The 72nd annual Ulster County Mohonk Lake/Ashokan Reservoir (NYML) Audubon Christmas Bird Count (CBC) was conducted this past Saturday, December 18, 2021, under challenging weather conditions. A total of 54 participants (47 field observers and 7 feeder watchers) in 19 field parties encountered a total of 17, 670 individuals representing 83 species, plus five additional count week species, pending any additions. For historical context, diversity was five species above our ten-year average, and total abundance was up 3,865 individuals. Participation was also above average this year, approaching if not exceeding a record high effort. Our all-time high count for this circle is 87 species and 22,307 individuals, both recorded in 2017. Overall, most species were present in near average numbers, with a few noteworthy exceptions. Several field parties reported large flocks of American Robins, difficult to accurately count as they foraged on an exceptional abundance of berries. Our final conservative tally was 5,949 individuals, setting a new record high while greatly surpassing our previous high count of 3,504 in 2017. New record high counts were also established for Bufflehead (11, compared to 8 in 2018), Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (46, eclipsing 40 in 2017, 20 avg.), Hermit Thrush (16, eclipsing 13 in 2017, 6.6 avg.), American Pipit (138, greatly surpassing 41 in 2015), and Yellow-rumped Warbler (28, double our previous high count of 14 in 2017). Four Northern Pintail (4th occurrence), one Peregrine Falcon (6th), three Chipping Sparrows (7th), and three Gadwall (8th) are unusual species for this count, with few previous records. Three additional unusual species were encountered during the count week period, three days before or three days after count day. A count week Palm Warbler represents a first record for the historical count composite, Golden Eagle (previously one in 2017 and 1998), and Cackling Goose (4th occurrence) were also found during the count week.
Roving flocks of Canada Geese and ubiquitous American Crows were diminished or inactive this year, each amounting to less than half their current ten-year averages. Personally, over more than four decades of participation in various CBCs, I can not recall ever going all day without seeing or hearing an American Crow, encountering just two individuals very late in the day in waning light. Birds that typically flock in large numbers have a significant influence on our total abundance number, and this year the impressive flocks of robins effectively balanced the lack of geese and crows. There were no new record low counts, and no particular species stands out as a bad miss, with all of the expected species detected this year. Common Loon, Rough-legged Hawk, Great Black-backed Gull, and Eastern Meadowlark are species previously encountered in at least twenty or more years that were not detected this year. Ruffed Grouse (46 past years) and Evening Grosbeak (34 years) were also missed, but are no longer expected on this count. Environmental conditions can best be described as wet and dreary with low visibility on count day, and exceptionally mild with no hard freezing or snowfall during the weeks prior to the count. Temperatures were relatively mild (34 – 39 °F), changing little throughout the day. Early morning provided the best surveying conditions, with no wind or precipitation under heavy overcast skies. Light rain with occasional sleet and mist moved in by late morning and persisted for the duration of the count day. There was no snow cover, and all bodies of water were open with moderate flow rates, providing little incentive for birds to congregate, with most feeders attracting relatively little activity. A complete report with a participant list and effort information will be published in the John Burroughs Natural History Society newsletter at a later date. Appended below is the species list with number of individuals. Thanks to all of the field participants and feeder watchers for excellent coverage, and to the sector leaders for recruiting and organizing their field parties and submitting their data in a timely manner. Steve M. ChorvasMohonk Lake/Ashokan Reservoir CBC CompilerSaugerties, NY 2021 NYML CBC Summary List Snow Goose – 1Cackling Goose – cwCanada Goose – 1,258Mute Swan – 5 Gadwall – 3 American Black Duck – 44Mallard – 341 Northern Pintail – 4 Ring-necked Duck – 20 Bufflehead – 11 Common Goldeneye – 5 Hooded Merganser – 28 Common Merganser – 43 Wild Turkey – 21 Horned Grebe – 8 Great Blue Heron – 6 Black Vulture – 3 Turkey Vulture – 14 Golden Eagle – cw Northern Harrier – 9 Sharp-shinned Hawk – cw Cooper's Hawk – 13 Accipiter sp. – 1 Bald Eagle – 8 Red-shouldered Hawk – 5Red-tailed Hawk – 50 Ring-billed Gull – 16 Herring Gull – 132Rock Pigeon – 423Mourning Dove – 322Eastern Screech-Owl – 4Great Horned Owl – 4Barred Owl – 7Belted Kingfisher – 7Red-headed Woodpecker – 5 Red-bellied Woodpecker – 119Yellow-bellied Sapsucker – 46Downy Woodpecker – 138Hairy Woodpecker – 23Northern Flicker – 49Pileated Woodpecker – 22American Kestrel – 3Merlin – 1Peregrine Falcon – 1Blue Jay – 395American Crow – 533Common Raven – 32Horned Lark – 5Black-capped Chickadee – 313Tufted Titmouse – 305Red-breasted Nuthatch – 9White-breasted Nuthatch – 171Brown Creeper – 18Winter Wren – 8Carolina Wren – 72Golden-crowned Kinglet – 14Ruby-crowned Kinglet – 3Eastern Bluebird – 155Hermit Thrush – 16American Robin – 5,949Gray Catbird – 2Northern Mockingbird – 33European Starling – 2,216American Pipit – 138Cedar Waxwing – 267 Snow Bunting – 1Palm Warbler – cw Yellow-rumped Warbler – 28American Tree Sparrow – 154Chipping Sparrow – 3Field Sparrow – 4Fox Sparrow – 5Dark-eyed Junco – 1,236White-crowned Sparrow – 7 White-throated Sparrow – 965Savannah Sparrow – 9Song Sparrow – 192Swamp Sparrow – 20Eastern Towhee – 1Northern Cardinal – 192Red-winged Blackbird – 44Common Grackle – 25Brown-headed Cowbird – 16House Finch – 141Purple Finch – 55Common Redpoll – 2Pine Siskin – cwAmerican Goldfinch – 395House Sparrow – 298 -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME.htm http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES.htm http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) http://birding.aba.org/maillist/NY01 Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
