The 79th Kitchener CBC was held today (December 14th). The nasty weather didn’t stop some 55 field observers and almost 30 feeder watchers from counting today. Overall, the poor conditions on count day and the lack of open water (besides the Grand River, which was even frozen in many places) led to below average counts for virtually all species and only 58 species have been recorded on count day, which is below the 20-year average of 60 (last year was a record high at 75). Total individuals was about 22,000, which is just below the twenty-year average of 24,524. No new species were found on count day so the all-time species list remains at 134.
There are still a few counts to come in (including feeder counts) so some numbers (and species count) will change. Unusual species: Greater Scaup (2nd record), Gray Catbird (3rd record), Lesser Black-backed Gull (7th record), Red-breasted Merganser (8th record), Snowy Owl (8th record). New highs: Canada Goose (7,861, previous high 7,213 in 2010), Lesser Black-backed Gull (4, previous high 3 in 2011), Snowy Owl (2, ties previous high of 2 in 1992). Other high counts (20 year average): Iceland Gull 6 (1.4), Horned Lark 118 (32), Red-bellied Woodpecker 25 (10), Eastern Screech-Owl 21 (9), Bald Eagle 4 (2), Wild Turkey 89 (58), White-throated Sparrow 10 (7), American Robin 140 (94). Low counts (20 year average): Sharp-shinned Hawk 1 (9), Great Black-backed Gull 6 (45), American Kestrel 1 (7), Ring-billed Gull 95 (704), Cedar Waxwing 22 (125), Song Sparrow 3 (15), American Black Duck 21 (77), House Finch 104 (376), House Sparrow 305 (1018), Herring Gull 386 (1185), Winter Wren 1 (3), White-breasted Nuthatch 49 (119), Great Blue Heron 5 (10), Bufflehead 6 (12). Notable misses (times recorded on last 20 counts): Swamp Sparrow (17), Carolina Wren (11), Ruffed Grouse (11), Merlin (9), all finches besides House Finch and American Goldfinch, and all blackbirds. Thanks to all the counters we had this year and to Virgil and Beth Martin for hosting the wrap-up meeting. 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 17, 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 http://mikeburrell.blogspot.com/ _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to birdalert@ontbirds.ca For information about ONTBIRDS including how to unsubscribe visit http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdssetup
