Audubon California's Andrea Jones sent in this report and photos from the fifth annual Santa Cruz Island Audubon Christmas Bird Count: This year, 25 intrepid birders from Audubon California, The Nature Conservancy, UCSB, PRBO Conservation Science, National Park Service, and Audubon volunteers traveled out to Santa Cruz Island. Each year brings different stories, birds, and other highlights. The count this year will be remembered not just for the birds seen but the news we received on the island of the passing of Rich Stallcup. Many people in our group knew him well, so we raised a toast and told stories and decided Rich would be happy that everyone was doing what he loved most -- birding. The birds on this CBC did not disappoint. The rain made many of the dirt roads on the island impassable, so we traveled only by foot and still managed to count 81 species -- a high count for this CBC. Highlights included Red Crossbills, Grey-headed Junco, and Pine Siskins. It appears that the invasions of northern songbirds has reached the island as well. The ocean was also teaming with life -- marine food was abundant and so were the seabirds, including Black-vented Shearwater, Pelagic and Brandt's Cormorants, Pomarine and Parasitic Jaegar.  We'd like to thank The Nature Conservancy and UCSB who once again hosted us for this memorable count. More photos below the fold:

The whole gang sits still for a photo.

Rodd Kelsey, our director of bird conservation, in the field.

The great Island Scrub Jay, a California endemic. In fact, it only lives on Santa Cruz Island. If you want to see this bird, there's only one place you can find it.

all photos by Andrea Jones