Hamilton Fall Bird Count 2007
by Bill Lamond

The 34th annual Hamilton Fall Bird Count (HFBC) was conducted on 4 November 2007. Temperatures were seasonal and winds were light to moderate, and with a variably cloudy sky, conditions were excellent for bird finding. Thus we ended up with a total of 137 species in 2007 which is about eight species above the all-time average of 129.3 although only about three species above the "last 15 year" average of 134.6.

There were nine "significant species" There were nine "significant species" observed this year (recorded on 20% or fewer counts). The undisputed highlight of the count was the Swainson's Hawk seen by Barb Charlton near Peters Corners. This Ontario rarity is a first count record and the latest Hamilton record ever. The other significant species were Cackling Goose (2), Cattle Egret (2), & Eared Grebe (2nd count records); King Eider, Great Egret & Common Raven (4) (4th count records); Sandhill Crane (6th count record); and Bohemian Waxwing (6) (7th count record and first record in 10 years). Common Raven was seen by 3 separate parties and this species will likely become annual on fall counts. Similarly, Sandhill Crane is on the increase and this species will likely fall off the significant list, although surprisingly it is the first record of this species since 1999. Notable species usually seen on about 1/3 of counts and tallied in 2007 include Harlequin Duck, Osprey, Golden Eagle, Lesser Black-backed Gull, House Wren, Marsh Wren and Common Redpoll. Other notables usually seen on about ½ of counts and observed this year include Brant, Northern Saw-whet Owl (2), Eastern Phoebe (3), Tufted Titmouse (5), and Nashville Warbler. In 2007 there were five species that were recorded as count-period birds only. Count-period birds are seen in the Hamilton Study Area (HSA) either the day before or the day after the count but not on count day. The count-period birds this year were high quality. One species would have been new for the count (Ross's Goose) and two species would have been second count records (Barrow's Goldeneye and Barred Owl).

Several species were seen in unusually high numbers this year. In fact 22 species had record-high counts this year. This was most notable in woodpeckers. Three species were record-high and additionally Downy Woodpecker was very close to being record-high. Red-bellied Woodpecker numbers were simply incredible. Numbers in 2007 were 120, 42% higher than the record-high count in 2006. This species is now more common locally than Hairy Woodpecker. However, its distribution in the HSA is uneven. It is most common in the SE quadrant of the circle and least common in the NE quadrant. Now some may wonder if this rapid increase is at the expense of another woodpecker species. Red-headed Woodpecker comes to mind as Red-headed Woodpecker has all but vanished from the HSA. However, most of the increase in Red-bellied Woodpecker has come after the decline of the Red-headed Woodpecker. And if you think the Hairy Woodpecker may be affected, know that Hairy Woodpecker was at record-high levels this year as well. The other woodpecker in record-high numbers was Pileated Woodpecker. Possibly there are many more dying trees in woodlots that are providing more food and potential nest sites. Possibly it is a function of increased count effort (party-hours) which I will discuss below. In any event it is good news, tempered by the fact that Red-headed Woodpecker has not been recorded on the fall count since 1999. Both Sharp-shinned and Cooper's Hawks were record-high this year. It seems hard to believe, but in the first 10 years of the HFBC, Cooper's Hawk was missed every other year and averaged two/count. Now, it is hard to imagine missing Cooper's Hawk on a count and numbers in the past 10 years have averaged about 17/count. This species like many other raptor species has definitely increased in the last several years. It was good to see Pied-billed Grebe numbers at record-high levels this year, well above the previous high. Maybe this reflects stable populations for this wetland nester. Also encouraging were good numbers of both American Coot and Wilson's Snipe, species which have exhibited much lower totals on recent counts.

The "big miss" for the count was American Woodcock which was missed for only the second time. Other misses include Ring-necked Pheasant, Field Sparrow and Eastern Meadowlark, although all three of these species are declining and thus can no longer be considered as expected species. The local situation for Ruffed Grouse is still grim. Once again we recorded only one individual. If this species numbers are cyclical in the HSA, it has been at the bottom of the cycle for several years now. However, Wild Turkey numbers are still growing with another record-high count this year, about 100% higher than last years record-high count. No one can deny that the reintroduction of this magnificent species is a good-news story.

