30^th Sutton CBC
More than twenty-five birders in the field and many feeder watchers in
the Georgina, East Gwillimbury and northeast Uxbridge areas participated
in the annual 30^th Sutton CBC on Sunday December 31, 2015. The day
started off fully overcast for owling with a temperature of -2 degrees
Celsius. As the day progressed the temperature rose toward zero degrees
by mid-afternoon. A light persistent wind from the southeast occurred
throughout the day (18-26 km/hour). Intense snow squalls occurred early
in the morning during the owling and all day making birding more
difficult than usual. Lake Simcoe was open north of Roches Point, Cook’s
Bay being fully iced in.
A total of 50 species on the day (higher than most years), and one count
week bird species was recorded. With a lot of December snow before the
count it was noted by birders that some birds were generally hard to
find away from feeders. Highlights for the count day were Snowy owl (5),
Bald eagle (12) Brown creeper (1), Eastern bluebird (1) Carolina wren
(1) American wigeon (2), American Black duck (2), Red-breasted merganser
(1), Bufflehead duck (1) Great Black-backed gull (2). The significant
Count Week bird was the Carolina wren (1). The two American wigeons were
first time bird species for the Sutton Count, as was the solitary E.
bluebird. A week before the count some Lapland longspurs and Horned
larks were seen in the count area, but were not seen on count day or
within the count week period.
Thanks to all field birders and feeder watchers who participated in the
count.
Paul Harpley
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