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Tuesday, January 6, 2004
The strange weather continues! The last Christmas Bird Count of the 2003-2004 period was held around the St. Clair National Wildlife Area on January 3. Unseasonably mild weather previous to the count left all bodies of water unfrozen – a rare sight for this count.The St. Clair Count relies heavily on waterfowl and water-oriented birds, and the count totals proved it. Record high numbers of ducks were seen, including a massive flock of about 50,000 off Mitchell Bay. Twenty species of ducks were seen, not including a Blue-winged Teal seen two days before the count.
I worked St. Luke's Marsh area and spotted the only Ruddy Ducks (2), plus a Green-winged Teal. We briefly spotted 2 Marsh Wrens too.
Several new record highs were set, including 40 White-crowned Sparrows. Mute Swans were a record high (well over the 168 seen in 2002) – an unwelcome sign. These aggressive European imports displace native fowl. As well, large numbers of Tundra Swans were seen.
New for the count was a Lincoln's Sparrow – very rare in the winter, and a White-winged Scoter (near Mitchell Bay).
Total species seen on count day was 91. This was unbelievable, and shattered the old record of 82 from 1999. The warm weather no doubt left its mark.
Noteworthy during the day were sightings of reptiles and amphibians. Three species of frogs and one snake were seen. Who would have thought of that on January 3? Our party had a Leopard Frog, as well as a Green Frog. Another counter had Cricket Frogs singing! Yet another party sighted a Garter Snake. We also saw signs of a beaver in St. Lukeís.