Shorebird diversity was the worst ever this year with only six species observed. This is kind of perplexing as apparently suitable habitat exists, as witnessed by the huge mudflats at Cootes Paradise, Mountsberg Reservoir and Rattray Marsh, and the mild weather this fall should have encouraged birds to linger. I guess it speaks to the decline in almost all shorebird species. Also warbler and sparrow diversity in 2007 was low and this, along with the poor shorebird showing, kept the 2007 count out of the 140s and well away from any kind of record. One observer thought that "a lot of birds left the week before [the count] due to the cool clear nights".

This was the best year ever for raptor diversity. It really can't get much better. There were 15 species observed, although I'm old school and include Turkey Vulture here. In two other years, 1991 & 2000, 14 species were observed. It was also the best year in several for finch diversity (six species). We had our first count record of Evening Grosbeak since 2001, an unprecedented drought, although this species has experienced a serious decline in the eastern half of the continent.

This will be the first year that we can start to "officially" count Trumpeter Swans in the fall count total. The organizers of the Trumpeter Swan reintroduction program have recently submitted a report to CWS and MNR indicating that the goals of their program have been met and that the southern Ontario sub-population (which is part of a larger Great Lakes population) are now self-sustaining and increasing without further releases. A further report on the entire population has been submitted to the USFWS with the same conclusions. The Ontario Bird Records Committee recently voted to include Trumpeter Swan as a breeding species on the Ontario checklist. While the OBRC is not the body to be concerned about the "countability" of recent reintroduced species on local checklists, this action by OBRC would seem to clear the way for local bird records committees/checklist compilers to do so. So there is really no point in not officially including it on the count at this point.

Lastly I have to discuss the count effort this year. We had a record-high number of observers in 2007 at 133. The previous high was 124 in 2005. Similarly, the 66 parties bested the previous high of 56 in 2006 by a wide margin and a record number of party hours at 425.6 was well above the previous high of 379.7 also in 2006. Thus we had a substantial increase in effort this year and no doubt this is the explanation for record-high counts of species such as Black-capped Chickadee, Northern Cardinal and American Goldfinch and possibly Hairy Woodpecker. For other species with record-high totals this year the reasons are not as clear. For instance the 417 White-breasted Nuthatchs counted in 2007 was 34% higher than any previous count. No doubt the count effort contributed to these numbers but surely other factors were involved, including perhaps a movement of this species from the north into the HSA.

Correction to 2006 Count: The totals published in the 2006 fall count summary reversed the totals for Rock Pigeon and Mourning Dove. The correct total for Mourning Dove in 2006 was 3,106, a record count, besting the previous high in 2003 of 2,843. The correct total for Rock Pigeon in 2006 was 2,662, a record count, surpassing the previous high of 2,572 in 1991.

2007 RESULTS

Area Covered: Selected areas within a 40.2km radius of Dundurn Castle, Hamilton, Ontario (Hamilton Study Area-HSA) including: the Lake Ontario shoreline from Port Credit to Beamsville; the Conservation Areas of Berry, Binbrook, Burns, Christie, Felker's Falls, Fifty Point, Mountsberg, Valens, Dundas Valley, and Spencer Gorge; Islay, Puslinch, Mohawk and Dunmark Lakes; Scotch Block Reservoir; Bronte Creek P.P.; Cootes Paradise; Woodland & Holy Sepulcher Cemeteries; Kings Forest; Esquesing and Frank Tracts; Bronte, Rattray, Middletown and Van Wagners Marshes; Vanderliek Farm Pond; Courtcliff Park; Rock Chapel Sanctuary; Gage Park, Lion's Valley Park, Waterworks Park; Joe Sams Park; Shell Park; Green Lane Wetland; Brantford and Tom Howe (Hagersville) Landfills; Beverly Swamp; Hamilton Harbour; Windermere Basin; Mill, Milton Town & Tollgate Ponds; Smithville, Grimsby and Cainsville Sewage Ponds; Borers, Spring Valley, Stoney, Bronte, and Oakville Creek ravines; Red Hill, Dundas and Hendrie Valleys; and the Grand River from Cayuga to Cambridge.

