The 2025-26 Charlottesville Bird Count took place on Saturday, December 20, 2025. That was the first time a C’ville CBC was ever held on a Saturday. Since 1643 the “blue laws” prohibited Sunday hunting, but that changed in 2014 when the General Assembly passed legislation allowing it. From that time on it made no difference which day we held the count. Therefore, I suggested we plan for the count to be held on Saturday with the weather date the following day, Sunday, thus not having to set aside two weekends for the count during the busy holiday season. That day was a lovely day – mostly sunny, no rain, no wind to speak of and temperatures between 29 and 50 degrees. 59 people participated in 20 teams in the field and one person watching feeder. 78 species were reported, among those were four rare birds:
1 Northern House Wren, Wendy Guest
4 Lesser Scaup, John Rowlett
2 Black-capped Chickadees, John Rowlett
5 Rusty Blackbird, John Rowlett
This is the last count for which I will be compiler. It has been an honor to serve in this capacity for 20 years. Guy Babineau will be compiler next year and I know I am leaving you in excellent hands. Below are all of the species reported.
– Jenny
Canada Goose
American Black Duck
Mallard
Green-winged Teal
Ring-necked Duck
Lesser Scaup
Bufflehead
Hooded Merganser
Common Merganser
Wild Turkey
Pied-billed Grebe
Great blue Heron
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Northern Harrier
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Cooper’s Hawk
Bald Eagle
Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Killdeer
Wilsons Snipe
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Great Horned Owl
Barred Owl
Belted Kingfisher
Red-headed Woodpecker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Downy Woodpecker
Harry Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
American Kestrel
Merlin
Eastern Phoebe
Blue Jay
American Crow
Fish Crow
Common Raven
Carolina Chickadee
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Red-Breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
House Wren
Winter Wren
Carolina Wren
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Eastern Bluebird
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Brown Thrasher
Northern Mockingbird
European Starling
American Pipit
Cedar Waxwing
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Chipping Sparrow
Field Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
White-crowned Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Eastern Towhee
Northern Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird
Eastern Meadowlark
Rusty Blackbird
House Finch
Purple Finch
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow
