2022 Christmas Bird Count

Jan 18, 2023

Mild temperatures, partly-sunny skies, not-too-deep snow, and open water on Saturday, December 17 made for an enjoyable day outdoors, for participants in the 2002 Christmas Bird Count in Frontenac County.

As one surveyor summarized, “the dove-grey, then blue, then dark junco-grey made for lovely vistas!”

The field crew of only 29 field surveyors was the lowest in years but 17 feeder-watchers was among hte highest participation for the stationary count.

“Many thanks to everyone who counted birds! Together we tallied 2,603 individuals from 45 species.

“We also wish a swift recovery to the dedicated participants of past years who unfortunately fell ill (darn COVID!), broke their ankle, or were facing other physical pain that didn’t permit them to engage in this year’s survey. You were missed!” said Carolyn Bonta, Bird Count organiser.

“In 2023 we hope to offer the educational and social events that once made the Frontenac CBC unique in our rural area. Encourage family, friends, and neighbours to participate as field surveyors or feeder-watchers.”

Initiated in 1900, Christmas Bird Counts are the longest-running Citizen Science project in North America.

Similar to 2021, most surveyors perceived a general absence of birds.

One field surveyor even wrote “Not many birds out today. For a while we thought we would have to hand in a complete checklist of 1 American Crow!”

The per-capita number of birds was, at 56.6 birds counted per participant, lower than the running average but diversity was not. Four new species were added to the Frontenac CBC list, two each from Teams 1 & 13. This brings the species list for the Frontenac CBC up to a 85 species!

With many lakes still open, waterfowl numbers and diversity were high.

“Although siskins were absent and redpolls were scarce, Evening Grosbeaks were reported by several surveyors and Pine Grosbeak made an appearance. Starling numbers were up, while junco and goldfinch numbers were down. Red-bellied Woodpecker, which was absent in the first year of the Frontenac CBC (2015) has steadily increased in numbers and this year was double the count of the past two years,” said Bonta

Notably absent this year were Brown Creeper, Winter Wren, and Golden-crowned Kinglet. Also on the “miss” side of the hit-and-miss scale were Snow Buntings, Cedar Waxwing, and Northern Shrike.

For more information about the Christmas Bird County, go to www.birdscanada.org/volunteer/cbc/.