The 86th Woodstock Christmas Bird Count was held yesterday (Dec. 21st) under the best conditions in memory. The wind was very light from the south, visibility was superb, we had light snow cover to concentrate birds and most but not all water was frozen, again concentrating lingering birds. Our combined effort from 34 field observers and 4 feeder watchers was 71 species, just 1 short of our high count of 72 species found in 2011. Observers found 43304 individual birds.
Highlights included (seen on 10 counts or fewer): Snow Goose 1 (7th count) Pittock Lake Northern Shoveler 1 (4th count) Pittock Lake Green-winged Teal 5 (10th count) Pittock Lake and 14 concession, East Zorra Double-crested Cormorant 1 (2nd count) Below Pittock Dam Turkey Vulture 1 (4th count) Near Golspie Virginia Rail 1 (2nd count) Pittock Lake marsh Sandhill Crane 31 (7th count) Pittock Lake and Hogsback Iceland Gull 2 (7th count; ties high count) Pittock Lake Glaucous Gull 4 (4th count; also high count) Pittock Lake Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1 (4th count) Pine Pond *House Wren 1 (1st count)* 766615 Blandford Township Road 5 Carolina Wren (count week, 9 previous counts) near Oxford Centre Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1 (9th count) Thames River east of Pittock Lake Rusty Blackbird 1 (7th count) Pittock Lake marsh Common Grackle 1 (8th count) Thames River west of Pittock Lake High counts were: Cackling Goose 7 (tied previous high from 2015) Bald Eagle 14 (previous high 7) Red-tailed Hawk 81 (previous high 78) Winter Wren 10 (previous high 7) If you have any sightings to contribute, please contact me. Species missed but expected include: Northern Pintail, Common Goldeneye, Hooded Merganser, Ruffed Grouse, Snowy Owl, Hermit Thrush, Lapland Longspur, and any winter finches. Our combined species total from all years stands at 136 with the addition of House Wren (133 on count day and 3 species count week only). Good birding and happy holidays! Jeff -- Jeff Skevington, Research Scientist Canadian National Collection of Insects, Arachnids and Nematodes Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada 960 Carling Avenue, K.W. Neatby Building Ottawa, ON, K1A 0C6, Canada Phone: 613-720-2862 FAX: 613-759-1927 E-mail: [email protected] _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO) - 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 Visit the OFO Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/OntarioFieldOrnithologists
