The Kawartha Christmas Bird Count, centered around Fenelon Falls, Ontario, was held on December 28th, 2014 under gray skies with the temperature hovering around 0 degrees Celsius. With no snow cover and the lakes about 80% ice-covered things seemed pretty bleak for the 28 observers and 6 feeder watchers.
We had a *record low* for* individual birds* (2931, previous low- 3467) but our *species count *of 46 was right on the* average* for 16 years of data. We* missed** Snowy Owl* which we thought probable this year. It would have been a new species for our count. We* missed **Northern Shrike* for the second year in a row. We had a *record low* for* Snow Bunting* (9, previous low- 67, high of 875). *But*, we added 2* new species* to our all-time list: * Tundra Swan* (25) and* Greater Scaup* (2). We set *record high counts* for *Trumpeter Swan* (8, previous high-1) and* Rough-legged Hawk* (10, previous high-7). We* tied high counts* for *Northern Harrier, Belted Kingfisher *and* American Kestrel *(first record since 2001) with one of each. It was good to have *1 Gray Jay *again this year but In the past we have had 6 or 7. *Count week* birds so far: *Merlin, Pine Siskin* (2) and* Brown Creeper*. Not so bleak. *Dan Bone, Compiler*. _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to [email protected] For information about ONTBIRDS including how to unsubscribe visit http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdssetup Posting guidelines can be found at http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdsguide
