The temperature at dawn Jan. 3 was a brisk 8 degrees; the afternoon warmed to the 20s with wind. The forecast snowfall started at about dusk and continued for the whole next day. There was about 2 feet of snow on the ground. It was a pleasant winter day.
This date was chosen for the Carlton County Christmas Bird Count after being postponed from Dec. 22. Thirteen energetic and interested local birders in nine groups went into the count circle area.
Christmas Bird Counts have been going on in this country for about 120 years. Ours is in its 35th year.
To be consistent, the same area is covered each time. The circle is defined by a radius of 7.5 miles. The nature observers spent the day in different parts of the circle recording any bird seen, species and number.
Though called a “Christmas Bird Count,” it is not associated with Christmas. The count can take place anytime from mid-December to the first week of January. It could also be called the “Winter Bird Count.”
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The observation of birds could be done by sitting and watching bird feeders or driving through the region. Others will walk, ski or snowshoe to get back into the woods and see birds that may not get to feeders.
When all this observing and recording is done, the totals are tabulated at the end of the day. Also, birds that were noted during the three days preceding count day and three days after count day are added as “count week.”
The purpose of the count is to get a view of the birds that will spend the winter with us. The counted birds may include many that live here all year. These permanent residents do not migrate. They include chickadees, nuthatches, blue jays, woodpeckers, crows and ravens. Other birds are migrants from further north. This is their southern range. A few birds are migrants that are heading further south. Taking this inventory can also let us know of changing bird trends.
The number of species for our count has typically settled to be about 30 species for each year. This year, the trend continued with 32 species recorded. This includes 29 kinds on count day and another three during count week.
The total list of birds noted on count day:
- Common goldeneye duck, 3 (in open waters of the St. Louis River);
- Ruffed grouse, 4;
- Wild turkey, 65;
- Rock pigeon; 299;
- Mourning dove, 15;
- Bald eagle, 7;
- Rough-legged hawk, 1;
- Barred owl, 1;
- Red-bellied woodpecker, 17;
- Downy woodpecker, 35;
- Hairy woodpecker, 43;
- Pileated woodpecker, 23;
- Northern shrike, 3;
- Blue jay, 127;
- American crow, 146;
- Common raven, 93;
- Black-capped chickadee, 496;
- Red-breasted nuthatch, 46;
- White-breasted nuthatch, 44;
- European starling, 72;
- Cedar waxwing, 25;
- House sparrow, 2;
- Evening grosbeak, 13;
- Pine grosbeak, 172;
- Common redpoll, 8;
- American goldfinch, 83;
- Dark-eyed junco, 1;
- Northern cardinal, 11;
- Red-winged blackbird, 1.
Added to this list are the birds recorded during count week: great horned owl, purple finch and snow buntings.
This list includes one aquatic, two gallinaceous (game birds), four raptors and 25 passerines (songbirds). Most of the birds were not different from the expected, but one recorded is seen much less often: the red-winged blackbird.
Red-winged blackbirds are very common breeding residents in the county, but quite unusual in winter.
The most abundant species seen was no surprise. The sightings of black-capped chickadees were more than any other kind of bird, as they have been for years.
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It’s good to take a day to see what birds that will winter with us here.
The Trust Project
