*2023 North Nassau CBC Results*
Summary and effort:
The North Nassau Count was held on December 16. The area leaders and teams
put in a terrific effort supported by excellent weather conditions,
yielding the highest species count in 50 years. The first compilation
dinner since Covid was made possible by Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary
offering the new Nature Center as a location. The dinner was provided by
the North Shore Audubon Society.
68 participants accounted for more than 140 party hours birded by foot, 12
hours birded by car, and 1.5 hours birded by Kayak. The open waters, mild
temperature, warm sun, and light winds provided favorable conditions for
all participants. The outcome yielded some of the most astonishing results
in the long-standing North Nassau CBC’s history. 118 bird species were
detected, 2nd most in count history. Only surpassed by the 119 species seen
in 1973, and one better than the 117 species from 2013.
Here’s a breakdown by bird groups:
Owls: Dedicated participants got an early start and provided 12 nocturnal
party hours, yielding 10-year high counts for Eastern Screech-owl (27) and
Great Horned owl (36), as well as two Northern saw-whet owl.
Waterfowl: Open fresh waters and efficient coverage yielded species hard to
get by in previous years. Ring-necked duck, Common merganser, and Wood
duck, were all seen in multiple sectors. Near windless conditions allowed
for easy scanning of the Long Island Sound. For example, loons were more
than 50% higher than the 10-year average, all three scoter species were
detected, as well as a Northern Gannet off the Lattingtown sector. However,
poor Greater scaup numbers continued (473), only 69 Common goldeneye were
counted, Horned grebe was nearly missed, and Great cormorant was missed.
The latter three species possibly delaying their movement South due to mild
conditions. We had a wonderful total of 5 geese species, including
Pink-footed from a private property on Beaver Lake, and two Cackling,
including one at Caumsett. Both Eider species were seen in the town of
Huntington, including a female King eider south of Lloyd Point.
Shorebirds: Seven species of shorebirds were seen including a semipalmated
plover in Hempstead Harbor, Purple sandpiper at Prospect Point and Lloyd
Harbor, Sanderling in three sectors, Dunlin, and Ruddy Turnstones. Numbers
of the expected shorebird species were above average, with nine Greater
yellowlegs seen in three sectors, and 47 Killdeer were seen seven sectors.
The landlocked shorebirds, Wilson’s snipe and American Woodcock were not
detected.
Hawks: Warming air provided good flying conditions for hawks, best
exemplified by the detection of Turkey vulture in four sectors.
Woodpeckers: Four of five woodpecker species (Downy excepted) had counts
higher than 30% above the 10-year average, likely a combination of good
detection conditions, a mild winter, and heavy fruit and acorn production
this fall.
Passerines: But the most astonishing results came from passerines. All 43
expected passerine species were detected. Semi-hardy species, those are
species that tend to be present in higher number during mild winters, had
extraordinary counts. 10-year high counts were obtained for both kinglet
species, Winter wren, and Gray catbird. Yellow-rumped warbler were seen in
six sectors. 275 Carolina wren were detected, a count boosted by the many
males singing on this lovely winter day. Although this has not been a year
with irruptive finches, we came through with Purple Finch (8 birds in 4
sectors) and a single Pine siskin. Finally, eight hard to get passerine
species were found with delight, including House Wren, Marsh Wren, American
Pipit, Eastern Meadowlark, Orange-crowned warbler, Pine warbler, Baltimore
oriole, … even a Nashville Warbler.
Here’s a detailed account of species by the numbers:
Of the 101 species seen in 5 or more years of the previous 10 years, 97
were seen on the 2023 CBC day.
The 4 species missed were:
- Great cormorant (seen 7 of last 10)
- Kestrel (seen 6 of last 10)
- Wilson’s Snipe (seen 6 of last 10)
- Northern shoveler (seen 5 of last 10)
Rare birds for the North Nassau CBC found this year (seen 0-4 in the
previous 10 years)
- Not seen in previous 10 years:
- Semipalmated plover
- Northern Gannet
- Nashville warbler
- Monk Parakeet
- Seen once in the previous 10 years
- Pink-footed goose
- Turkey vulture (seen in in 4 sectors)
- Marsh wren (seen in 2 sectors)
- Seen twice in the previous 10 years
- Great egret (seen in 2 sectors)
- Seen three times in the previous 10 years
- Common eider
- King eider
- Virginia rail
- Purple sandpiper (seen in 2 sectors)
- Saw-whet owl (seen in 2 sectors)
- Pine siskin
- Eastern meadowlark
- Baltimore oriole
- Seen 4 times in previous 10 years
- Snow goose
- House wren (seen in 2 sectors)
- American pipit
- Orange-crowned warbler
- Pine warbler
Saves by sector number/name
1. Port Washington - Peregrine falcon, Virginia rail, Marsh wren, Monk
parakeet, Pine Siskin.
2. Glenn Cove - Semipalmated plover
3. Lattingtown - Red breasted nuthatch, Northern gannet, Lesser scaup
4. Bayville -
5. Mill Neck - Pink-footed goose
6. Lloyd Harbor - Ruddy turnstone, Dunlin, Northern harrier, American
pipit, Savannah sparrow, Snow goose, Common eider, King eider, Eastern
Meadowlark
7. Cold Spring Harbor -
8. Old Brookville - Brown-headed cowbird
9.
10. Oyster Bay Cove - Northern Pintail
11. Muttontown -
12. Oyster Bay -
13. Cove Neck - Horned grebe
14. Woodburry - Orange crowned warbler
15. Old Westburry/Syosset - Pine warbler, Chipping sparrow, Nashville
warbler
16. Feeders - Baltimore oriole
These species were missed 4 or 5 times in the last 10 years, but were seen
in multiple sectors in 2023:
- Cackling goose (2 sectors), Ring-necked duck (3 sectors), Black scoter
(3 sectors), Common merganser (3 sectors), Eastern phoebe (3 sectors)
11-year high count, among common species:
- Green-winged teal (72)
- Black scoter (45)
- Common loon (72)
- Eastern screech-owl (27)
- Great horned owl (36)
- Ruby-crowned kinglet (15)
- Golden-crowned kinglet (41)
- Winter wren (49)
- Carolina wren (275)
- Gray catbird (18)
- Mockingbird (94)
11-year low count, among common species:
- Herring gull (641)
- Great black-backed gull (17)
- Starling (701)
- Dark-eyed junco (240)
- Rusty blackbird (5)
Jennifer Wilson-Pines
Glenn Quinn
Brendan Fogarty
Stephane Perrault
--
(copy & paste any URL below, then modify any text "_DOT_" to a period ".")
NYSbirds-L List Info:
NortheastBirding_DOT_com/NYSbirdsWELCOME_DOT_htm
NortheastBirding_DOT_com/NYSbirdsRULES_DOT_htm
NortheastBirding_DOT_com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave_DOT_htm
ARCHIVES:
1) mail-archive_DOT_com/nysbirds-l@cornell_DOT_edu/maillist_DOT_html
2) surfbirds_DOT_com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L
3) birding_DOT_aba_DOT_org/maillist/NY01
Please submit your observations to eBird:
ebird_DOT_org/content/ebird/
--
