Every December, the community of Balmoral comes alive with a cherished tradition that brings friends and neighbors together: the Christmas Bird Count.
The tradition of counting birds with the help of friends and neighbours is part of a growing network of Bird Counts that started in North America in 1900. Humans and birds alike enjoyed a relatively warmer but overcast and windy day during this year’s count, which occurred on Dec. 21.
An impressive 42 volunteers helped including Ayomide and Charlene Berkvens, Pauline Bloom, Tim Byers, Dave and Emmy Byle, Laura Cliff, Sue Cosens, Jim and Patsy Duncan, Pat Jeffery, Anne Kroeker, Gary Lacoste, Diane and Donnie Larson, Al and Cindy Louer, Bob and Terry Makowski, Kim Meyers, Carol and John Morgan, Doyle, Quinn, and Shawna Nugent, Geoff and Jannell Plouffe, Gerry and Maureen Recksiedler, Andrew Robert, Jim and Johanna Roger, Don Sexton, Merlin Shoesmith, Stuart Slattery, Helen Slavuta, Emily Thoroski, Hilary and Luc Versavel, Glen and Sherry Weaver, and Allan Webb.
A total of 1,347 individual birds (27 species) were counted including 369 Snow Buntings, 178 Black-capped Chickadees, 153 Common Ravens, 92 House Sparrows, 89 Blue Jays, 72 Gray Partridge, 63 Rock Pigeons, 59 Sharp-tailed Grouse, 35 House Finches, 34 White-breasted Nuthatches, 30 Dark-eyed Juncos, 30 Purple Finches, 28 Downy Woodpeckers, 21 Hairy Woodpeckers, 18 Black-billed Magpies, 18 American Crows, 16 Common Redpolls, 11 Pine Grosbeaks, 5 Pileated Woodpeckers, 5 Ruffed Grouse, 5 Red-breasted Nuthatches, 4 unidentified Corvids, 3 Bald Eagles, 3 Horned Larks, 2 European Starlings, 2 Collared Doves, 1 Snowy Owl, and 1 Great Horned Owl. During the count week, an American Robin was also spotted.
One of the benefits of long-term monitoring is the ability to detect changes in bird numbers and distribution over the years, which may be affected by climate change. The Blue Jay is a regularly detected bird, especially at bird feeders throughout the count, adding a splash of blue to our red and green holiday colours. Blue Jay family groups often overwinter in our yards where they nest, but some of them migrate south to avoid winter. The data from our count suggests that while the wintering population fluctuates yearly, the long-term trend is stable and may even increase slightly.
Fun facts about Blue Jays from naturecanada.ca:
• They rub ants on their feathers to get rid of the ant’s acid, which makes the ants taste better (do not try this at home).
• The pigment found in their feathers is brown – they appear blue due to the scattering of light due to refraction.
• They mimic the sounds of hawks to scare other birds away from their food.
• They are intelligent and have complex social systems with tight family bonds.
• They like to eat acorns and are thought to have helped spread oak trees after the last glacial period.
You can learn more about the bird count at www.birdscanada.org/bird-science/christmas-bird-count.
Long-term monitoring provides valuable insights into bird populations and their changing habitats—an important aspect as we face climate change challenges. Each count enriches our understanding while reminding us of the beauty that surrounds us daily.
