The 64th Cedar Creek Bog Christmas Bird Count was successfully completed in relatively good winter weather by a strong force of counters on Sunday December 20th. Bird counts were strong, but not usually high. Best birds included a Saw-whet Owl that was observed by most of the counters. It was holding what appeared to be an ermine already partially consumed. Other good birds included two Eastern Bluebirds, three Red-shouldered Hawks, tying the high count, and a Fox Sparrow. We also found the first Snow Buntings in 15 years. Woodpecker numbers were high for the second time in three years with record numbers of Downy (49), Red-bellied (34), and Flickers (21), and second highest numbers of Hairy and Pileated. Record high numbers were also recorded for Mourning Doves (104), Robins (94), Cardinals (70), Horned Larks, and Black-capped Chickadees (606). The Chickadee numbers may be an artifact of the high number of counters. The most notable miss was the count's historically most numerous bird: the Common Redpoll.
Steve Weston on Quiggley Lake in Eagan, MN [email protected] ---- Join or Leave mou-net:http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives:http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
