The West Elgin Nature Club 71st CBC was held on December 27th, 2019.
The unseasonably mild weather resulted in all of the local ponds, streams and rivers along with Lake Erie being virtually free of ice. A total of 42 observers tallied 11,257 birds of 80 species. A Double-crested Cormorant, Northern Mockingbird and Wood Duck were observed during the count week bringing the species tally to 83. The count total was slightly above our ten year average of 75 species but below our average total birds of 14,600 and well above the Count’s overall 71 year average of 68 species but below our 71 year average total of 13,775 birds. Low counts in Dark-eyed Juncos, Horned Larks and Snow Bunting were offset by higher than normal counts on ducks, geese and gulls. A lone Sora was the only new species added for the count. It was first heard and then seen at the West Lorne Sewage Lagoon. That makes 155 species that been identified on the West Elgin CBC since it was started in 1947. Other notable sightings in 2019 were – Horned Grebe 1; Long-tailed Duck 2, White-winged Scoter 5, Iceland Gull 1, Long-eared Owl 1, Short-eared Owl 2, Barred Owl 1, Eastern Phoebe 1, Tufted Titmouse 3, Winter Wren 1, Hermit Thrush 1, Northern Shrike 1, Yellow-rumped Warbler 1; Field Sparrow 1, White-crowned Sparrow 1, and Chipping Sparrow 1. High although not record numbers of Canada Geese (697), Ring-billed Gulls (4,170), Mourning Doves (632), Screech Owls (37), Great-horned Owls (11), Turkey Vultures (18), Brown-headed Cowbirds (1,051) and Red-winged Blackbirds (58) were made possible by the open, food rich corn fields, low winds the night before, and generally mild temperatures and pleasant winds the day of the count. It was certainly one of the warmest days that this counter can ever remember on a West Elgin CBC – I saw moths and insects flying by the lake (that the Eastern Phoebe was hawking from a tree branch) and even saw a Wooly Bear caterpillar crawling around the bottom of the Eagle Pump House building! Unfortunate misses included virtually all winter finches except a lone Purple Finch, Snow Bunting, Golden Eagle, Ring-necked Pheasant, Ruffed Grouse and most puddle ducks beyond Mallard and 2 Black Ducks. A fine pot-luck dinner and program about Hawk Cliff was enjoyed by the group at the end of a long day. Thanks to all of the participants and I look forward to seeing everyone again on the 2020 count! Cheers, George Prieksaitis CONFIDENTIAL and/or PRIVILEGED. If received in error please notify the sender and permanently delete. CONFIDENTIEL et/ou PRIVILÉGIÉ. Si ce courriel est reçu par erreur, veuillez nous en aviser et en effacer toute trace. EY, 100 Adelaide Street West, PO Box 1 Toronto, ON M5H 0B3. www.ey.com/ca To unsubscribe from commercial electronic messages / Pour vous désabonner des messages électroniques commerciaux : [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
