Members of Weyburn's Nature Society took part in the Saskatchewan Christmas Bird Count, spotting a total of 24 species this year.

Organizer Val Thomas said the group of 15 contributors covered a 15-mile radius around the city of Weyburn on Dec. 21, with some watching their bird feeders at home.

Some of the more unusual species noted included a Eurasian-collared dove, a mourning dove and a bald eagle. The doves were spotted in the city while the eagle was seen out towards the airport area.

Two Merlin falcons were also spotted in the city, and in the area the watchers saw one great-horned owl and 11 snowy owls.

Some notable decreases in birds include pine siskins, which are usually numerous in Weyburn; only two were seen this year. Also, three years ago hundreds of gray partridges were seen but only 12 were seen this year, said Thomas.

Other species included three ring-necked pheasants, six sharp-tailed grouse, three bluejays, seven black-billed magpies, 125 snow buntings and dark-eyed juncoes and several house finches, and red-breasted and white-breasted nut-hatches.

Mammals were also part of the count, and the numbers were down for many of the species, added Thomas.

The Weyburn count will be part of the Saskatchewan Christmas Bird Count, and will in turn be sent to Bird Studies Canada and is part of the national database of Christmas Bird Counts. The first bird count was held in 1913, and since then 3,150 bird counts have been conducted.