2013

78th Boonton Christmas Bird Count, Sunday, December 22, 2013

A drenching rain did not occur although the anxiety-producing forecast for the afternoon claimed an 80 percent chance of precipitation. The temperature reached a high of 67 degrees Fahrenheit. After a brief spritz of moisture in the morning, the sky was variable with an occasional small patch of blue for the rest of the day. Spring Peepers called. A Painted Turtle loafed on a stationary object in the Rockaway River. This is December in northern New Jersey. This is the 78th Boonton Christmas Bird Count.

The highlight of the count is 46 Red-headed Woodpeckers recorded from three parties with 43 carefully counted in Troy Meadows by the Troy Meadows West party. This obliterates the previous Boonton Christmas Bird Count (CBC) record of 20 Red-headed Woodpeckers in 2001.

The total species count stands at 97 plus 2 count week species. The average for the previous 10 years is 98.5 species.

44,192 individual birds were counted, the highest total since 2001 (62,336) and the third highest total in the count’s 78-year history:
2001 – 62,336
1999 – 59,665
2013 – 44,192

Large numbers of Common Grackles and other species pouring into Troy Meadows for their evening roost generates these large totals. The 21st century average of total individuals is 28,163; the 78-year average is 16,586.

There was a freeze in the count area during the Thanksgiving period. Snow events in early December buried many avian food sources. Most bodies of water in the area remained frozen up until a few days before the count. Mild temperatures started a few days before the count but too late to make a positive impression on waterfowl numbers. The rivers remained ice-free for the most part, contributing to the large Mallard/Am. Black Duck totals.

Interesting numbers

High totals:

• Am. Black Duck – 449, highest since 2000 (476).
• Mallards – 1,247, highest since 2001 (1,333).
• Common Goldeneye – missed the previous two years, 8 were counted in two parties.
• Red-breasted Mergansers – recorded for the 3rd year in a row after only once in the 10 years prior to that. The total of 7 is the highest count since 14 in 1938, the third year of the Boonton CBC.
• Bald Eagle – 10, all-time high count.
• Merlin – 3, all-time high count.
• Red-headed Woodpecker – 46, all-time high count.
• Northern Flicker – 94, all-time high.
• American Robin – 8,790, all-time high.
• Yellow-rumped Warbler – 40, 2nd highest total since 2000.
• Eastern Towhee – 21, 3rd highest total in count history (2001 – 37; 1971 – 26).
• Am. Tree Sparrow – 310 – rebound after a 5-year dip – 21st century average is 364.
• Savannah Sparrow – 11, highest since 13 in 2002.
• Swamp Sparrow – 96, highest since 1976 (207).
• Red-winged Blackbird – 1,187, highest since 2001 (1,782).
• Rusty Blackbird – 130, only 3 tallied in 2012. The 21st century average is 75.

Low numbers:

• Canada Goose – 3,448, lowest total since 2006. 21st century average is 4,500.
• Ruddy Duck – 19, lowest total since 1989 (0). 148 is the 21st century average.
• Accipiter spp. – Sharp-shinned and Cooper’s Hawks had their 2nd low year in a row (6 and 4 in 2013; 6 and 4 in 2012). Their averages for the 21st century are 13 and 8 respectively.
• Red-tailed Hawk – 58, 2nd lowest number since 1989 (54). There were 46 in 2010, lowest since 1979. 21st century average is 87.
• Northern Mockingbird – 49, 3rd lowest total since 1972 (36). The 21st century average is 100.
• Cedar Waxwing – 13, lowest since 1989 (0). The 21st century average is 76.
• House Finch – 46, lowest since 1970 (21). The 21st century average is 190.
• House Sparrow- 433, although average for the past 4 years, the 21st century mean is 659; the all-time average in 78 years of the Boonton CBC is 464.

Single party reports for the following species (reported by one party only).
Format = Species (party) – amount:

• Snow Goose (Troy Meadows East) – 22 in one flyover flock. 2012’s 301 is the all-time high. 22 is the second highest total since 1993. Snow Goose is just not a common species on this count occurring on 17 of 78 years and usually in very low numbers.
• Northern Pintail (Morristown) – 2
• Redhead (West Essex) – 1
• Common Loon (Boonton Reservoir) – 2
• Pied-billed Grebe (Denville) – 1
• Horned Grebe (Boonton Reservoir) -2
• Red-shouldered Hawk (Denville) – 1
• American Kestrel (Florham Park – Count-week) – 1
• American Woodcock (Denville) – 2
• Barred Owl (Morris Township – Count-week) – 1
• Long-eared Owl (Denville) – 6
• Red-breasted Nuthatch (Denville) – 1
• House Wren (Denville) – 1
• Hermit Thrush (Denville) – 1
• Gray Catbird (Denville) – 1
• Brown Thrasher (Great Piece Meadows) – 1

Other sparse and interesting tallies:

• Wood Duck – two parties had single birds. Only 4 were reported last year. 21st century average is 13.
• Green-winged Teal – 2 parties reported a total of 6. 35 is the 21st century average.
• Lesser Scaup – 2 parties reported a total of 3. 24 is the 21st century average.
• Peregrine Falcon – 2 reported from two parties.
• Common Raven – 4 from two parties; first reported on this count in 2002, this is the 3rd consecutive and 5th out of 6th years it has been recorded.
• White-crowned Sparrow – 3 from two parties. This marks the 20th consecutive year that White-crowned Sparrow has been recorded on the count. It was counted only 9 of the previous 58 years before that.
• Purple Finch – 5 reported from three parties. Whether it is a good or bad winter finch forecast, this species is recorded 73 out of 78 years.

