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--=====================_21653593==.ALT Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Winter Birding in Canada - 2009-10 - Final Summary 14 March 2010 The birding this past winter season in Canada was=20 less exciting than normal. With two exceptions=20 (see Manitoba and Quebec, below) every province=20 recorded winter season species totals that were=20 lower than average. Here are some possible reasons for this: - The active El Nino circulation in the=20 Pacific caused Canada to experience its warmest=20 and driest winter since 1948. Precipitation was=20 down by nearly 25%, and the average temperatures=20 were 4 degrees Celsius above normal. The Arctic had its warmest winter= ever. - Wild food was easier for birds to access,=20 and most feeder-watchers reported less activity at their feeding stations. - There were few irruptions of northern owls and finches. - Though twitchers did have good birds to=20 chase, there were not as many rarities as a typical winter. - The first day of the winter birding=20 season, Dec. 1, fell on a Monday, which meant=20 that, in most areas, the concerted search for=20 winter birds did not begin until the first=20 Saturday of December, six days into the winter=20 season, by which time an early cold snap had=20 pushed waterfowl further south, and likely=20 removed many =93half-hard autumn lingerers=94. - The first day of the Christmas Bird Count=20 period also fell on a Monday, which meant that=20 most counts were held later in December than is=20 usual, reducing the number of species recorded. Here are the links to the Winter Birding web=20 pages for all ten Canadian provinces, as well as=20 the French islands of Saint-Pierre et Michelon, and the country of Iceland. PROVINCES FROM EAST TO WEST: Newfoundland and Labrador: http://tinyurl.com/2jqo5p 129 species. Highlights: Northern Lapwing (3=20 separate birds); Yellow-legged Gull (2);=20 Slaty-backed Gull; +++ Ivory Gulls; White-winged=20 Dove (1st winter record); Redwing. There were sufficient gaps between winter storms=20 to allow Newfoundland birders to locate a good=20 variety of rare and regular species, though=20 slightly fewer than in recent years. The=20 province continues to offer superb gull watching=20 in the St. John=92s area, but that may change soon,=20 and there are plans to stop pumping sewage in the=20 harbour. And rumours are floating about that=20 authorities might consider changing landfill=20 practices at the famous St. John=92s garbage=20 dump. Both actions make sense environmentally,=20 but would cause much anguish to gull-watchers. Nova Scotia: http://tinyurl.com/nswinter 181 species. (average =3D 195). Highlights: Red=20 Phalarope (3rd winter record); Empidomax=20 flycatcher sp.; Prairie Warbler (2nd winter=20 record); Spotted Towhee (1st winter record, 2nd=20 provincial record). Big Misses: Northern Fulmar,=20 Spruce Grouse (resident), Red Knot, White-crowned Sparrow. We=92ve been keeping track of Nova Scotia=92s winter=20 birds since 1996, and the total this past winter=20 tied the lowest previous total, set in=20 1998/99. Almost every observer was complaining=20 about the scarcity of birds. The mood was glum. Prince Edward Island: http://tinyurl.com/peiwinter 107 species (average =3D 113). Highlights: Cattle=20 Egret (2nd winter record); Broad-winged Hawk (2nd=20 winter record); Black-legged Kittiwake (1st=20 winter record). Big Misses: Sharp-tailed Grouse (resident, introduced). A soft winter made it hard to find winter=20 specialties, and kept the province=92s total below the long-term average. New Brunswick: http://tinyurl.com/nbwinter (updated 12 Feb) 151 species (average =3D 162). Highlights:=20 Virginia Rail (1st winter record); Marsh Wren=20 (2nd winter record); Ovenbird (2nd winter=20 record); Lark Sparrow (2nd winter record). Big=20 Misses: Wilson=92s Snipe; Carolina Wren; American Pipit. A dearth of rarities kept the province=92s total=20 well below the long-term average. Quebec: http://tinyurl.com/qcwinter 178 species (10 year average =3D 166, not including=20 exotics). Highlights: Pacific Loon (1st winter=20 record); Great Egret (2nd winter record); Black=20 Vulture (1st winter record); Barnacle Goose (1st=20 winter record); Rock Ptarmigan (1st winter=20 record); Arctic Tern (1st winter record);=20 White-winged Dove (1st winter record); Blue-gray=20 Gnatcatcher (1st winter record). Quebec birders took advantage of the mild winter=20 to really explore their large province, and ended=20 up with one of their highest totals to=20 date. They added seven species to their 10-year cumulative winter list. Ontario: http://tinyurl.com/onwinter 191 species. Highlights: Barnacle Goose (2nd=20 winter record); Yellow-billed Loon (2nd winter=20 record); Black-tailed Gull (2nd winter record);=20 Ivory Gull; Phainopepla (2nd provincial and=20 Canadian record, 1st Canadian winter record);=20 Northern Waterthrush (2nd winter record). Big=20 Misses: Eurasian Wigeon; Yellow-headed Blackbird. The province had fewer species than the previous=20 two winters, but managed to surpass the Nova=20 Scotia total for the first time. The Phainopepla=20 took pride of place, of course, and attracted many admirers. Manitoba: http://tinyurl.com/mbwinter 109 species (average =3D 99). Highlights: Wood=20 Duck (2nd winter record); Greater Scaup (1st=20 winter record); Common Loon (2nd winter record);=20 Western Grebe (1st winter record); Sora (1st=20 winter record); Thayer=92s Gull (1st winter=20 record); Lincoln=92s Sparrow (2nd winter record);=20 Swamp Sparrow (2nd winter record); Yellow-headed=20 Blackbird (2nd winter record); Brambling (1st=20 winter record; 2nd provincial record). Manitoba birders pulled out all the stops in the=20 first few days of December, and their diligence=20 was rewarded when they achieved the highest total=20 since they started keeping records nine years=20 ago. And equally as important =96 for the first=20 time they bettered the total of their provincial rival, Saskatchewan. Saskatchewan: http://tinyurl.com/skwinter 100 species (average =3D 111) - Highlights: Wood=20 Duck (1st winter record); Sandhill Crane (2nd=20 winter record); Rustic Bunting (1st provincial=20 record, 2nd Canadian record); Rose-breasted=20 Grosbeak (2nd winter record); Baltimore Oriole=20 (1st winter record). Big Miss: American Three-toed Woodpecker Perhaps if Saskatchewan birders knew how=20 determined their Manitoba neighbours were they=20 might have pushed harder in the first days of=20 December. But, alas, they didn=92t, and struggled=20 to reach 100 species, the lowest total since they=20 started winter listing 8 years ago. But there=20 was a great consolation prize in one of the=20 rarest birds across the country this winter. Alberta: http://tinyurl.com/abwinter 136 species (average =3D 142). Highlights: Cape=20 May Warbler (3rd winter record); Green-tailed=20 Towhee (1st Canadian winter record); Lincoln=92