Midland-Penetanguishene Field Naturalists

Results of the 2023 MPFN

Midland-Penetanguishene Field Naturalists

Christmas Bird Counts Updated for 2023        

Species, high count, years of high count, notable low counts, year of low count

1. Snow Goose – 1, 2015
2. Canada Goose – 1279, 2011
3. Mute Swan – 1, 1996, 1997, 2022
4. Trumpeter Swan – 153, 2022 12, 1996
5. Tundra Swan – 2, new species in 2023
6. Wood Duck – 1, 2006, 2015, 2023
7. Mallard – 469, 2006
8. American Black Duck – 25, 2021
9. Green-winged Teal – 2, 1988
10. Canvasback – 5, 1991
11. Redhead – 26, 2011
12. Ring-necked Duck – 17, 2021
13. Greater Scaup – 125, 2006
14. Lesser Scaup – 83, 2012
15. King Eider – 1, 2006
16. White-winged Scoter – 37, 1996
17. Long-tailed Duck – 25, 2021
18. Bufflehead – 227, 2006
19. Common Goldeneye – 1144, 1996
20. Hooded Merganser – 88, 2021
21. Common Merganser – 1352, 1998
22. Red-breasted Merganser – 104, 1998
23. Ruffed Grouse – 19, 1992
24. Wild Turkey – 344, 2007
25. Pied-billed Grebe – 1, 2017
26. Horned Grebe – 18, 2006
27. Red-necked Grebe – 15, 2006
28. Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) – 1063, 2022 55, 1989
29. Mourning Dove – 442, 2022 29, 1991
30. American Coot – 13, 1998
31. Wilson’s Snipe – 5, 1994
32. Bonaparte’s Gull – 59, 1997
33. Ring-billed Gull – 707, 2006
34. Herring Gull – 132, 1987
35. Lesser Black-backed Gull – 2, 2017
36. Glaucous Gull – 1, 1997
37. Great Black-backed Gull – 8, 2006
38. Tern Species – 1, 1998
39. Common Loon – 5, 2006
40. Black-capped Petrel – 1, 2001
41. Double-crested Cormorant – 3, 2006, 2022
42. Great Blue Heron – 3, 2006
43. Osprey – 1, 1996
44. Golden Eagle – 1, 2009
45. Northern Harrier – 8, 1998
46. Sharp-shinned Hawk – 3, 2000
47. Cooper’s Hawk – 3, 2005 & 2017, 2019, 2022
48. Northern Goshawk – 2, 1999, 2001, 2005 & 2012
49. Bald Eagle – 9, 2022
50. Red-shouldered Hawk – 1, 1996, 2002 & 2004
51. Broad-winged Hawk – 1, 2003
52. Red-tailed Hawk – 23, 2006
53. Rough-legged Hawk – 9, 1999
54. Great Horned Owl – 2, 1997
55. Snowy Owl – 5, 2014
56. Northern Hawk Owl – 1, 2000
57. Barred Owl – 2, 2019
58. Great Gray Owl – 1, 1992 & 2004
59. Short-eared Owl – 1, 1990
60. Northern Saw-whet Owl – 1, 1990
61. Belted Kingfisher – 3, 2023
62. Northern Flicker – 1. 2021, 2022
63. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker – 1, 2008 & 2017 &2021
64. Red-headed Woodpecker – 4, 2019
65. Red-bellied Woodpecker – 16, 2023
66. Black-backed Woodpecker – 1, 2001
67. Downy Woodpecker – 77, 2022 3, 2001
68. Hairy Woodpecker – 38, 2016 3, 1994
69. Pileated Woodpecker – 14, 2020
70. American Kestrel – 6, 1993
71. Merlin – 2, 2002
72. Gyrfalcon – 1, 2004
73. Northern Shrike – 6, 1994, 1995, 2007 & 2010
74. Blue Jay – 424, 2000 58, 1991
75. American Crow – 282, 2000 6, 1987
76. Common Raven – 57, 2004
77. Black-capped Chickadee – 798, 2004 171, 1987
78. Boreal Chickadee – 1, 2004
79. Horned Lark – 5, 2013
80. Golden-crowned Kinglet – 13, 2011
81. Red-breasted Nuthatch – 69, 2012
82. White-breasted Nuthatch – 94, 2022
83. Brown Creeper – 8, 2018
84. Carolina Wren – 1, 2010, 2023
85. European Starling – 1647, 2023 8, 1989
86. Eastern Bluebird – 3, 2009
87. American Robin – 39, 1998
88. Brown Thrasher – 1, 2023
89. Bohemian Waxwing – 332, 1999
90. Cedar Waxwing – 123, 1993
91. House Sparrow – 339, 1988 8, 2010
92. Evening Grosbeak – 273, 1987
93. Pine Grosbeak – 232, 1993
94. House Finch – 230, 2002
95. Purple Finch – 101, 2012
96. Common Redpoll – 704, 1997
97. Hoary Redpoll – 1, 1997 & 2012
98. Red Crossbill – 6, 1999
99. White-winged Crossbill – 81, 2008
100. Pine Siskin – 150, 1992
101. American Goldfinch – 431, 2023 12, 1987
102. Lapland Longspur – 1, 2013
103. Snow Bunting – 1865, 2013
104. Chipping Sparrow – 10, 2013
105. American Tree Sparrow – 143, 2002
106. Dark-eyed Junco – 304, 2022 1, 1987
107. White-throated Sparrow – 2, 2020
108. White-crowned Sparrow – 3, 2016
109. Song Sparrow – 5, 2010
110. Eastern Towhee – 1, 2000, 2002, 2004 & 2018
111. Red-winged Blackbird – 2, 2004, 2022
112. Brown-headed Cowbird – 1, 2003
113. Rusty Blackbird – 100, 2012
114. Common Grackle – 9, 1998
115. Northern Cardinal – 38, 2023 1, 1987

That’s 114 species plus 1 “spuh” (a bird that couldn’t be identified to the species level. An unidentified Tern species)

We also added 2 species as Count Week Birds – Virginia Rail (1) and Common Gallinule (1) 2023

8,348 individual birds; 2023 (63 species & 2 other taxa) total 65; 2022 6771 individual birds

2022 (58 species & 3 other taxa) total 61  2012 & 2021? (58 & 3 other taxa) total 61

Results of the 2022 MPFN

Christmas Bird Count and Christmas Party

The results are in!