Sunday, November 4, 2007: 2:45am-5:30pm. Weather: Temperature 2 C at dawn to a high varying from 9-12 C. Partly to mostly overcast in the morning, becoming mostly sunny later in the day. No precipitation. Visibility at Lake Ontario good. Winds very light at dawn, increasing to 15km/hr, WNW in the afternoon. 133 observers in 66 parties. Total party hours: 425.6.

Species: Underlined totals represent record-high numbers, except when indicated as record-low. Numbers in brackets following underlined totals give the previous high (or low) count and the year(s). Underlined species require documentation for the Hamilton Bird Records Committee either as date or geographic rarities (see Date Guide to the Birds of the Hamilton Area). Species in bold require documentation to the OBRC.

Brant 1; Canada Goose 13,687 (13,071-02); Mute Swan 139; Trumpeter Swan 52 (33-06)(now officially counted); Tundra Swan 32; Wood Duck 78; Gadwall 303; American Wigeon 304; American Black Duck 389; Mallard 5,716; Blue-winged Teal 3; Northern Shoveler 133; Northern Pintail 87; Green-winged Teal 895; Canvasback 17; Redhead 93; Ring-necked Duck 708; Lesser Scaup 597; Greater Scaup 1,702; King Eider 1; Harlequin Duck 1; Surf Scoter 274; White-winged Scoter 807; Black Scoter 125; Oldsquaw (Long-tailed Duck) 105,432 (102,837-06); Bufflehead 1,068; Common Goldeneye 160; Barrow's X Common Goldeneye 1 (hybrid); Hooded Merganser 307; Common Merganser 129; Red-breasted Merganser 3,380; Ruddy Duck 491; Ruffed Grouse 1 (low) (1-92,01,04,06); Wild Turkey 94 (47-06); Red-throated Loon 18; Common Loon 28; Pied-billed Grebe 46 (32-96); Horned Grebe 27; Red-necked Grebe 50; Eared Grebe 1; Double-crested Cormorant 675 (542-02); Great Blue Heron 145 (123-97); Great Egret 1; Cattle Egret 2 (BCh); Black-crowned Night-Heron 7; Turkey Vulture 116; Osprey 3 (3-98); Bald Eagle 4 (4-96,05,06); Northern Harrier 19; Sharp-shinned Hawk 38 (31-00); Cooper's Hawk 40 (22-04); Northern Goshawk 2; Swainson's Hawk 1 (BCh); Red-tailed Hawk 493; Rough-legged Hawk 10; Golden Eagle 1; American Kestrel 51; Merlin 7; Peregrine Falcon 5; American Coot 1,250; Sandhill Crane 2; Killdeer 154; Greater Yellowlegs 27; Lesser Yellowlegs 14; Pectoral Sandpiper 3; Dunlin 4; Wilson's Snipe 43; Jaeger sp. 1; Bonaparte's Gull 22; Ring-billed Gull 16,115; Herring Gull 980; Lesser Black-backed Gull 1; Great Black-backed Gull 37; Rock Pigeon 3,433 (2,662-06); Mourning Dove 2,318; Eastern Screech-Owl 23; Great Horned Owl 8; Long-eared Owl 1; Northern Saw-whet Owl 2; Belted Kingfisher 28; Red-bellied Woodpecker 120 (84-06); Downy Woodpecker 331; Hairy Woodpecker 98 (81-06); Northern Flicker 19; Pileated Woodpecker 12 (12-06); Eastern Phoebe 3; Northern Shrike 20; Blue Jay 1,127; American Crow 2,635; Common Raven 4; Horned Lark 183; Black-capped Chickadee 2,673 (2,301-01); Tufted Titmouse 5; Red-breasted Nuthatch 89 (89-00); White-breasted Nuthatch 417 (312-99); Brown Creeper 45; Carolina Wren 40 (37-05); House Wren 1; Winter Wren 23; Marsh Wren 1; Golden-crowned Kinglet 153; Ruby-crowned Kinglet 34; Eastern Bluebird 195; Hermit Thrush 8; American Robin 2,098; Gray Catbird 1; Northern Mockingbird 71 (70-06); European Starling 43,771; American Pipit 299; Bohemian Waxwing 6; Cedar Waxwing 1,565; Nashville Warbler 1; Yellow-rumped Warbler 23; Common Yellowthroat 1; Eastern Towhee 1; American Tree Sparrow 1,054; Chipping Sparrow 1; Fox Sparrow 73; Song Sparrow 110; Swamp Sparrow 17; White-throated Sparrow 177; White-crowned Sparrow 30; Dark-eyed Junco 2,548; Snow Bunting 583; Northern Cardinal 708 (649-06); Red-winged Blackbird 8,897; Rusty Blackbird 237; Common Grackle 1,771; Brown-headed Cowbird 506; Purple Finch 29; House Finch 662; Common Redpoll 114; Pine Siskin 37; American Goldfinch 2,164 (2,153-04); Evening Grosbeak 33; House Sparrow 2,204.

