[mou] Gluek BBS route

[Robert_Russell at fws.gov]

I ran the Gluek BBS route on 18 June 2008 and recorded 726 individuals of
56 species.  This count starts northwest of Clara City, Chippewa County and
runs north through the town of Murdoch to a point just north of Hollerberg
Lake in Swift County.  This marked the 27th year this count has been run
with the lowest count of individuals since 2003 and a slightly below
average species total.  Personally I thought it was the dullest BBS I have
ever run despite ideal conditins of sunny skies and little wind.  The
numerous farmsteads were ominously quiet and often consisted of only 1-3
species instead of the usual 5-10 species.  Almost all species were below
their long-term averages, even starlings, house sparrows, and pigeons.  The
5 most common species in descending order of abundance were Red-winged
Blackbird, Common Grackle, Ring-necked Pheasant, Cliff Swallow, and
American Crow.  Species above long-term averages were Great Crested
Flycatcher, Eastern Kingbird, Cliff Swallow, American Crow, Common
Yellowthroat, Chipping Sparrow, and American Goldfinch.  Species far below
the long-term averages were Gray Partridge (0, average 6.5), Mourning Dove
(31, average 70), Red-headed Woodpecker (1, average 8), Yellow-shafted
Flicker (1, average 7), Barn Swallow (22, average 40 but highest total
since 1996), American Robin (12, average 39--anyone have ideas for this
decline that others have noted too?), Bobolink (2, average 30), Western
Meadowlark (1, average 29.5), Yellow-headed Blackbird (9, average 46).
Some of these declines are so out of whack that it might be attributed to
just one of those days when all birds decided to keep quiet but for
meadowlarks, yellow-headeds, bobolinks and other grassland species I fear
the decline may be real.  Bob Russell, USFWS, Ft. Snelling, MN
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