The 74th Kitchener CBC was held yesterday (December 20). 64 species were recorded on count day, above the twenty year average of 59. Total individuals were about 25 000, slightly above the twenty-year average of 22 000. No new species were recorded.
Unusual species: Snow Goose (6th record), Merlin (9th record), Ring-necked Pheasant (1st record since 1996), Lesser Black-backed Gull (4th record), Short-eared Owl (5th record), and Eastern Towhee (3rd record since 1994). New highs: Snow Goose 10 (previous high 3), Common Goldeneye 407 (previous high 251), Cooper's Hawk 13 (previous high 12), Red-bellied Woodpecker 19 (previous high 16), American Crow 4000 (previous high 2749), Red-breasted Nuthatch 63 (previous high 46), and White-winged Crossbill 1018 (previous high 97). Other high counts (20 year average): Sharp-shinned Hawk 14 (8), Red-tailed Hawk 115 (69), Wild Turkey 106 (19), Pileated Woodpecker 8 (4), Golden-crowned Kinglet 114 (67), Song Sparrow 26 (15), White-throated Sparrow 11 (6), Snow Bunting 1415 (285), Pine Siskin 112 (20), American Goldfinch 819 (437). Low count counts (20 year average): American Black Duck 30 (77), Mallard 1349 (2337), American Kestrel 6 (12), Ring-billed Gull 244 (638), Herring Gull 407 (1325), Horned Lark 15 (33), Winter Wren 1 (3), Cedar Waxwing 47 (142), Northern Shrike 2 (4), European Starling 1815 (4614), Swamp Sparrow 2 (5), Purple Finch 2 (5), and House Finch 183 (423). No big misses this year. Thanks to all the counters we had this year! Mike Burrell Heidelberg _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list ONTBIRDS@hwcn.org For instructions to join or leave ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdssetup.php ONTBIRDS Guidelines may be viewed at http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdsguide.php
