North Bay Christmas Bird Count 

2009

2009 was an interesting count.  Bird activity was rather low on count day.  The field observers got between 10 to 14 bird species each on count day and a combined total of 25 species.  Feeder watchers added two more species (White-throated Sparrow and Dark-eyed Junco).  Because of these low totals we were able to add six count week birds. 

This includes Common Merganser and Bald Eagle spotted on Sunday.  One of the field observers got a Common Goldeneye.  Other count week birds include Purple Finch, American Tree Sparrow and Cedar Waxwing.

Total species was 27 (plus six count week birds), the lowest total since 1986.  Since I have been doing the count the total species have been 44, 34, 35 and 27 from 2006 to 2009.

The only bird that was high was Common Loon with five spotted.  2nd highest total.

A great many birds were low. Here is a low numbers for a number of species followed by the year it was the lowest since: 
Ruffed Grouse (1) 1986 
Pileated Woodpecker (5) 1991
Common Raven (86) 1989
Red-breasted Nuthatch (8) 1986

Even more species were low but comparable to the count two years ago. 

Total number of birds was 1994 which is comparable with the 1664 number of birds in 2007 and 1797 in 1985.

I figure the factors that made the count low include:
-Fair weather
-Low finch numbers
-Fewer field observers and feeder watchers
-Fewer feeders being filled
-With the exception of parts of Trout Lake, no open water.

It was odd that the activity was low at the feeders and in the field at the same time. 

Effort
  Observers
Total Number: 13
Minimum Number of Parties (daylight): 9
Maximum Number of Parties (daylight): 9
Total Number: 6
Party Hours and Distance
(excludes viewing at feeders and nocturnal birding)
All distances are in kilometers.
Hours: 9.0 Distance: 20.00 km
Hours: 28.25 Distance: 549.00 km
Hours: 0.0 Distance: .00 km By:
Hours: 0.0 Distance: .00 km By:
Hours: 0.0 Distance: .00 km By:
Hours: 0.0 Distance: .00 km By:
  Other Time and Distance
At Feeders:
Hours: 18.5
Nocturnal Birding:
Hours:0.0 Distance: .00 km
 
Totals
Hours: 37.25 Distance: 569.00 km

Weather
Temperature Minimum: -11 C° Maximum: -7 C°
Wind Direction  
Wind Velocity Minimum: 3.7 Maximum: 6.8
Snow Depth Minimum: 3.9 Maximum: 7.8
Still Water  
Moving Water  
AM and PM Conditions
Cloud Cover AM: Cloudy PM: Cloudy
AM Rain None
AM Snow None
PM Rain None
PM Snow None
Checklist
Species Number
or cw
Flags
Max
Number
Number
of counts
American Black Duck 3   46 in 102   12
Mallard 250   622 in 102   17
Common Goldeneye cw   70 in 100   15
Common Merganser cw   5173 in 102   13
Ruffed Grouse 1   80 in 101   27
Common Loon 5   7 in 85   13
Bald Eagle cw   2 in 99   10
 

Adults:
Immatures:
Unknowns:

Herring Gull 12   365 in 102   17
Rock Pigeon 357   1316 in 106   6
Mourning Dove 18   295 in 99   27
Downy Woodpecker 17   238 in 102   27
Hairy Woodpecker 33   235 in 100   27
Pileated Woodpecker 5   46 in 102   26
Northern Shrike 1   9 in 95   25
Gray Jay 4   80 in 100   24
Blue Jay 53   665 in 102   27
American Crow 81   311 in 102   27
Common Raven 86   373 in 109   27
Black-capped Chickadee 653   3192 in 102   27
Red-breasted Nuthatch 8   189 in 106   26
White-breasted Nuthatch 19   227 in 102   27
Brown Creeper 1   4 in 97   20
American Robin 1   29 in 99   15
European Starling 165   1381 in 95   27
Cedar Waxwing cw   47 in 95   5
American Tree Sparrow cw   611 in 99   25
White-throated Sparrow 1   12 in 103   16
Dark-eyed (Slate-colored) Junco 5   71 in 99   16
Snow Bunting 4   370 in 97   27
Pine Grosbeak 73   1026 in 98   25
Purple Finch cw   1039 in 95   22
American Goldfinch 77   1574 in 101   24
Evening Grosbeak 72   2219 in 95   27
TOTAL INDIVIDUALS
COUNTED 		2005      
TOTAL SPECIES
REPORTED 		33      
 

cw = Reported count week;
US = Flagged as an unusual species;
HC = Flagged as an unusually high count.
LC = Flagged as an unusually low count.

 

2008
The North Bay Christmas Bird Count was held on December 14 with 18 field observers and 4 feeder watchers.  Highlights of the count were a Snowy Owl (second time on count), a Red-tail Hawk, a Rough-legged Hawk during count week, an accipiter species during count week, 1007 Bohemian Waxwings (second highest total) and a new high for Ravens (due to a large number at a local dump).