Count-week species:

• Barred Owl
• American Kestrel

The Big Miss:

• Northern Shoveler – 1st miss since 1988.

Approximately 50 individual birders in over 10 parties partook of this glorious day. A warm and heartfelt thanks to all of the participants for your generous contribution of time, energy and enthusiasm. Keep the last two Sundays of December 2014 free. The 79th Boonton Christmas Bird Count will either be on the 21st or 28th.

Until we count again, good birding!

Jonathan Klizas, compiler
Boonton Christmas Bird Count
mocosocoBirds.com

The table below contains all 97 count-day species observed on the 2012 Boonton CBC plus the 2 count-week species. Following the species column is the total number of individuals for 2013. This is followed by the all-time average for that species. If some species have a zero average that is because the numbers have been rounded. Next is the 21st Century average from 2000-2013. This gives a recent perspective on the species’ performance. The last column is the number of years the species has appeared on the count. This last column is updated through 2013. Numbers in red represent totals falling below average for both the all-time and 21st century averages.

2013 Boonton CBC		All-time	21st Cent.
Species	2013	Avg.	Avg.	Years
Snow Goose	21	8	24	17
Canada Goose	3488	1832	4527	59
Mute Swan	32	31	79	60
Wood Duck	2	8	13	65
Gadwall	98	42	94	53
American Wigeon	27	28	16	66
American Black Duck	449	391	243	78
Mallard	1,247	770	1,017	78
Northern Pintail	2	5	5	52
Green-winged Teal	8	13	35	51
Redhead	1	3	3	35
Ring-necked Duck	183	82	248	63
Lesser Scaup	3	13	24	40
Bufflehead	32	21	57	58
Common Goldeneye	8	6	4	60
Hooded Merganser	106	43	169	61
Common Merganser	1,055	225	611	72
Red-breasted Merganser	7	1	1	10
Ruddy Duck	19	79	148	64
Ring-necked Pheasant	1	4	1	68
Wild Turkey	86	18	75	27
Common Loon	2	0	1	22
Pied-billed Grebe	1	3	4	59
Horned Grebe	2	1	0	23
Great Blue Heron	28	12	31	60
Black Vulture	27	7	22	24
Turkey Vulture	69	20	63	40
Bald Eagle	10	1	5	28
Northern Harrier	5	3	5	64
Sharp-shinned Hawk	6	6	13	61
Cooper’s Hawk	4	3	8	48
Red-shouldered Hawk	1	3	2	68
Red-tailed Hawk	58	46	87	78
American Kestrel	CW	8	1	71
Merlin	3	0	1	12
Peregrine Falcon	2	0	1	15
American Coot	45	38	69	56
Killdeer	3	4	3	51
Wilson’s Snipe	2	3	4	51
American Woodcock	2	1	2	33
Ring-billed Gull	859	477	908	59
Herring Gull	107	264	133	75
Great Black-backed Gull	14	15	11	50
Rock Pigeon	294	355	692	41
Mourning Dove	559	279	497	70
Eastern Screech-Owl	16	15	19	71
Great Horned Owl	6	7	8	73
Barred Owl	CW	1	2	45
Long-eared Owl	6	2	2	50
Belted Kingfisher	23	11	17	75
Red-headed Woodpecker	46	2	7	34
Red-bellied Woodpecker	197	43	146	43
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	3	2	4	40
Downy Woodpecker	177	120	152	78
Hairy Woodpecker	57	25	34	78
Northern (Yellow-shafted) Flicker	94	30	63	76
Pileated Woodpecker	7	3	7	50
Blue Jay	677	398	576	78
American Crow	439	1,573	1,567	78
Fish Crow	27	22	94	40
Common Raven	4	0	2	7
Black-capped Chickadee	136	321	243	78
Tufted Titmouse	258	244	352	78
Red-breasted Nuthatch	1	5	5	57
White-breasted Nuthatch	138	95	126	78
Brown Creeper	15	12	9	78
Carolina Wren	99	22	76	61
House Wren	1	0	0	8
Winter Wren	12	5	9	71
Golden-crowned Kinglet	13	28	19	75
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	9	4	7	55
Eastern Bluebird	34	13	33	54
Hermit Thrush	1	3	6	53
American Robin	8,790	329	1,201	75
Gray Catbird	1	1	2	46
Northern Mockingbird	49	69	101	56
Brown Thrasher	1	1	1	29
European Starling	2,414	2,520	3,899	78
Cedar Waxwing	13	35	76	59
Yellow-rumped (Myrtle) Warbler	40	13	25	50
Eastern Towhee	21	4	6	62
American Tree Sparrow	310	670	364	78
Field Sparrow	17	37	27	74
Savannah Sparrow	11	4	5	55
Fox Sparrow	18	9	23	68
Song Sparrow	427	329	471	78
Swamp Sparrow	96	37	41	78
White-throated Sparrow	779	418	872	78
White-crowned Sparrow	3	1	5	29
Dark-eyed (Slate-colored) Junco	863	651	1000	78
Northern Cardinal	173	161	233	78
Red-winged Blackbird	1,188	514	468	75
Rusty Blackbird	130	68	75	75
Common Grackle	16,694	1515	4572	62
Brown-headed Cowbird	36	37	53	64
Purple Finch	5	16	7	73
House Finch	46	199	191	50
American Goldfinch	160	204	216	78
House Sparrow	433	464	659	78
Total Individuals	44,192	16,585	29,174
Total Species	97	81	99
Number of Observers	50	34	41