The weather trend for the month was warmer and drier than average, though a mid-month storm dumped enough rain to mask the general trend.
The usual early spring indicators are all on schedule: Hooker Willow bud break, blooming Evergreen Huckleberry, crocuses emerging. Common Murres were staging at the breeding rock around Ecola State Park last weekend, about 80% of them in nuptial plumage. Bald Eagles and Red-tailed Hawks are pairing up. White-tailed Kites are making themselves scarce which is also a prelude to the beginning of breeding activities.
More subtle indicators include a decrease in Fox Sparrow detections. I'm not at all certain what causes this annual and usually sudden drop in Fox Sparrow numbers. They may be dispersing. They may actually be heading back north, but at the end of January.... poof.
The number of Horned Puffins on the north coast is now up to at least 3. Two dead ones on Clatsop Beach and a live one on Manzanita Beach (which later died at the re-hab center). Better than average Black Scoter counts at the Seaside Cove.
Birds of note this month:
Cinnamon Teal in inexplicable numbers (60+) at SvensenIsland
Glaucous Gulls in higher than average numbers including an adult at Cannon Beach
Red-legged Kittiwake at North Head Lighthouse on 10 Jan by Troy Guy
Rufous Hummingbird wintering at Bucky Barnett's (went missing about 5 days ago)
Mountain Chickadee in residential Seaside
White-throated Sparrow... only one this year, so far.