9 yards, Northern Flicker, Black-capped Chickadee, House Finch and Pine Siskin. Thirty-two species, or 26%, were reported from only a single yard.

Robert beefed up the waterfowl numbers from his yard overlooking Cave Lake. He enjoys the annual "coot-and-eagle" show, and tallied the only Pied-billed Grebe and Black Tern sightings. Kris & Ed also overlook the water - Fernan Lake - and picked up Common Loon, and Western and Red-necked Grebes.

Raptors were well represented, including Stephen Johnson's Merlin. Red-tailed Hawks showed up on a surprising number of city yard lists. Great Horned Owls appear on 3 yard lists, and Northern Pygmy Owls on 4.

City yards turned up some interesting passerines. Janet had Hermit Thrush and Wilson's Warbler. Lynn was visited by a Steller's X Blue Jay hybrid, as well as a "plain" Blue Jay. Judy and Lynn both reported Common Redpoll.

Recorded subspecies this year are the Oregon and slate-colored races of Dark-eyed Junco (4 yards), and a Northern Flicker yellow-shafted race from Stephen Lindsay's yard.

Bluebirds and shrikes were missing from the 2004 lists. Robert mentioned several species that he used to see regularly, but has not been seen in years - American Bittern, Townsend's Solitaire and Western Meadowlark.

In the 5 years of the Yardlist Challenge, a total of 159 species have been recorded. Ninety-five species have been reported in all 5 years, 6 in 4 years, 17 in 3 years, 15 in 2 years, and 26 species have been reported in only one year each.

A big thank you to all the 2004 participants: Kris & Ed Buchler, Janet Callen, Robert Hanson, Stephen Johnson, Stephen Lindsay, Lynn Sheridan, Shirley Sturts, Judy & Phil Waring. And thank you for all your interesting notes.

Species sorted by AOU checklist order:

2004 Yardlists	RH	KEB	LH	SS	JC	SJ	LS	SL	JPW
Common Loon		X
Western Grebe	X	X
Red-necked Grebe		X
Pied-billed Grebe	X
Great Blue Heron	X	X	X
Tundra Swan	X	X	X
Canada Goose	X	X	X	X	X		X	X	X
Wood Duck	X		X
Mallard	X	X	X	X
Northern Shoveler	X
American Wigeon	X
Ring-necked Duck	X
Common Goldeneye		X	X	X
Bufflehead		X		X
Hooded Merganser			X
Common Merganser	X	X	X	X
Turkey Vulture	X	X
Osprey	X	X	X	X		X	X	X
Bald Eagle	X	X	X			X
Northern Harrier	X
Sharp-shinned Hawk		X			X	X
Cooper's Hawk		X
Red-tailed Hawk	X	X			X	X	X	X
Rough-legged Hawk	X							X
American Kestrel	X							X
Merlin		X				X
Ring-necked Pheasant	X				X
Ruffed Grouse	X	X	X	X
Wild Turkey	X	X	X	X
California Quail		X		X	X	X	X	X
American Coot	X
Killdeer	X		X		X		X	X
Spotted Sandpiper			X
Wilson's Snipe			X
Ring-billed Gull		X		X		X	X	X
California Gull		X
Black Tern	X
Rock Pigeon					X	X
Mourning Dove	X	X		X	X	X		X
Western Screech-Owl								X
Great Horned Owl	X	X						X
Northern Pygmy Owl	X	X			X		X
Common Nighthawk	X		X		X	X		X
Vaux's Swift	X		X			X
Black-chinned Hummingbird		X		X	X	X
Calliope Hummingbird		X		X	X	X	X
Rufous Hummingbird	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Belted Kingfisher	X		X	X
Red-naped Sapsucker	X	X	X
Downy Woodpecker	X	X	X		X	X	X	X
Hairy Woodpecker	X	X		X			X		X
Northern Flicker	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Pileated Woodpecker	X	X	X
Olive-sided Flycatcher		X	X
Western Wood-Pewee		X	X					X
Willow Flycatcher			X
Hammond's Flycatcher		X	X		X
Western Flycatcher	X	X	X
Eastern Kingbird	X		X
Tree Swallow	X		X	X
Violet-green Swallow	X	X	X		X	X	X	X	X
N. Rough-winged Swallow			X
Cliff Swallow	X		X
Barn Swallow	X		X			X
Gray Jay		X
Steller's Jay	X	X	X	X			X
Steller's X Blue Jay hybrid							X
Blue Jay							X
Clark's Nutcracker	X
Black-billed Magpie	X		X	X	X	X	X
American Crow	X				X	X	X	X	X
Common Raven	X	X	X	X	X	X		X
Black-capped Chickadee	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Mountain Chickadee		X		X	X	X	X	X	X
Chestnut-backed Chickadee		X	X	X
Red-breasted Nuthatch	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
White-breasted Nuthatch	X			X				X
Pygmy Nuthatch		X		X	X	X	X	X
Brown Creeper	X							X
House Wren	X	X			X
Winter Wren	X	X	X
Golden-crowned Kinglet	X	X	X			X		X
Ruby-crowned Kinglet		X	X		X
Townsend's Solitaire			X
Veery			X
Swainson's Thrush		X	X	X
Hermit Thrush					X
American Robin	X	X	X	X	X		X	X	X
Varied Thrush	X	X	X	X			X
Gray Catbird	X				X
Bohemian Waxwing		X	X		X	X	X
Cedar Waxwing	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
European Starling	X	X	X		X	X	X	X	X
Cassin's Vireo		X	X