Our count was conducted today, December 18 in the circle centred near Avenue Rd and Eglinton. All 24 sectors have now been heard from. A good total of 90 species was found with 42,723 individual birds. Some of the highlights include; Trumpeter Swan at 15, just one shy of the record. A Cackling Goose was only our second ever. It was on the West Humber Golf Course. A Blue-winged Teal was the first ever in our count which dates back to the year 1900. It became our 174th species. It was at Downsview. It was naturally voted best bird of the day.
Red-breasted Mergansers were streaming by the Leslie Spit all day and they totalled 1109 for a new high. Ruddy Duck at 28 was also a new high. A Wild Turkey was found on Toronto Island for only the second time. Also on the island was a Lesser Black-backed Gull, our first since 2002. Downy Woodpeckers seemed to be everywhere for some reason and they too set a new high at 303. American Robins totalled 1,723, only 16 short of a new record. The 39 Mockingbirds fell one short of the all time high. Cardinals at 574 needed 24 more to enter the record books. The 1402 American Goldfinches set a new mark, the previous being 1198 in 2006. There were not one but two Palm Warblers. The last and only sighting occurred in 1973. A good time was had by all and many thanks to John and Victoria Carley who hosted the roundup. _______________________________________________ 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/
