The 63rd annual Mohonk Lake-Ashokan Reservoir (Ulster County) Audubon Christmas Bird Count (CBC) was conducted yesterday, Saturday, 15 December. A total of 10,461 individuals of 78 species (plus one additional count week species) were recorded by ten field parties under very pleasant weather and field conditions.
Temperatures were relatively mild for this mid-December census, ranging from an overnight low of 24 degrees (F) to an afternoon high of 43 degrees (F) on the Lomontville Flats in Hurley. Winds were calm throughout the count period. Night skies were clear but dark due to moon phase, followed by mostly sunny skies early morning with an increase in clouds mid-day. No snow cover was recorded within the count area. Major bodies of water and fast moving creeks and streams were predominantly open, with smaller ponds and stagnant marshes frozen to various degrees, ranging from entirely frozen to partially open, providing small pockets or larger areas of open water. Diversity was very good, falling just one species short of our all-time high of 79 species in 2007, exceeding last year's total of 74 species, and well above the most recent 10-year average of 67 species. Total number of individuals was well below our maximum of 16,092 recorded in 2008, but otherwise consistent with recent years and only 325 individuals short of last year's tally. Highlights this year were dominated by waterfowl and raptors, including the addition of a new species to the 63-year composite. Two lingering Northern Pintail represent a first record and advanced the historical total to 144 species. Four Green-winged Teal were only the second time this species has been detected during this count. Three American Wigeon represent our third historical record, one Wood Duck represented a fourth record for the count, and one Gadwall and a count week Lesser Scaup were both encountered for only the fifth time in the history of this CBC. A lone Long-eared Owl and one Northern Saw-whet Owl were detected for only the fourth time, and a Peregrine Falcon was observed for only the second historical CBC record. One Fish Crow was an uncommonly good find and only our fourth record, equaling our previous high count of 1 in 2002. Two American Pipits were observed for a fifth overall record, and one Red-headed Woodpecker was a good winter find. New high counts were set for several species, including 425 Snow Geese (eclipsing 286 in 2008), 5 Red-shouldered Hawks (eclipsing 4 in 2010), 9 Belted Kingfishers (eclipsing 8 in 2006), 8 Winter Wrens (exceeding last year's record 6), 61 Carolina Wrens (eclipsing 53 in 2010), and 180 Song Sparrows (eclipsing last year's record 123). Great Blue Herons equaled our previous high count of 11 in 1998, 8 Cooper's Hawks tied last year's record high, and 145 Eastern Bluebirds tied our previous high count from 2006. The much anticipated and publicized winter finch irruption was not significantly realized in the count circle results. No Pine Grosbeaks, Purple Finches, Pine Siskins, or Evening Grosbeaks were detected. A small number of Red Crossbills were recorded in two sections (3 and 4 individuals, representing our fourth historical record), and one field party encountered two White-winged Crossbills, representing our fifth overall record. A total of 15 Common Redpolls were scattered throughout three sections (in numbers of 3, 5, and 7 individuals). A surprisingly few 15 Red-winged Blackbirds were the only representation of the blackbird family, and 19 American Robins seemed a disappointingly low number during a regionally mild December. One unidentified warbler will apparently remain a mystery. Thanks to all of the following participants for their time and effort: David Arner, Alan Beebe, Allan Bowdery, Lynn Bowdery, Mira Bowin, Paul Comstock, Bea Conover, Matt Corsaro, Eileen Cunningham, Mark DeDea, Lin Fagan, Deb Ferguson, Christine Guarino, Annie Mardiney, Jim Marks, Maeve Mower, Frank Murphy, Jeff Nerp, David Nyzio, Dan Porter, Jessica Prockup, Bob Rifenburg, Evelyn Rifenburg, Bruce Robertson, Corbin Robinson, Doug Robinson, Susan Rogers, Tom Sarro, Peter Schoenberger, Donna Seymour, Alan Spivack, John Thompson, Glen Van Gorden, and Lisa Weinstein. And once again this year, a very special thanks to Mark DeDea and Kyla Haber for providing the facilities, hot food, and beverages for our very enjoyable post-count compilation at Hasbrouck Park in Kingston. Steve M. Chorvas Mohonk Lake/Ashokan Reservoir CBC Compiler Saugerties, NY -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
