The 73rd annual Ulster County Mohonk Lake/Ashokan Reservoir (NYML) Audubon Christmas Bird Count (CBC) was conducted this past Saturday, December 17, 2022, under very pleasant weather conditions. A total of 57 participants (52 field observers and 5 feeder watchers) in 20 field parties encountered 11,169 individual birds representing 72 species, plus three additional count week species (pending any late additions). The above totals do not include one additional review species (Golden Eagle) which may lack sufficient documentation, and one outstanding field party report. For historical context, diversity was eight species below our ten-year average (80), and total abundance was down 3,475 individuals (14,644 ten-year average). Our all-time record high count for this circle remains at 87 species/22,307 individuals, both recorded in 2017. Combined effort (participation, field parties, and field party hours) continues to increase and surpass historical averages. Environmental conditions were favorable for conducting a survey, less than desirable for concentrating birds or encouraging any discernible movement of birds into our count area. Count day temperatures were relatively mild (31 – 43 °F) with 5-12 mph NNW winds interspersed with periods of calm throughout the day. Early morning fog was followed by sunshine and variable overcast, with increasing clouds later in the day. No precipitation was recorded on count day, snow depth varied from .5" to 3", covering 30-70% of terrain, depending on location and exposure. Moving water was mostly free of ice, flowing high and rapidly. Still bodies of water were mostly to entirely frozen. Stone Ridge Pond was 50% open, Fourth Binnewater Lake attracted a nice diversity of waterfowl, Ashokan Reservoir was frozen in one count section, open and choppy in the lower basin area. Most species were detected in below average numbers, typical of results in mild Decembers with fair weather preceding the survey and persisting through the count day. Despite the relative overall lack of birds, ten species were detected in sufficient numbers to tie or establish new record-high counts: Gadwall - 17 (surpassing 16 in 2016, 2.8 ten-year average). All on Stone Ridge Pond. Ring-necked Duck - 62 (28 in 2014, 9 avg). 61 on Fourth Binnewater.Bald Eagle - 23 (18 in 2015, 10.7 avg). Widespread throughout the count circle. Red-shouldered Hawk - 14 (9 in 2017, 5 avg)Red-tailed Hawk - 86 (84 in 2018, 60 avg)Barred Owl - 9 (ties 9 in 2018, 5.3 avg)Belted Kingfisher - 12 (11 in 2020, 5 avg)Tufted Titmouse - 517 (419 in 2015, 303 avg). A remarkable increase in a year when active bird feeders were few and far between.Winter Wren - 15 (12 in 2017, 6.7 avg) Carolina Wren - 121 (ties 121 in 2018, 72 avg) A count week Northern Shoveler found on Stone Ridge Pond represents a first record for the historical count composite (currently 151 species plus 4 count week). One Lesser Scaup on Fourth Binnewater, and a count week Northern Pintail on Stone Ridge Pond represent the sixth time each species has been recorded on this count. The aforementioned Golden Eagle report, if accepted, would represent a fifth record for this count. The immature bird was seen by a single observer flying at ~1,000 feet over Berme Road in High Falls. There were no record low counts, and no particular species stands out as a bad miss. Red-headed Woodpecker, increasingly more abundant and widespread in the county and apparently visiting a suet feeder in the count circle, was a disappointing miss when they were not detected during a drive-by of the feeder location and nearby breeding grounds. Horned Grebe was not encountered on Ashokan Reservoir this year, present in 40 of the past 72 years, concentrations of this species in our area are typically associated with northern lakes freezing over and driving more birds south. Common Loon, Rough-legged Hawk, Great Black-backed Gull, and Eastern Meadowlark are species previously encountered in at least twenty or more years that were not detected this year. Ruffed Grouse (46 past years) and Evening Grosbeak (34 years) were also missed, but are no longer expected on this count. Lastly, the greatly anticipated Ross's Goose that graced Stone Ridge Pond over a four-day period apparently departed just three days shy of count week. A complete report with a list of participants and effort information will be published in the John Burroughs Natural History Society newsletter at a later date. Appended below is the species list with number of individuals. Thanks to all of the field participants and feeder watchers for another nice job of providing excellent coverage, to the sector leaders for recruiting and organizing their field parties and submitting their data in a timely manner, and to Mark DeDea, Kyla Haber, and everyone that helped with refreshments and arrangements at our post-count compilation in the Hasbrouck Park stone building. Next year's Mohonk Lake/Ashokan Reservoir CBC is scheduled for the traditional first Saturday of the count period, December 16, 2023.
Steve M. ChorvasMohonk Lake/Ashokan Reservoir CBC CompilerSaugerties, NY 2022 NYML CBC Summary List Canada Goose - 1,950Northern Shoveler - cwGadwall - 17American Wigeon - 3American Black Duck - 36Mallard - 138Northern Pintail - cwRing-necked Duck - 62Lesser Scaup - 1Hooded Merganser - 20Common Merganser - 24Wild Turkey - 28Great Blue Heron - cwBlack Vulture - 17Turkey Vulture - 7Northern Harrier - 6Sharp-shinned Hawk - 4Cooper's Hawk - 7Bald Eagle - 23Red-shouldered Hawk - 14Red-tailed Hawk - 86Ring-billed Gull - 5Herring Gull - 50Rock Pigeon - 202Mourning Dove - 368Eastern Screech-Owl - 3Great Horned Owl - 8Barred Owl - 9Northern Saw-whet Owl - 1Belted Kingfisher - 12Red-bellied Woodpecker - 109Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - 17Downy Woodpecker - 116Hairy Woodpecker - 26Northern Flicker - 17Pileated Woodpecker - 23American Kestrel - 6Merlin - 2Peregrine Falcon - 1Blue Jay - 429American Crow - 676Common Raven - 31Horned Lark - 6Black-capped Chickadee - 433Tufted Titmouse - 517Red-breasted Nuthatch - 5White-breasted Nuthatch - 194Brown Creeper - 7Winter Wren - 15Carolina Wren - 121Golden-crowned Kinglet - 3Eastern Bluebird - 187Hermit Thrush - 5American Robin - 77Northern Mockingbird - 43European Starling - 2,047Cedar Waxwing - 15American Tree Sparrow - 79Field Sparrow - 8Fox Sparrow - 1Dark-eyed Junco - 1,272White-crowned Sparrow - 3White-throated Sparrow - 374Savannah Sparrow - 13Song Sparrow - 115Swamp Sparrow - 8Northern Cardinal - 240Red-winged Blackbird - 116Common Grackle - 3Brown-headed Cowbird - 54House Finch - 109Purple Finch - 2Pine Siskin - 2American Goldfinch - 105House Sparrow - 436 -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME.htm http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES.htm 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://birding.aba.org/maillist/NY01 Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
