The total number of bluebirds reported seen in seven southern counties during the Florida Bluebird Society’s 2012 Fall Statewide Blitz continued its slightly upward trend.

At the same time the total number of bluebirds reported seen on November 16-17, 2012, the official count days, was down.

The seven southern counties — Hardee, Highland, Glades, Lee,  Palm Beach, Collier and Miami-Dade —  reported a total of nine bluebirds seen in November 2010.  In November 2012 the number reported seen increased to 60. (See charts)   Two of the seven counties — Palm Beach and Hardee  — reported seeing bluebirds this fall for the first time.  Another county — Miami-Dade — had reported bluebirds seeing during the fall 2010 Blitz and none during the 2011 Blitz.

During the fall 2012 Blitz there were 453 bluebirds reported seen in 34 counties.  In comparison, during the 2010 Fall Blitz there were 611 bluebirds reported seen in 29 counties and in the 2011 Fall Blitz there were 518 bluebirds reported seen in 34 counties.

Bluebirds were reported seen in 17 counties during all the Fall and Spring Blitzs since November 2010.   Nine counties which had reported seeing bluebirds in past Fall Blitzs did not report seeing bluebirds in the Fall of 2012. They were Alachua, Charlotte, Dixie, Flagler, Gilchrist, Hendry, Jackson, St. Johns and Suwannee.   Lack of reports from these counties probably accounts for the decrease in the total number of bluebirds reported seen during the Fall of 2012 in comparison to past Fall reports.  For instance, in the during the Fall 2011 Blitz Alachua County reported 49 bluebirds seen and Gilchrist County reported 52 bluebirds seen.

The Florida Bluebird thanks all those individuals who participated in the 2012 Statewide Fall Blitz. The compilation of sightings during the Spring and Fall is one way in which the FBS seeks to determine both the health of the species in Florida and how the bluebird population fluctuates at different times of the year.  The accuracy of this data rests on the shoulders of those volunteers who take the time to observe and report the number of bluebirds they see.