The 27th Petroglyphs Christmas Bird Count was held on Saturday, December 22, 2012. The temperature was around -5 degrees Celsius for most of the day but there were strong winds all day (including early in the morning) and periods of light snow at times. Most species were sparse this year due to a lack of natural foods but there is little doubt that the strong winds also contributed to the low numbers.
Participants: 30 Total species: 39 (second highest, average is 34) – open water on most large lakes contributed to higher diversity Total individuals: 1988 (average 4990) Birds/party hour: 20 (average 36) New Species for the Count: BUFFLEHEAD: 4 on Jack Lake Noteworthy Species: COMMON GOLDENEYE: 17 (4th time on count and record high) HOODED MERGANSER: 16 (3rd time on count) COMMON MERGANSER: 97 (4th time on count and record high) COMMON LOON: 1 (2nd time on count and tied record high) COOPER’S HAWK: 1 (3rd time on count and tied record high) GOLDEN EAGLE: 1 (Petroglyphs Provincial Park) HERRING GULL: 4 (8th time on count and near record high of 5) WINTER WREN: 1 (3rd time on count – exact same location as in 2003 and 2004 – a seepage along the Kawartha Nordic Ski Trails) High Counts: WILD TURKEY: 65 (record high – mostly all associated with feeders) BALD EAGLE: 10 (above 10-year average of 5.5, record high is 14) Low Counts: MOURNING DOVE: 5 (well below 10-year average of 21) DOWNY WOODPECKER: 5 (below 10-year average of 22 and near record low of 10) HAIRY WOODPECKER: 15 (below 10-year average of 43 and near record low of 10) PILEATED WOODPECKER: 5 (below 10-year average of 13) BLUE JAY: 38 (well below 10-year average of 294 and near record low of 21) BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE: 645 (below 10-year average of 939) RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH: 49 (below 10-year average of 132) BROWN CREEPER: 5 (below 10-year average of 17) Misses: BARRED OWL: recorded every year since 1995/96 with a 10-year average of 2.5. GRAY JAY: missed for the third year in a row. Although single birds have been recorded in both Petroglyphs Provincial Park and the Kawartha Nordic Ski Trails earlier this winter/fall, no family groups have been noted for several years. Prior to 2010, the average count was 5 and they were recorded every year with the exception of 1990. Finches: PINE GROSBEAK: 39 RED CROSSBILL: 7 WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL: 7 COMMON REDPOLL: 366 (mostly coming to feeders – near record high of 420) HOARY REDPOLL: 2 (coming to a feeder with Common Redpolls) PINE SISKIN: 4 AMERICAN GOLDFINCH: 134 EVENING GROSBEAK: 24 The count circle (including the 6 areas) can be viewed at the following link: https://maps.google.ca/maps/ms?msid=217208700112631695001.0004d125bfd0d20adc5de&msa=0&ll=44.660839,-77.950058&spn=0.2525,0.676346 Thanks to all participants! Colin Jones, Compiler Lakefield, ON _______________________________________________ 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/
