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