Christmas Bird Count: Fisherville
Report by Linda Thrower, Compiler
Red Breasted Nuthatch (Photo by Jan Grincevicius)
The Fisherville Christmas Bird Count was held on Friday December 28th, 2018. Thanks so much for all the effort that was put out that day to count birds.
Fisherville CBC has seven new records. Unfortunately, these records are all for the lowest number since the count began—but that’s what the day held.
The weather was not what might be expected for late December, but it was a nice day for a walk. The temperature was +11C with no snow and open water visibility of about 10 km.
As the afternoon arrived, so did the clouds and light drizzle. The winds picked up to about 20 to 25 km/hour from the south. Even then the birds hid.
Highlights:
- So first, a new high number record Sandhill Cranes. First time seen in Square 8 and in their largest number since the count began with 12 being seen.
- Canada Geese were well-hidden with the lowest number since 1997.
- Trumpeter Swans first time spotted since 2012.
- Mallards had their lowest number since 1993.
- Canvasbacks liked the day as they came in with a new highest number since 2007.
- Ring-necked Ducks were on the count for the sixth time since the count began.
- Lesser Scaups had a new high record, a first since 2008.
- Hooded Mergansers were back on the count with none since 2014.
- Cooper’s Hawk had their lowest number since 1999 when 1 was also counted.
- Ruffed Grouse was back on the count with the last time being 2016.
- Wild turkeys were out taking advantage of the weather in their highest number since 2008.
- Rock Pigeons were found in their highest number since 2012.
- Eastern Screech Owl was absent from the count for the first time.
- 1 Snowy Owl was found this year.
Snowy Owl (Photo by Len Grincevicius)
- 1 Long-eared Owl was seen.
- 1 Belted Kingfisher was spotted.
- Even the woodpeckers were in hiding with the red-bellied having its lowest number since 1989.
- Crows could not be found in their regular stops so we recorded their lowest number since 2003.
- Black-capped Chickadees showed up in their lowest number since 1989.
- Tufted Titmouse were in their lowest numbers since 2002.
- Marsh wren was first time on the count.
- Ruby-crowned Kinglet —1 on the count in the same area as last year.
- Eastern Bluebird absent from count for the first time since 1995.
- Horned lark was absent from the count for the first time since 1989.
- Gray Catbird back on the count for the third time. 2011 was their last appearance.
- American Tree Sparrow in their lowest number since count began.
- Field Sparrow back on the count again it had been missing since 2012.
- Song Sparrow showed up in their lowest numbers.
- Even the Slate-coloured Junco had a new low record.
- Snow Buntings were nowhere to be found for the first time since the count began.
- Northern Cardinal lowest number for the count.
- American Goldfinch were in hiding with a new low as well.
- Just to end this on a high note: House Finches have their highest number since 2012. Common Redpoll new high number with the last time on count being 2012.
With all of that effort put forth, the total species for the count was 74.
Cooper’s Hawk (Photo by Larry Monczka)
The birders whose effort I greatly appreciate are:
Area 1 — Rob Crawford, Cody Rowe, Wanda Rowe
Area 2 — Trish Borger, Garnet Faulkner, Kevin Stephens, Nickolas Stephens
Area 3 — Bill Read, Jerry Geuther, Mary Galli
Area 4 — George Pond, Rick Dowson, Allan Aubin
Area 5 — Adam Timpf, Matt Timpf, Janice Chard
Area 6 — Tom Thomas, Bill Smith
Area 7 — Honey Cornfoot, Howard Cornfoot, Liam Cornfoot, Hugh McArthur, Julia Weaver, Randy Wilson
Area 8 — Matt Mills, John McBride, Rob Smuck, Bob Stamp, Terry Tait, Al Thrower, Linda Thrower
Area 9 — Audrey Heagy, Diane Salter
Total Number of Participants: 33
The rest of the data is:
Number of parties — 15; Number of feeders — 2; Total Party Hours — 184.5; Total Driving Hours — 104; Total Km Driving — 1718; Total Hours Walked — 80.5; Total Km Walked — 105.5
Owling Total:
Hours — 1.5; Distance — 15 km
Feeders:
Hours — 8; Total No. Feeders — 2
Thank You to one and all who had the time to count the birds!!
Thanks to Ontario Power Generation site for allowing access to their property.
Fisherville Christmas Bird Count: Species for December 28
| Horned Grebe 2 Great Blue heron 11 Canada Geese 1656 Cackling Goose 2 Trumpeter Sawn 2 Tundra Swan 19 Wood Duck 2 Am. Black Duck 3 Mallard 97 Canvasback 30 Red-headed Duck 71 Ring-necked Duck 2 Greater Scaup 750 Lesser Scaup 99 Bufflehead 269 Common Goldeneye 70 Hooded Merganser 10 Common Merganser 63 Red-breasted Merganser 129 Bald Eagle 6 Northern Harrier 29 Sharp-shinned Hawk 2 Cooper’s Hawk 1 Red-tailed Hawk 91 Rough-legged Hawk 16 Am. Kestrel 31 |
Peregrine Falcon 1 Ring-necked Pheasant 6 Ruffed Grouse 1 Wild Turkey 276 Ring-belled Gull 56 Herring Gull 23 Rock Pigeon 426 Gr. Black Backed Gull 5 Mourning Dove 252 Great-horned Owl 3 Snowy Owl 1 Long-eared Owl 1 Belted Kingfisher 1 Red-bellied Woodpecker 34 Downy Woodpecker 31 Hairy Woodpecker 8 Northern Shrike 2 Blue Jay 115 American Crow 92 Black-capped Chickadee 138 Tufted Titmouse 2 Red-breasted Nuthatch 4 White-breasted Nuthatch 42 Brown Creeper 5 Carolina Wren 6 |
Golden-crowned Kinglet 19 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1 Gray Catbird 1 Northern Mocking bird 1 American Robin 1 European Starling 1214 American Tree Sparrow 67 Field Sparrow 2 Song Sparrow 4 Swamp Sparrow 1 White-throated Sparrow 8 Slate-colored Junco 88 Northern Cardinal 58 Red-winged Blackbird 25 Common Grackle 2 Yellow-shafted Flicker 3 Brown-headed Cowbird 394 House Finch 129 Common Redpoll 90 American Goldfinch 132 House Sparrow 977 Marsh Wren 1 Sand hill Cranes 12 Total Species 71 |
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