2025 Bishop Christmas Bird Count Results
From flycatchers to finches, the Bishop Christmas Bird Count (CBC) is a one-day citizen science effort to tally all wild birds in the Bishop area. The count takes place each year in mid-December. The 44th annual Bishop CBC was held on December 14, 2025, when a record 69 dedicated birders counted every bird in the fixed 15-mile diameter CBC circle, centered on the intersection of Ed Powers Road and Red Hill Road. The circle includes downtown Bishop, south to the golf course and Wilkerson, west to Round Valley and Pleasant Valley Reservoir, north to the Owens River and Chalk Bluffs, and east to the Owens River on Poleta Road.
The weather on CBC day was unseasonably warm, clear, and calm. The morning started with temperatures at the airport just below freezing at 30°F and climbed to 66°F by midday.
White-crown sparrow counts (325) were particularly low this year. Photo: Ron Phifer
The 69 birders were divided into 11 teams and collectively tallied a respectable 106 species. Teams reported a general lack of birds compared with past years. Indeed, the total number of birds was the lowest since 2000 at 7,012. Typical totals are over 10,000. Ducks and sparrows were particularly scarce, with only 2 Green-winged Teal (the fewest since 1991), 28 Ruddy Ducks (the fewest since 2003), and 325 White-crowned Sparrows (the fewest since 1997). The average White-crowned Sparrow tally is 966.
Kentucky Warbler. Photo: Cameron Darnell
Two species were found that have never been seen on a Bishop CBC:
BLUE-WINGED TEAL - one female at the Bishop Sewer Ponds. This species is not cold-hardy and typically vacates the high deserts in winter.
KENTUCKY WARBLER - one at the Bishop Community Garden, present since 12/5. This vagrant eastern warbler should be in the Yucatan or Central America by December.
Other noteworthy observations were:
SNOW GOOSE "Blue Morph" - one adult at the Bishop Sewer Ponds
SURF SCOTER - one female at Pleasant Valley Reservoir
SANDHILL CRANE - one in Sunland alfalfa fields
BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON - one adult at the Bishop Sewer Ponds
ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK - two in Round Valley
SHORT-EARED OWL - two in Round Valley
YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER - one immature at Rocking K
BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER - one near the Owens River artesians
VESPER SPARROW - one on Sunland Reservation Road
COMMON YELLOWTHROAT - one along the Owens River below Chalk Bluff
New high counts were established:
WOOD DUCK - the McClaren Coordinated Wood Duck count set a new high record of 122; last year's record was 80.
ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD - a new record of 34 birds; last year's record was 23.
Cedar Waxwing. Photo: Ron Phifer
Significant misses were:
HORNED LARK
CEDAR WAXWING (the last miss was 1996)
AMERICAN PIPIT
Additional species encountered during count week, but missed on count day were HOODED MERGANSER, BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER, RING-BILLED GULL, and GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE.
Many thanks to all the talented and generous volunteers who make the Bishop CBC possible. A special thank you goes to Steve at the Bishop Country Club and Hector at the City of Bishop. The 2026 Bishop CBC will be held on Saturday, December 19, 2026.
The Bishop Christmas Bird Count is organized and compiled by Chris Howard
The Eastern Sierra Bird Alliance is a community chapter of the National Audubon Society, representing the diverse habitats of the Eastern Sierra within Inyo and Mono Counties.
Our mission is to educate the public about local bird species and habitats; while working to preserve and protect them for future generations.