A true story from one of our feeder watchers with the Carolina Wren (a rarity that has hung at her place since Sept 2007) seen on count day:

One day recently we had run out of mealworms and went just before closing, to Keesha's Den for a few tubs - they were right out, so they sold us a tin of dried mealworms.  They didn't look dried out -- just dead and an odd dark color.  The next morning the Carolina Wren arrived for breakfast.  I held out my gloved hand with the worms on it.  He landed, looked at the worms and then at me - at the worms again and then at me again.  He took a few tiny nibbles, then grabbed a large one and flew into the hedge.  I watched him hop from branch to branch all through the hedge and finally he landed back in my hand and spit out the uneaten worm.



First results: In Excel format (better table coming soon)
Species                   1     2     3     4     5     6     7     T    FW   All      
American Black Duck                         3                 4     7           7
Mallard                             107    54                 7   168    10   178
Ruffed Grouse                   1                 3     1           5     2     7
Common Loon                                                   1     1           1
Bald Eagle                                        1                 1           1
Red-tailed Hawk                                   1                 1           1Second time on count
Rough-legged Hawk                                                       cw    cw
Accipiter Species                                        cw                   cw
Herring Gull                          1                             1           1
Rock Pigeon              14    34    96    57    10          19   230    39   269Low
Mourning Dove                               2    36     6     5    49     3    52
Snowy Owl                             1                             1           1Last seen in 1997
Downy Woodpecker                            2     4     2     4    12     3    15Low
Hairy Woodpecker                2     3     3     7     7     2    20     5    25Lowest since 1986
Species                   1     2     3     4     5     6     7     T    FW   All
Species 1 2  3 4 5 6 7 Total FW All Notes
American Black Duck 3 4 7 7
Mallard  107 54 7 168 10 178
Ruffed Grouse 1 3 1 5 2 7
Common Loon  1  1 1
Bald Eagle 1 1 1
Red-tailed Hawk  1 1 1 Second time on count
Rough-legged Hawk cw cw
Accipiter Species cw cw cw
Herring Gull  1 1 1
Rock Pigeon  14 34  96 57 10 19  230 39 269 Low
Mourning Dove 2 36  6 5 49 3 52
Snowy Owl 1  1 1 Last seen in 1997
Downy Woodpecker 2  4 2 4 12 3  15 Low
Hairy Woodpecker 2 3 3 7 7 2 20 5 25 Lowest since 1986
Pileated Woodpecker 2 1 2 4  9 cw  9
Northern Shrike 1 1 1
Species                   1     2     3     4     5     6     7     T    FW   All
Pileated Woodpecker                   2     1     2     4           9   cw      9
Northern Shrike                             1                       1           1
Gray Jay                        1                                   1     2     3
Blue Jay                 19     5     4     4    13    10    17    72    14    86
American Crow                   8    31    18     4     3     6    70     1    71
Common Raven              5     4     4     7   335     8     8   371     2   373New high
Black-capped Chickade    43    38    31    33   188    52   121   506    13   519
Red-breasted Nuthatch                 1     1    30     4     4    40     2    42
White-breasted Nuthat     4           2     1     1     1     2    11     1    12
Carolina Wren                                                             1     1
European Starling         4    75    36    86   300     1     1   503     4   507
Bohemian Waxwing                    807   200                    1007        1007Second highest
American Tree Sparrow                            12                12     5    17
White-throated Sparrow                                                    1     1
Dark-eyed Junco                                                           3     3
Snow Bunting                                            4           4           4Third lowest
Red-winged Blackbird                              1                 1           1
Pine Grosbeak                               6                 6    12          12
White-winged Crossbill                           17     1          18          18
Common Redpoll            8    65               338               411         411
Hoary Redpoll                                     2                 2           2
Amercian Goldfinch                         13    24    44          81     3    84
Evening Grosbeak                                        1           1     1     2Fourth lowest

Total Species             7    10    14    18    21    16    15    32    20    35
Count Week Species                                            1           2     2
Total + Count Week        7    10    14    18    21    16    16    32    22    37
Total Birds              97   233  1126   492  1329   145   207  3629   115  3744

Kilometers - Car         55    80    18    52   401    50   103   759
Kilometers - Walking    0.2         8.5     1     3   2.6        15.3 778.3
Kilometers - XC Skiin     4                                         4
Hours - Car             3.5     5     3   4.5     4   2.5   4.5    27
Hours - Walking         0.5           7     1     4     1        13.5    42
Hours - XC Skiing       1.5                                       1.5

Feeder Watchers:3
Feeder Hours: 3.5


This year's count will be held on Sunday Dec 14, 2008.

