The results are in and some records were set.
The Midland-Penetanguishene Field Naturalists recently completed its 36th foray into the Audubon Christmas Bird Count.
“The day was successful with 58 different species seen with a total count of 6,771 individual birds,” local bird count organizer David Schandlen said, noting counts of eight species resulted in record numbers compared to previous years.
“We had a new record high of individual birds 6771; the old record being 6740 in 2006.”
Locally, the club held its first count in 1980 with a slightly different count circle from inception to 1984. After a brief hiatus, the club reorganized and resumed the count in 1987, using the current circle centring on Wyebridge, and it has been run every year since then.
Local count coordinator David Schandlen noted that the Audubon initiative is the oldest and largest citizen science program in the world.
“It provides valuable information on population dynamics and trends for hundreds of North American bird species that are frequently encountered on count day,” Schandlen said.
“These areas, which are consistent from year to year worldwide, are in a circle with a 15-mile radius. Wyebridge is the centre of our count circle. This area encompasses the Wye Marsh and Tiny Marsh.”
Scandlen said the latest local count began during an overcast December morning with the sun breaking out just before lunch and continuing throughout the afternoon as temperatures hovered around zero degrees Celsius.
“As far as species count goes we had 58 species and one spuh (birds that are only identifiable to the genus level; "gull sp."),” he added. “ This constitutes a tie with 2012 and 2021. In both those years we had 58 species and three spuhs.”
Species record counts were recorded for:
- Trumpeter Swan 153; old record 120, 2021
- Mourning Dove 505; old record 442, 2002
- Bald Eagle 9; old record 6, 2016
- Downy Woodpecker 77; old record 49, 2018
- White-breasted Nuthatch 94; old record 66, 2020
- American Goldfinch 431; old record 299, 2015
- Dark-eyed Junco 304; old record 271, 2016
- Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) 1063; old record 679, 2021
To view the local count and total count results going back to 1900, click here.
Participants gathered later in the day at the Wye Marsh Wildlife Centre for a special supper and Christmas party that raised $445 for the McKeever Owl Foundation.
This year's count is slated for Saturday, Dec. 16. For more information about the club, click here.
