The 76th Kitchener CBC was held today (December 18). 67 species were recorded on count day, nicely above the twenty year average of 59 and the fifth highest total in the count's history. Total individuals were about 25 500, slightly above the twenty-year average of 22 300. No new species were added to the official count list (although the Varied Thrush was only about 400m outside the boundary)
There are still a few counts to come in so some numbers will change slightly. Unusual species: Black-crowned Night-heron (2nd record), Chipping Sparrow (5th record), Lesser Black-backed Gull (count week; 5th record), Red-breasted Merganser (7th record), White-crowned Sparrow (count week, 9th record), Red-shouldered Hawk (10th record), Hermit Thrush (10th record), Northern Mockingbird (11th record). New highs: Red-bellied Woodpecker 34 (previous high 20 last two years), Bald Eagle 7 (previous high 5 in 2009), Pileated Woodpecker 10 (previous high 9 in 1988) Other high counts (20 year average): Snow Bunting 1470 (250), Wild Turkey 172 (34), Merlin 2 (0.5), Iceland Gull 4 (1), Hooded Merganser 4 (0.5), American Crow 5000 (1333), Rough-legged Hawk 11 (4), American Robin 165 (81), White-throated Sparrow 11 (6), Eastern Screech-Owl 17 (9), Common Goldeneye 157 (96), Canada Goose 6838 (4276), American Tree Sparrow 722 (452), American Goldfinch 653 (446), Slate-colored Junco 847 (584), Mourning Dove 847 (598), Northern Cardinal 326 (236), Cedar Waxwing 181 (139) Low count counts (20 year average): European Starling 1125 (4564), American Kestrel 4 (11), Common Redpoll 41 (969), Herring Gull 575 (1350), Swamp Sparrow 2 (5), House Sparrow 635 (1121), Ring-billed Gull 372 (650), Rock Pigeon 458 (672), Notable misses: Ruffed Grouse, Great Black-backed Gull, Purple FInch Thanks to all the counters we had this year! For more information please contact me privately. Mike Burrell [email protected] _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to [email protected] For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
