The 19th annual Huntsville Christmas Bird Count was held on Tuesday, December 18. Temperatures were above freezing all day, there was very little snow on the ground, and all the big lakes were open.
Total Species: 46 (second highest; average is 39) Total Individuals: 3,491 (average is 3,078) Participants: 18 New Species for the Count: -Great Blue Heron: 1 (3 times in count week previously) -Red-bellied Woodpecker: 1 (photos) at Huntsville feeder Noteworthy Species: -Trumpeter Swan: male (#586) on Fairy Lake for tenth winter in Huntsville. -Long-tailed Duck: 3 on Pen Lake -Common Loon (1 on Pen Lake in count week) -Ring-billed Gull: 10 -Herring Gull: 35 -Barred Owl: 6 (record high) -Belted Kingfisher: 1 (second time on count) -Rusty Blackbird: 1 at feeder in Port Sydney (second time on count) -Common Grackle: 1 (at Huntsville feeder) Finches: relatively low numbers due to poor cone crop -Pine Grosbeak: 61 -Red Crossbill: 2 -Common Redpoll: 408 -Hoary Redpoll: 2 -American Goldfinch: 37 -Evening Grosbeak: 24 Thanks to all participants. Ron Tozer, Compiler Dwight, ON _______________________________________________ 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/
