The 32nd Petroglyphs Christmas Bird Count was held on Thursday, December 28, 2017 during very cold conditions. It was nearly -30 degrees C first thing in the morning and only warmed up to about -18 by mid-afternoon.
Participants: 24 Total species: 32 (close to the 10-year average of 33.5) Total individuals: 1826 (10-year average is 2248) As a result of the very cold weather there was virtually no open water and therefore no waterbirds. Notable species and count highs (no new record highs) included: BALD EAGLE: 7 (slightly higher than average) GOLDEN EAGLE: 1 sub-adult bird seen soaring over the Kawartha Nordic Ski Trails BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER: 1 in the Petroglyphs Provincial Park (although previously recorded nearly every year this species has only been detected 3 times in the past 10 years) GRAY JAY: a single bird was located in a bog along the Sandy Lake Rd (until 2009 recorded annually but since then only recorded in 2014 and during count period in 2016) RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH: 146 (well above the 10-year average of 87 but nowhere near the count high of 526) AMERICAN ROBIN: 2 (absent in most years) CEDAR WAXWING: 6 (absent in most years) AMERICAN TREE SPARROW: 122 (well above the 10-year average of 18; count high is 218) DARK-EYED JUNCO: 134 (well above the 10-year average of 12 and near count high of 168) Low Counts: RUFFED GROUSE: 7 (below 10-year average of 15 and the count high of 77) ROCK PIGEON: only a single flock of 10 (well below the 10-year average of 58 and the count high of 89) WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH: 40 (well below the 10-year average of 80 and count high of 233) EUROPEAN STARLING: 10 (below 10-year average of 26 and count high of 114) RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH: 32 (below 10-year average of 100 and count high of 526) GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET: 4 (below 10-year average of 31 and count high of 120) Winter Finches: PURPLE FINCH: 2 RED CROSSBILL: 41 WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL: 8 including singing individuals PINE SISKIN: 114 AMERICAN GOLDFINCH: 103 EVENING GROSBEAK: 2 Notable Misses: SNOW BUNTING: recorded most years (has only been missed 5 times) 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 (OFO) - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to birdalert@ontbirds.ca 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 Visit the OFO Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/OntarioFieldOrnithologists
