Christmas Bird Count: Field report from the 1000 Islands

Winter Wren (Troglodytes hiemalis)

Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)

Ruby-crowned kinglet (Regulus calendula)

[A special field report from Josh Van Weiren, Park Ecologist / Ecosystem Scientist, Thousand Islands National Park]

Thanks again to all that attended this years 1000 Islands Christmas Bird Count!

We had a great turnout (~20 active participants and 3 feeder watchers) and found some interesting species in this unusually warm year. Thanks to those that helped cover additional ground this year with long hikes through 1000 Islands National Park properties on Hill Island and Landon Bay!  I've attached an excel sheet with our observations (broken into sample units if you're interested), otherwise a quick summary of our results is found below:

• 59 total species (avg=56.  highest count since 2010)
• 5501 total birds (avg=6774.  Low duck numbers dragged the total down this year)

Highs:

• Mute Swan (26 - Highest count on record)
• Trumpeter Swan (66 - Highest count on record)
• Common Raven (38 - Highest count on record (by 8))
• Red-bellied Woodpecker (7 - 2nd highest count on record) -- pictured above
• Pileated Woodpecker (20 - 2nd highest count on record)
• Winter Wren (2nd record ever) -- pictured above
• Ruby-crowned kinglet (4th record ever) -- pictured above

Lows:

• Red-breasted Nuthatch (1 - Lowest count on record)
• Snow Bunting (0 - First time they were not observed during this count)
• American Tree Sparrow (34 - 3rd lowest count on record)
• Bufflehead (2)
• Common Goldeneye (51, average 417.  Of note, this was the 4th consecutive year this species was well below the average for this count)
• Common Merganser (57, average 1190)

To learn more about the Christmas Bird Count (CBC):

• In Ontario, visit Bird Studies Canada's CBC website
  
• In New York, visit Audubon's CBC website