January 2nd, 2013
Here is Mike Burrell’s preliminary report for the Kitchener Christmas Bird Count. The section I was in included Laurel Creek. Our most interesting bird was a barred owl. It sat about 10 metres from us. No one thought to bring a camera because it was dark when we started calling for owls.
“The 78th Kitchener CBC was held today (December 15th). We likely had a record number of observers (about 65) for the count this year. 73 species have been recorded on count day, which is a new high (previous was 70 set in 1983) and well above the twenty year average of 60.
Total individuals was about 40,000, which is also a new all-time high (previous high count was 34,843 set in 1999) and well above the twenty-year average of 23,480. One new species was found on count day (a long-staying Cackling Goose) and American Pipit was detected during count week, bringing the all-time species list to 134. Two other count week species have already been observed (Snow Goose and Red-shouldered Hawk).
There are still a few counts to come in so some numbers (and species
count) will change.
Other unusual species: Lesser Scaup (3rd record), Peregrine Falcon
(4th records), Northern Shoveler (4th record), Gadwall (5th record),
Wilson’s Snipe (6th record), Barred Owl (8th record), Hermit Thrush (12th record), Northern Pintail (13th record), Field Sparrow (13th record), Green-winged Teal (14th record).
New highs: American Crow (14,156, previous high 8,271 in 2009),
Mallard (6045, previous high 4539 in 1999), Bufflehead (66, previous high 46 in 2011), Hooded Merganser (10, previous high 3 in 1998 and 2009), Northern Shoveler (9, previous high 4 in 2011), Lesser Scaup (4, previous high 1 in 1971 and 1996), Peregrine Falcon (2, previous high 1 in 3 years), Red-bellied Woodpecker (39, previous high 38 in 2010), Cooper’s Hawk (14, previous high 13 in 2008 and 2009).
Other high counts (20 year average): Barred Owl 2 (0.2), Bald Eagle 5 (2), Wild Turkey 191 (48), Iceland Gull 4 (1), Common Redpoll 326
(99), Northern Harrier 4 (1.5), Common Goldeneye 241 (104),
Red-breasted Nuthatch 51 (25), Green-winged Teal 2 (1), Great Blue Heron 19 (10),
Low counts (20 year average): Great black-backed Gull 1 (47), Horned Lark 3 (32), Cedar Waxwing 23 (144), Snow Bunting 60 (309), American Robin 33 (94), Rough-legged Hawk 2 (5), Purple Finch 2 (5), House Finch 182 (418), Great Horned Owl 3 (7), American Kestrel 4 (8).
Notable misses: Ruffed Grouse (not that unusual of a miss over the
last decade), Northern Shrike (first miss since 1979!).”
Here is a map showing the location of the Kitchener Christmas Bird Count: