_26th Annual Sutton Audubon Christmas Bird Count -- Official Report_
December 30, 2012**
The temperature varied from -11 C in the morning to the afternoon
condition of -6 C with the wind chill. Wind was W 19 km/h ion the
morning and remained relatively consistent throughout the day. It was
sunny and clear all day.
Owling at 7:15 a.m. turned up one Great horned owl, who returned calls
to us in the Old Homestead Road and Highway 401 area.
There were nineteen (19) participants in the field (local naturalists
and some others from all over Southern Ontario) and thirteen
feeder-watchers (Georgina, East Gwillimbury and Uxbridge area)
contributed to the count (+2 in the count week but not on the count
day). Lake Simcoe was fully open with some localized ice spots in Cook's
Bay.
This year's count had the highest number of species ever for the Sutton
Count at 58, beating last years' species number by two. Including count
week birds, the total species is 60. It was an exciting event.
Highlights of species and high number included 10 Redhead duck, 1
Ring-necked duck, 2 Lesser scaup, 4 Hooded merganser, 6 Bald eagle, 24
Red-breasted merganser, 20 Boneparte's gull, 3 Great black-backed gull,
1White-winged crossbill, 20 Bohemian waxwing, 10 Snowy owl, 1 Chipping
sparrow, 2 White-throated sparrow, 2 White-crowned sparrow.
Thanks to all community participants and feeder watchers for their
efforts on count day.
*Paul Harpley*, Doctoral Candidate, York University
President, South Lake Simcoe Naturalists, Ontario Nature
Director, The Zephyr Society of Lake Simcoe, www.zephyrsociety.ca
<http://www.zephyrsociety.ca>
Fellow International, The Explorers Club
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.harpley.ca <http://www.harpley.ca>
_______________________________________________
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/
