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Fisherville Christmas Bird Count

Fisherville Christmas Bird Count

Compiled by Linda Thrower

Thursday, December 28th, 2017. Wind chill around midnight was -30oC with a N.E wind of 15 km. By around 9:00 am, the temperature had risen to -19oC, but if you were dressed right, it was a nice day for looking for birds. But, you had to look for them, which gives this count a few more new lows than new highs.

The day looked like this:

Sandhill Cranes are back on the count but seem to be losing in numbers — 2011 – 10; 2017 – 2 (number the same as 2016).

Lowest number of Canada Geese since 1999 when there were 1,967; now their number is 2,246.

Lowest number of Tundra Swans since 1999 when 1 was also found. Last year’s number was 79, 2015 – 172, 2014 – 260.

Gadwalls also have their lowest numbers since 2009 when 1 was also seen.

Lowest number of Mallards since 2000 when their numbers were 188; now 233.

Redheaded Ducks have their lowest numbers since 2007 when 3 were found; this year was 2.

Buffleheads showed their lowest numbers in 12 years at 288.

Northern Harrier’s lowest numbers since 2005 when 8 were seen; 2017 at 9.

Red-tailed Hawk lowest number since 2007 when 50 were seen; this year 79.

The largest number of Ring-necked Pheasants since 2003 when there were 5; now 11, after being absent from the count for 11 years.

Wild Turkeys have been counted in their highest numbers since 2012 when their numbers were 263. On this count their numbers are 171.

Lowest number of Ring-billed Gulls since the count began in 1989, when 8 were seen. This year 5 were found. Their highest number was in 2007 when 3,783 were counted. 3,000 were recorded in Area 8 at the Ontario Power Generation plant. This year, no Gulls recorded on site.

Lowest number of Herring Gulls since 1989 with only 5 being counted this year. In 1989, 82 were seen. Their highest number was 1,907 in 2002, but once again 1,561 of those were recorded.

In Area 8 (OPG), for the first time there were no Greater-black backed Gulls on the count.

The lowest number of Screech-owls recorded with only 1 being found.

Highest number of Snowy Owls with 7 being spotted. We found one at the Ontario Power generation site, and we had to wonder if it was because the landscape had changed to Snowy Owl hunting land with no more buildings being found.

The highest number of yellow-bellied Sapsuckers with 3 counted.

Highest number of Blue jays since 2012 when 600 were seen. 2017 — 323.

Highest number of Common Ravens at 4. It is the first time on the count for this species since 1989 when 2 were seen.

Lowest number of European starling since 2000 when there were 1,755; now 1,291.

Highest number of Juncos since 2012 at 556.

Lowest number of Lapland Longspurs since 2006; this count was 1.

Highest number of Rusty Blackbirds since 2003 when 46 were seen, 2017 was 32.

And last but not least the lowest number of American Goldfinch since 1989 at 115. Many people including me find the Goldfinch numbers very low at our feeders.

Species for December 28, 2018

Great Blue heron 4
Canada Geese 2246
Mute Swan 2
Tundra Swan 1
Gadwall 1
Am. Black Duck 43
Mallard 233
Red-headed Duck 2
Lesser Scaup 16
Long-tailed Duck 1
Bufflehead 288
Common Goldeneye 69
Common Merganser 60
Red-breasted Merganser 135
Bald Eagle 5
Northern Harrier 9
Sharp-shinned Hawk 3
Cooper’s Hawk 3
Red-tailed Hawk 79
Rough-legged Hawk 14
Am. Kestrel 17
Merlin 1
Peregrine Falcon 1
Ring-necked Pheasant 11
Wild Turkey 171
Ring-bellied Gull 5
Herring Gull 5
Rock Pigeon 362
Mourning Dove 438
Eastern Screech Owl 1
Great-horned Owl 5
Snowy Owl 7
Long-eared Owl 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 35
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 3
Downy Woodpecker 69
Hairy Woodpecker 12
Pileated Woodpecker 1
Northern Shrike 1
Blue Jay 323
American Crow 535
Common Raven 4
Horned Lark 89
Black-capped Chickadee 217
Tufted Titmouse 9
Red-breasted Nuthatch 8
White-breasted Nuthatch 49
Brown Creeper 6
Golden-crowned Kinglet 9
Eastern Bluebird 17
Northern Mocking bird 11
European Starling 1291
Cedar waxwing 1
American Tree Sparrow 556
Song Sparrow 14
Swamp Sparrow 3
White-throated Sparrow 8
Slate-colored Junco 556
Snow Bunting 347
Lapland Longspur 1
Northern Cardinal 126
Red-winged Blackbird 22
Rusty Blackbird 32
Common Grackle 1
Yellow-shafted Flicker 4
Brown-headed Cowbird 582
House Finch 74
American Goldfinch 115
House Sparrow 1319
White-crowned Sparrow 5
Sand hill Cranes 2
Total Species 71

Total Individuals 10, 636

Thanks all the of the half-frozen people who were nice enough to climb out of their nice warm beds:

Area 1 — Rob Crawford
Area 2 — Adrian Jurrlink, Neil Faulkenham, Richard Skevington
Area 3 — Bill Read, Jerry Geuther, Garnet Faulkner, Mary Galli, Beth Powell
Area 4 — George Pond, Rick Dowson, Allan Aubin
Area 5 — Adam Timpf, Matt Timpf, Janice Chard
Area 6 — Tom Thomas, Ron Campeau, Bill Smith, Amanda Anstice 
Area 7 — Hugh McArthur, Cassy Weaver, Julia Weaver
Area 8 — Bob Stamp, Rob Smuck, Cody Rowe, Michael Meade, Alan Thrower, Linda Thrower
Area 9 — Audrey Heagy, Diane Salter, Greg Salter

Total Number of Participants: 31

The weather for the day was like this:

Winds — 10 to 20 km N.E.; Visibility — 10 km; Temperature — – 24 to -15 C; Snow Cover — 6 to 10 inches. with some drifts; Water — Frozen here and there close to the shore.

And the rest of the data is:

Number of parties — 12
Number of feeders — 4
Total Party Hours — 182
Total Driving Hours — 112.5
Total Km Driving — 1796.8
Total Hours Walked — 69.5
Total Km Walked — 92
Owling Total: Hours — 3.5; Distance — 3.5 km
Feeders: Hours — 15; Total No. Feeders — 4

Thank You to one and all who had the time to count the birds!

Also Thank You to Ontario Power Generation Plant for allowing access to their property.