The Southern Nassau County CBC was conducted yesterday, 30 Dec 2017, by 89 participants, for the 78th time since 1932.
Conditions were challenging, with cold temperatures (18-26 F) and snow on count day, and sustained sub-freezing temperatures prior to the count. On the plus side, there was little wind, and coverage was excellent. A total of 132 species was recorded, including a White-winged Dove reported from a feeder in Malverne. Highlights included the following: Cackling Goose—two individuals, Massapequa & Baldwin King Eider—2 Short Eared Grebe—Atlantic Yellow-crowned Night-Heron—Baldwin Rough-legged Hawk—Short Clapper Rail—Atlantic Lesser Yellowlegs—two individuals, Hempstead & Short Iceland Gull—Short Short-eared Owl—Short Snowy Owl—three individuals, Atlantic, Short, Tobay Northern Saw-whet Owl—Short Common Raven—2 Hempstead Lapland Longspur—5 Short Northern Waterthrush—Baldwin Orange-crowned Warbler—two individuals, Atlantic & Tobay Palm Warbler—Atlantic Chipping Sparrow—Baldwin White-crowned Sparrow—Atlantic High Counts were relatively few and mostly involved species continuing strong, recent upward trends: Great Horned Owl—5 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker—16 American Kestrel—4 Monk Parakeet—290 Fish Crow—2488 Ipswich Sparrow—36 Rusty Blackbird—31 Boat-tailed Grackle—243 Misses and Low Counts were relatively many. These included a predictable suite of freshwater and ice-intolerant species, but also several species exhibiting declining trends in recent years. Wood Duck, Redhead, Ring-necked Pheasant, American Bittern, American Oystercatcher, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Barn Owl, and American Pipit were missed. Low Counts (all ten-year minima) were recorded for: Brant—18607 Mute Swan—54 American Wigeon—30 Black Duck—2213 Northern Shoveler—126 Northern Pintail—18 Ring-necked Duck—29 Hooded Merganser—714 Ruddy Duck—160 Pied-billed Grebe—12 Great Blue Heron—58 Peregrine Falcon—8 European Starling—1827 The only count-week species that I am aware was missed yesterday was Redhead, but others among those listed above as missed are likely to be recorded during the count period. Thanks to all for another excellent count, and for good company during the compilation at Otto’s in Freeport. Happy New Year! Shai Mitra & Patricia Lindsay Bay Shore -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME.htm http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES.htm http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) http://birding.aba.org/maillist/NY01 Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