Feeder Watchers:
Feeder Watching Handout (Page 1)
Tally Sheet (Page 2)

Cumulative Species List for North Bay Christmas Bird Count (corrected)
Historical Results from 1944 to Now (PDF format) | (Excel format)

If you would like to participate please contact Brent Turcotte at
472-3335 or brentturcotte@yahoo.com

2007
The best results were in Area 3 which included Vic's feeders and two locations open water.  The 100th species of bird over all the years the count in North Bay has been run to be added to the count is a Yellow-headed Blackbird found by Martin's team.  Number of species and birds counted overall were poor due to the weather.


Summary of Bird Count: Dec 16, 2007
 

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Total

FW

Total

  

American Black Duck

    

5

2

      

7

  

7

  

Mallard

    

53

42

  

1

  

96

  

96

Low

Ruffed Grouse

        

5

    

5

  

5

Lowest since 1992

Rough-legged Hawk

        

1

    

1

  

1

  

Rock Pigeon

2

15

80

56

11

    

164

59

223

4th lowest, lowest since 1985

Mourning Dove

    

6

  

2

    

8

2

10

  

Downy Woodpecker

  

2

2

1

1

2

  

8

6

14

Lowest since 1986

Hairy Woodpecker

  

1

4

  

2

6

1

14

12

26

Lowest since 1986

Pileated Woodpecker

    

3

    

1

  

4

5

9

  

Northern Shrike

          

1

  

1

  

1

  

Blue Jay

  

11

3

  

4

5

5

28

9

37

Third lowest excluding early counts

American Crow

  

2

7

1

    

3

13

  

13

Third lowest

Common Raven

6

5

5

13

261

11

12

313

2

315

Second highest

Black-capped Chickadee

27

40

30

18

47

66

81

309

58

367

Lowest since 1985

Red-breasted Nuthatch

  

2

2

  

3

  

3

10

4

14

  

White-breasted Nuthatch

    

3

2

2

  

2

9

7

16

  

Brown Creeper

    

1

        

1

  

1

  

Carolina Wren

                

1

1

  

American Robin

        

3

    

3

  

3

  

Brown Thrasher

    

1

        

1

  

1

  

European Starling

1

21

15

28

40

  

14

119

33

152

Lowest since 1984

Bohemian Waxwing

    

45

      

4

49

  

49

  

Cedar Waxwing

    

12

        

12

  

12

Second highest

Song Sparrow

    

1

        

1

  

1

  

White-crowned Sparrow

                

1

1

  

Dark-eyed Junco

                

2

2

  

Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon)

                

1

1

New for count

Snow Bunting

    

10

  

1

    

11

  

11

  

Yellow-Headed Blackbird

        

1

    

1

  

1

New for count

Northern Cardinal

    

1

        

1

1

2

  

Pine Grosbeak

  

39

      

9

12

60

  

60

  

Common Redpoll

59

14

52

1

2

    

128

6

134

  

Hoary Redpoll

    

6

        

6

  

6

  

Evening Grosbeak

  

11

5

  

30

    

 46

6

52

  
                       

Total species

5

12

24

10

17

9

10

30

18

34

  Lowest since
1990

Total birds

95

163

352

164

416

102

137

1429

215

1644

   
                                   
                                   
Kilometers - Car

65

92

52

  38.7  29

80

  85  441.7         
Hours - Car 5 7 7 2 2 5.5 5 33.5      
Kilometers- Walking

1

  

2

  2  1      6         
Hours - Walking 0.5   1 4 0.5     5.5        

Feeder watcher: 8 

Feeder watcher hours: 12.25

2006

American Black Duck    16
Mallard    200
Common Goldeneye    62
Common Merganser    102
Red-breasted Merganser    1
Ruffed Grouse    13
Spruce Grouse    cw
Common Loon    2
Ring-billed Gull    5
Herring Gull    130
Rock Pigeon    404
Mourning Dove    11
Barred Owl    1
Downy Woodpecker    23
Hairy Woodpecker    33
Pileated Woodpecker    6
Northern Shrike    2
Gray Jay    6
Blue Jay    111
American Crow    154
Common Raven    121
Black-capped Chickadee    781
Red-breasted Nuthatch    110
White-breasted Nuthatch    29
Golden-crowned Kinglet    4
American Robin    5
Brown Thrasher    2
European Starling    400
Bohemian Waxwing    9
American Tree Sparrow    195
Dark-eyed Junco    4
Snow Bunting    30
Northern Cardinal    4
Common Grackle    4
Pine Grosbeak    1
Purple Finch    95
White-winged Crossbill    15
Pine Siskin    319
American Goldfinch    707
Evening Grosbeak    1
Greater Scaup    3
Winter Wren    1
Chipping Sparrow   cw

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