The 77th Kitchener CBC was held today (December 17). 65 species have been recorded on count day, nicely above the twenty year average of 59. Total individuals were about 29 000, well above the twenty-year average of 22 800. No new species were added to the official count list.
There are still a few counts to come in so some numbers will change. Unusual species: Sandhill Crane (2nd record), Thayer's Gull (2nd record), Northern Shoveler (3rd record), Peregrine Falcon (3rd record), "Oregon" Junco (4th record), Lesser Black-backed Gull (6th record), Chipping Sparrow (6th record), Hermit Thrush (10th record), White-crowned Sparrows (count week, 10th record), Hooded Merganser (12th record), Field Sparrow (12th record), New highs: Northern Shoveler (4, previous high 1 in 1983 and 1984), Bufflehead (46, previous high 33 in 2005), Sandhill Crane (67, previous high 1 in 2005). Other high counts (20 year average): Brown-headed Cowbird 86 (1.7), Red-bellied Woodpecker 34 (6.2), Pine Siskin 113 (21.6), Northern Harrier 5 (1.3), American Crow 5244 (1566, likely quite under-counted this year), Hooded Merganser 2 (0.7), Northern "Yellow-shafted" Flicker 5 (1.8), Purple Finch 10 (4.7), Common Goldeneye 206 (96.3), White-winged Crossbill 30 (0.5 with 2008 count removed), White-throated Sparrow 12 (6.2), Eastern Screech-Owl 17 (9.2), Hairy Woodpecker 49 (27.1), Belted Kingfisher 17 (10.3), Wild Turkey 73 (44.1), "Slate-colored" Junco 947 (608.1), Pileated Woodpecker 7 (4.5), Brown Creeper 39 (25.5), American Goldfinch 699 (456.4) Low count counts (20 year average): Great black-backed Gull 1 (47.7), Horned Lark 1 (33), Common Redpoll 5 (98), American Kestrel 1 (9.8), Snow Bunting 74 (309), Cedar Waxwing 57 (153.9), Herring Gull 575 (1314), American Black Duck 35 (73.6). Notable misses: Ruffed Grouse, Winter Wren, Iceland Gull, Glaucous Gull, Thanks to all the counters we had this year, and to Virgil and Beth Martin for hosting our wrap-up meeting and dinner. For more information or if you find any "good" (including any of those species listed as misses above) species in the count circle between now and December 20, please contact me privately. Here is a map showing the location of the Kitchener Christmas Bird Count: http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=214970151258015239036.00047ad9407de14b9b2e7&msa=0&ll=43.600284,-80.49408&spn=1.087957,2.705383 Mike Burrell mike.burrell...@gmail.com _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to birdalert@ontbirds.ca For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