Totals: 137 species + one hybrid; 243,163 individuals.

Count Period Birds (seen day before or day after count but not on count day): Snow Goose, Ross's Goose, Barrow's Goldeneye, Hooded Merganser X Common Goldeneye 1 (hybrid); Barred Owl, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher./p>

Observers: Brian Ahara, Manley Baarda, Don Barnet, Glenn Barrett, Kim Barrett, Glenn Barnett, Sandra Bateman, Peter Booker, Hazel Broker, Duane Brown, Fran Bullock, Wayne Bullock, Jim Burrell, Ken Burrell, Mike Burrell, Mike Cadman, Ezra Campanelli, Giovanni Campanelli, Lorenzo Campanelli, Barb Charlton, Michael Clark, Dave Cole, Mark Cranford, Bill Crins, Carol Crok, Tom Crooks, Martin Daly, Ken Dance, Sandy Darling, James Dayton, Donna DeBruin, Marco DeBruin, Rob Dobos, Gerry Doekes, Dave Don, Dave Donn, Jim Dowall, Chris Duff, Cheryl Edgecombe, Gavin Edmonstone, Kathy Ellis, Lois Evans, Luc Fazio, Leslie Flemming, Randy Fowler, Mike Freeman, Julie Frey, Denys Gardiner, Sharon Gardiner, Fraser Gibson, Jeff Gilbreath, Dave Giles, Alex Gray, Jerry Guenther, Jane Hamilton, Andy Hampton, John Hannah, Jim Heslop, Brandon Holden, George Holland, Frank Horvath, Sandra Horvath, Mark Jennings, John Keenleyside, Tim King, Robin Kirby, Ruth Kroft, Bill Lamond (Compiler), Joyce Lechasseur, Gord Lewer, Dennis Lewington, Gwen Lewington, Julie Liptak, Rick Ludkin, Ron Luft, Bruce Mackenzie, Stuart Mackenzie, Arlene McCaw, Jim McCaw, Sheldon McGregor, Brian McHattie, Bill McIlveen, Kevin McLaughlin, Don McLean, Charlene McNaughton, Gerard McNaughton, Jason Miller, George Naylor, George Meyers, Glenn Mockford, Brad Novoselac, Owen Novoselac, Rose Petersen, Christine Phillips, Ron Pittaway, Brian Pomfret, Mary Pomfret, Norm Pomfret, George Pond, Jim Pringle, Lauren Rae, Bill Read, Ian Richards, Mike Rowlands, Kayo Roy, Alf Senior, Donna Sheppard, George Simms, Joan Simms, Bill Smith, Ian Smith, Nancy Smith, Paul Smith, Larry Staniforth, Mike Street, John Struger, Neil Taylor, Tom Thomas, Marina van Twest, Rohan van Twest, Liz Visentin, Rob Waldhuber, Jim Watt, Reinder Westerhoff, Angie Williams, Ken Williams, Don Wills, Bill Wilson, Dave Wood, Eleanor Wood, Brett Woodman, Bryan Wyatt, Brian Wylie. (Hamilton Naturalists' Club, Kitchener-Waterloo Field Naturalists, South-Peel Naturalists' Club, Guelph Field Naturalists).

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