Here are some preliminary results of the 41st Peel-Halton Counties Christmas Bird Count sponsored by the South Peel Naturalists' Club and held on Saturday, December 20th:
TOTALS: Species: 72 (including one in count week), just about right on overall average, but highest since 1995 Individuals: 29,804 - 4th highest, but less than the last two years Unusual species: NASHVILLE WARBLER - an adult male found by Greg Harrold and Andy Morgan and also viewed by myself (Mark Chojnacki), Bruce Kennedy and Bob Carswell at distances down to 20 feet in excellent light. It was a bright adult male associating with Black-capped Chickadees and gleaning food from the tops of goldenrod. The location is restricted access City of Mississauga property on the south side of Lakeshore Road just east of Winston Churchill Boulevard (I obtained explicit access permission from the City's Parks and Recreation department for count day). The field is just east of the woods across from the hydro control station on Lakeshore Road. This is only the second record for the count with the other occurrence back in 1993. RING-NECKED DUCK - while this species is regular in the Hamilton area in winter it has not been seen on the Peel-Halton CBC since 1965! This was only the 3rd record for the count. This was a male found by Maris Apse on the lakefront at the foot of Winston Churchill Boulevard (Oakville/Mississauga border). RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER - this species has definitely arrived in the area. A new record high of FIVE birds were found - one by Gavin Edmondstone in the south Bronte Woods area (pipeline right-of-way), one in southeast Oakville, two in the lower Credit River valley and one found by Tony Lang in Hewick Meadows Park in the Credit River valley just north of the 403. I think we can safely call this species an "uncommon" resident rather than "rare" in the Peel-Halton area now. This is the 7th count to record the species. HARLEQUIN DUCK - one adult male found by Mark Cranford and seen by Don Perks and John Lamey at the lakefront just west of Saddington Park in Port Credit. Only the 3rd record in the past 16 years, but the 14th record overall. RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET - one found by Luke Fazio in the Rattray Marsh area. First record since 1994 and 13th record overall. COMMON GRACKLE - first record since 1994. Record highs included: Mute Swan - 66 (exceeds 62 from last year) Lesser Scaup - 37 (vs. 30 in 2001) Northern Mockingbird - 25 (vs. 22 in 2001) White-throated Sparrow - 46 (vs. 31 in 1976) White-crowned Sparrow - 28 (vs. 14 in 1995) - this total still needs to be verified Other highs: Canada Goose - 6785 (2nd highest, record is 8181 last year) Redhead - 470 (2nd highest, record is 713 in 1978) Greater Scaup - 2152 (highest since 1976) Bufflehead - 785 (3rd highest, 897 in 2001, 843 last year) Red-tailed Hawk - 126 (highest since 155 in 1987) American Coot - 6 (tied high from 1984) Glaucous Gull - 7 (highest since 10 in 1989) Hairy Woodpecker - 23 (2nd highest in 27 years, 25 in 1999) Winter Wren - 7 (highest since 12 in 1974) American Robin - 704 (3rd highest, 766 in 1999, 1567 last year) Northern Cardinal - 180 (highest since 200 in 1975) Low counts: White-winged Scoter - 4 (lowest since 1994 when missed entirely) Herring Gull - 96 (2nd lowest, 59 last year) Great Black-backed Gull - 5 (lowest since 4 in 1973) Blue Jay - 54 (2nd lowest, 45 in 1999) American Crow - 90 (3rd lowest, 71 last year) Black-capped Chickadee (3rd lowest, recovering from 133 last year) Missed species (looking for these in count week!) with number of years found out of 41: Northern Flicker - 34 years, last miss was in 1993 Red-winged Blackbird - 29 years, last miss was in 2001 Pine Siskin - 28 years, missed in 2001 Snow Bunting - 25 years, missed last year as well Brown-headed Cowbird - 23 years, missed last year as well Horned Lark - 22 years, missed in 2001 Thanks to all the field participants and feeder watchers for their efforts! Please contact me for any further details or a full spreadsheet of results (still subject to revision). Mark Chojnacki, compiler [EMAIL PROTECTED] 905-824-0293 Mississauga Mark Chojnacki <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Visit http://www.ofo.ca/ontbirdsguide.htm for information on leaving and joining the list. As well as general information and content guidelines.
