Christmas Bird Counts 2013 - Fighting the Weather

Nature Notes for December 27, 2013

Weather was the major news on the nature front for the past two weeks.

The Port Hope-Cobourg Christmas Bird Count was held on December, an incredibly cold day. The high temperature recorded for the day was only -13º C. An icy wind out of the north-east chilled observers, especially in open locations. There was fog rising over Lake Ontario, so visibility was limited to 100 metres offshore. Snow started in the afternoon, becoming heavy by 3 p.m., which limited visibility even more.

Despite such wretched conditions, thirty-seven observers took to the field, and tallied 15,843 birds of 68 species. An additional 6 species were seen during count week. This was the lowest species count since 1999.

The highlight was a single Great Gray Owl, which was a new species for this count.

Other highlights were: 4 Bald Eagles (tied record high); 1 Red-shouldered Hawk; 231 Wild Turkeys (2nd highest count); 4 Snowy Owls (tied record high); 1 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker; 2 Winter Wrens (tied record high); 2 Ruby-crowned Kinglets; 1 Hermit Thrush; and 6 Common Redpolls.

Low totals recorded were: 19 White-breasted Nuthatch (lowest ever); 892 Black-capped Chickadees (lowest since 2000); and 2 Northern Shrike (lowest since 1993).

Count Week species included: Northern Pintail, American Coot, Thayer's Gull, Iceland Gull,

Lesser Black-backed Gull, and LaplandLongspur.

The following day, December 15, was the Presqu’ile-Brighton Count. If anything, weather conditions were even worse. Added to the bone-chilling temperatures and winds, roads were snow-covered first thing in the morning. Observers were in the field before many of the secondary roads had been plowed, so had to rearrange their planned routes to accommodate the plows. Observers in Presqu’ile Park itself have to walk their routes, so the 15 to 20 cm of snow added to their challenge.

Still, twenty-six field observers and one feeder-watcher tallied 11,320 birds of 69 species. The 11,320 individuals was about half that found over most of the past decade. The 20-year average species total is 79. Waterfowl numbers were low because there was almost no open water inland and Lake Ontario had a wide ice edge.  Only Black Duck and Mallards of the dabblers were recorded.  Long-tailed Duck (365), Bufflehead (57) and Common Merganser (2) were at 20-year lows.  Inland birds were scarce away from feeders and this was the first count in over 20 years that no Ruffed Grouse were recorded.

Several species, recorded in all 10 areas, included; Red-tailed Hawk, MourningDove, Bue Jay, American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee, American Tree Sparrow and Dark-eyed Juncos.

New for the count was a Cackling Goose, upgraded from a Count Week bird in 2012.

Other unusual birds included: 1 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker; 2 Chipping Sparrows; 2 Iceland Gulls; and 1 Glaucous Gull. One Gray Catbird, a Count Week bird, was the first since 1976.

High Counts (old records and years in brackets): Mute Swan - 824 (624 in 2011); Bald Eagle - 8 (6 in 2009); Snowy Owl - 10 (7 in 1978); Dark-eyed Junco - 649 (568 in 2011).

Near-record high counts included Northern Harrier (7) and Red-bellied Woodpecker (5) that missed tying the record by 1 bird each.

This past weekend brought freezing rain. This will probably reduce bird numbers on the first official Rice Lake Plains Christmas Bird Count to be held on January 1, 2014.

The ice coating on everything is not just an inconvenience for humans. It makes the food that birds depend on inaccessible. The many harvested corn and soybean fields that provide food for waterfowl are now under an impermeable blanket of ice. The fruit that is the food of such species as American Robin, Eastern Bluebird, and Cedar Waxwing is now not available to the birds.

Those birds that have enough energy resources will have fled the area. Those that do not have enough stored energy will die.

My bird feeders have been incredibly busy since the ice came. We had to pry them from their poles and let the ice thaw inside in the shower stall in order for the birds to get at the seeds in them. Even the squirrels have been more numerous than usual. Their seed caches, too, are sealed in a blanket of ice.

Now that power has been restored to my part of Port Hope, I can file this column and send to all of my readers best wishes for the coming year. I hope that you all were able to celebrate a Merry Christmas.