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Daily News, Sunday, Dec. 23, 2007
COLUMNS
Last updated at 7:00 AM on 23/12/07
Early bird-count data shows excellent variety
CLARENCE STEVENS
The Daily News
Although it will be a few weeks yet before the information gathered during
the Halifax-Dartmouth Christmas Bird Count is correlated and tabulated, the
preliminary data is in. Currently, the total number of birds identified
stands at 115 species, which is very close to the average number seen most
years. This is despite the fact that a snowstorm forced nearly all of the
hundred-plus participants out of the field by early afternoon. The day might
have been short, but an excellent selection of birds were dug up by birders
all over the greater metro area.
This year's count has been one of the coldest in recent years, so it
wasinteresting to see how the weather was reflected in the types and number
of birds seen. The number and variety of the more northern species were up,
meaning Arctic species such as common redpolls and snow buntings were seen
frequently. An added bonus was the count's first ever record of hoary
redpolls. Two were identified in Dartmouth; one in the north-end with a
flock of eight common redpolls, and another traveling with a flock of five
common redpolls at the Nova Scotia Hospital. Just days before the count, a
hoary redpoll was observed near Seaview Park. Also present was the northern
shrike, reported from Dartmouth, and at the Dingle in Halifax.
Another first for the Halifax- Dartmouth count was a Virginia rail. These
marsh-dwellers were regularly recorded on the old Halifax West and Halifax
East Counts back in the 1970s and 1980s. Back then, it is believed that
colder weather froze up most of the marshlands, forcing the rails toward the
edges of ponds and streams. In recent years, the rails were most likely
still here, but hidden in the more open marshes of this decade.
Once again this year, the data shows the peregrine falcon population
continues in its recovery, with an amazing documentation of four falcons,
one at Conrads Beach, one in Dartmouth and two in downtown Halifax. Another
hawk highlight was a sighting of a Cooper's hawk at Rainbow Haven, only our
second record for the count.
Rare waterfowl included an Atlantic puffin at Chebucto Head, twoBarrow's
goldeneye at Tufts Cove, an Eurasian wigeon in Dartmouth and another in the
Little Salmon River. The rarest species of the count was a Townsend's
solitaire, so it was very surprising that two of these birds were observed,
one at Bell Lake and the other in Portuguese Cove. Other highlights included
a northern mockingbird in Portuguese Cove, a Carolina wren in Herring Cove,
a lesser black-backed gull along the Halifax Harbour, a brown thrasher near
Bisset Lake, 11 house finches in the south-end of Halifax, two red-bellied
woodpeckers in Halifax, three yellow-breasted chats, one in Halifax and two
in Dartmouth and five pine warblers scattered throughout the city.
dnbirder@yahoo.ca
Clarence Stevens is the author of Birding Metro Halifax and operates Natural
Wonders, a company specializing in nature walks and workshops for all ages.
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