The 39th CBC in North Bay was conducted on Dec.17th by 17 Field surveyors
and 11 Feeder watchers. It was -8C and windy in the open. Recent cold weather
reduced the open water and hence waterfowl species and numbers. No Gulls were
observed, unusual for this count. One high count was made - 16 Bald Eagle,
breaking the previous record of 6.
Overall, species number, at 31 was slightly low, explained by early
winter. Number of individual birds, 2930 was better than most counts, jacked up
by higher than usual totals for American Goldfinch, Evening Grosbeak and
European Starling.
Blue Jays were noticeably fewer. Purple Finch and Redpolls were not
found at all.
A Northern Cardinal and a Red-Bellied Woodpecker frequenting feeders and
a Cooper's Hawk ambushing birds at feeders were several of the more uncommon
species observed. Northern Shrike, Snow Bunting , Gray Jay and one American
Robin were also counted.
Thank-you to the Field Observers who braved winter and all the Feeder
Watchers who contributed.
A special thank-you to Grant and Shirley who hosted the potluck and
tally, welcoming us at their door with a hard earned and much needed Hot Apple
Cider!
_______________________________________________
ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO) - 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
Posting guidelines can be found at
http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdsguide
Visit the OFO Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/OntarioFieldOrnithologists
