The 30th Petroglyphs Christmas Bird Count was held on Wednesday, December 30, 2015 under very good conditions. The day was overcast but very calm all day long allowing for excellent listening conditions. There was a little light precipitation (snow/freezing rain) in the early morning.
Participants: 22 Total species: 40 (tied count high) Total individuals: 2666 (10-year average is 2244) There was one new species: MALLARD: 27 (long overdue, open water on most lakes resulted in 26 on Stoney Lake and a single on Jack Lake) The open water also resulted in several other species often not recorded on the count including: CANADA GOOSE: 3 (5th time on count) AMERICAN BLACK DUCK: 10 (new count high and 4th time on count) BUFFLEHEAD: 1 (2nd time on count) COMMON GOLDENEYE: 28 (new count high) HOODED MERGANSER: 30 (new count high and 4th time on count) COMMON MERGANSER: 500 (shattering the previous count high of 97 and 5th time on count) COMMON LOON: 2 (new count high and 3rd time on count) HERRING GULL: 4 Other notable species included: WINTER WREN: 2, including one singing (new count high and 5th time on count) Other record highs included: PILEATED WOODPECKER: 30 (previous high was 26) Low Counts: MOURNING DOVE: 5 (below 10-year average of 21) BARRED OWL: 1 (below 10-year average of 4) BLUE JAY: 151 (below 10-year average of 321) There were good numbers (i.e. significantly higher than average) of the following species, likely due, in part, to excellent listening conditions all day long aiding in their detectability: RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH: 244 (above 10-year average of 83) WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH: 132 (above 10-year average of 77) BROWN CREEPER: 32 (above 10-year average of 9) GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET: 49 (above 10-year average of 30) DARK-EYED JUNCO: 65 (above 10-year average of 7) Finches were as follows: PURPLE FINCH: 10 RED CROSSBILL: 51 (appeared to be two different call types) COMMON REDPOLL: 18 PINE SISKIN: 167 AMERICAN GOLDFINCH: 91 EVENING GROSBEAK: 1 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 Peterborough, ON _______________________________________________ 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
