With almost all reports in it appears the 16th Fisherville will end up with
81 species. This is about average for this count.
The only new species added this year was a Virginia Rail athough there was a
cw bird back in '93. Interesting the location this bird was heard calling
from was the exact spot where the '93 bird was seen.
New high counts
Great Blue Heron 28
Common Merganser 7182
Bald Eagle 14
Cooper's Hawk 17
Red-bellied Woodpecker 74
Downy Woodpecker 178
Hairy Woodpecker 71
Red-breasted Nuthatch 43
Cedar Waxwing 51
Purple Finch 12
12 Tufted Titmice tied the previous high
When we receive a heavy snowfall and/or a freezing rain creating a hard
crust many raptors move out of the area, particualrly Northern Harriers and
Short-eared Owls. We got socked Dec. 23rd with both.
The ice lingered on the trees for almost a week. A major hawk flight
occurred just after this storm along Lake Erie. Also if the ground is bare
the Short-eareds do not come out early to be seen nor roost in the trees
along the 6th concession.
A major thaw commencing on the 30th had most of the fields bare by count day
and many fields lakes and trickle streams and ditches roaring rivers. Open
field birds such as Horned Larks and meadowlarks are almost impossible to
find under these conditions.
Raptor Totals
Bald Eagle 14
Northern Harrier 13
Sharp-shinned Hawk 13
Cooper's Hawk 17
Red-tailed Hawk 264
Rough-legged Hawk 55
American Kestrel 53
Barn Owl cw
Eastern Screech-owl 89
Great Horned Owl 38
Long-eared Owl 10
Short-eared Owl 12
John Miles
Jarvis, On
1-519-587-5223