This was the 123rd edition of the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count and the 36th year that our club, the Midland-Penetanguishene Field Naturalists, have organized the count locally.  Our first count was in 1980.  Our count circle was a little different from the current one in the years from 1980 to 1984.  There was a brief hiatus while things were reorganized.  Then the local count resumed in 1987, using the current circle centering on Wyebridge, and it has been run every year since then, Covid be damned!

Congratulations to our Count Coordinator David Schandlen for organizing another successful count.  I think David has lost track of the number of years he’s been doing this, but it’s been a long time!

Here’s a link to a Flickr album with photos of some of the birds that were seen on the count.  It also has photos of our Christmas Party/Count Wrap up at the Wye Marsh where we enjoyed a delicious meal provided by Frank and Jenn of Rooted Plant-based Eating Cafe in Midland.  Thanks to our club photographers Robert Codd, Deepthie Rajapakse and Ken MacDonald

MPFN Xmas Bird Count and Xmas Party Flickr Photo Album

Here are David’s  thoughts on the day: 

123rd Audubon Christmas Bird Count – December 17, 2022

The Audubon Christmas Bird Count 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.

On Saturday, December 17, 2022 the count was held in our area. The Midland Penetanguishene Field Naturalist Club organizes the count with 42 volunteers divided up into 17 areas.

These areas, which are consistent from year to year world wide, 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.

This day was overcast in the morning with the sun breaking out just before lunch and continuing throughout the afternoon. Temperature was between -2C and +2C. The wind was light to moderate with Georgian Bay open although several of the smaller bays (Midland Bay, Penetanguishene Bay, Tiffin Bay, Hogg Bay, Sturgeon Bay) were ice-covered.

The day was successful with 58 different species seen with a total count of 6,771 individual birds.   

You can view our count and the total count results from 1900 to the present at the Audubon website: http://netapp.audubon.org/CBCObservation/CurrentYear/ResultsByCount.aspx

Count code ONWM

We were able to have our wrap up catered dinner this year and raised $445 for the  Owl Foundation.

Thanks again to all who took part. Mark your calendars for next year Saturday December 16, 2023.

Dave Schandlen

MPFN 2021 Christmas Bird Count Final Results

The Audubon Christmas Bird Count 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.

On Saturday, December 18, 2021 the count was held in our area. The Midland Penetanguishene Field Naturalist Club organises the count with 36 volunteers divided up into 17 areas. These areas, which are consistent from year to year world wide, 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.

This day was overcast in the morning with snow beginning just before lunch and continuing throughout the afternoon. Temperature was between -5C and -2C. The wind was light to moderate with Georgian Bay open.

The day was successful with 61 different species seen with a total count of 4,601 individual birds. The most individual birds since 2012  and a tie for the record of our highest number of species (also from 2012).  

You can view our count and the total count results from 1900 to the present at the Audubon website: http://netapp.audubon.org/CBCObservation/CurrentYear/ResultsByCount.aspx

Count code ONWM

We were not able to have our wrap up pot luck this year (we zoomed instead) but may do something in June to continue our annual support for the McKeever Owl Foundation.

Mark your calendars for next year’s count Saturday December 17, 2022.

Thanks again to all who took part. 

Attached to this message is David’s count sheet with comparisons dating back to the 2002 count. 122nd Bird Count (10)

We had several new high counts for various species this year:

120 Trumpeter Swan – prev. high 92, 2004; 25 American Black Duck – prev. high 19, 2015; 17 Ring-necked Duck – prev. high 11, 2012; 25 Long-tailed Duck – prev. high 4, 2014;

88 Hooded Merganser – prev. high 69, 2011; 679 Rock Pigeons – prev. high 672, 2019; 10 Red-bellied Woodpecker – prev. high 9, 2016

1 species tied its previous high count: 1 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker – prev. high 1, 2008, 2017

And 1 new species, never seen on our local Xmas Bird Count before, was added to our count list: 1 Northern Flicker

Our species list for this count area over the years now stands at 112 (108 identified species plus 4 “spuhs” – birds that are only identifiable to genus level)

Both the Flicker and the Sapsucker have been visiting the same suet feeders in Penetanguishene.

We had several species on the count that are considered rarities by EBird for our location at that time of year – Redhead (reported by Paul Bell), Ring-necked Duck (reported by Wye Marsh Staff), Lesser Scaup (reported by Jim Charlebois, Wye Marsh Staff and Heather Gray-Toner), Horned Grebe (reported by Tim Tully), Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (reported by Garry Vangeldern) Northern Flicker (reported by Garry Vangelderen), Eastern Bluebird (reported by Paula Sheppard and Donna Lister)

The open water made it a good year for waterfowl with 17 species and 1 spuh (duck species) recorded. 

Here are the complete count numbers: 

58 Species observed +3 other taxa (species identifiable only to genus level) 4,601 individuals

MPFN 2020 Christmas Bird Count Final Results

Christmas Bird Count 2020 Preliminary Results