ROCKLAND AUDUBON SOCIETY

Christmas Bird Count Summary

Date: 12/14/2008

Thanks to all the field participants and feeder watchers for a successful count! Look for the final results in the 62(1) issue of the RAS OBSERVER (to be mailed in January).

Weather: Skies were mostly sunny in the morning with increasing clouds throughout the day. Temperatures ranged from below freezing in the morning (24°F) to a high of nearly 43 °F at 2 PM. Average wind speed was less than 2 mph in the morning and reaching 6-8 mph by midday. Peak gusts during midday generally reached 15-28 mph. Wind direction was SW-SSW. No measurable precipitation occurred at any time during the count day. There was no snow cover. Lakes and ponds were largely frozen, but generally included some open water. Running waters were almost entirely open. The Hudson River was entirely ice-free.

Field Observers (40 adults, 2 fledglings, a.k.a. children.): Group 1: Alan Wells, Della Wells, Phil Faurot, Julia Warger, John Tyler; Group 2: Gene Herskovics, Tom Fuller, Elyse Fuller Group 3: Jessie Traband, Frank Kemmer Group 4: Bonnie Koop, Helen Russell, Donna Nye, Debbie Bell, Joanna Goldone; Group 5: Susan Freiman, Pat Murray, Gloria North, Karen D’Alessandri; Group 6: Stephanie Garber, Michael Garber, Glenys Foster Roberts, Veronika Krause; Group 7: Carol Weiss, Joan Totton, Marsha Meyer, Ken McNichol, Sandy Mattson; Group 8: Jim Previdi, Larrie Goetz, Gene Brown, Dan Albantides, Ron Conzo, Jeremy Pardo; Group 9: Vince Plogar, Frank Bonanno, Drew Ciganek, Tom Harten, Karl Knoecklein, Tom Dow, Susan Dow, Chris Healy.

Feeder Counters (4): Nancy Slowik, Caroline McDonald, John & Jane Lampkin, the Pardo Family.

Coverage (Preliminary): 328 miles traveled by car, 59 miles traveled by foot.

Results: The 62^nd Rockland Audubon Christmas Bird count was held December 14, a week earlier than usual. A total of 42 people participated in the field compared to 36 in 2007. A total of 21,566 individual birds, representing 92 species were counted by the field observers. An additional 269 individuals were added by the feeder counters. Feeder counters tallied 28 species, one of which, Gray Catbird, was not observed by the field counters. Four additional species, Pied-billed Grebe, Horned Grebe, Long-tailed Duck and Green-winged Teal, were reported during count week (three days before and three days after count day). Overall, the number of species counted (96) was the highest ever recorded in the 62-year history of the RAS count. The total number of individuals was similar to those observed during the last 7-8 years. The top five species—European Starling (5,840), Canada Goose (4,049), Common Merganser (2,237), Ring-billed Gull (1,447), and Mallard (868)—made up 66% of the total number observed. Bald Eagle sightings (18) were the second highest in the RAS count history, behind the 29 counted in 2007.

Highlights: Several unusual sighting occurred this year, including: Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, Merlin, American Pipit, Black-crowned Night Heron, Black Vulture, Long-tailed Duck, and Common Redpoll. Killdeer was a surprising miss.

Plus Count Week: Horned Grebe, Pied-billed Grebe, Long-tailed Duck, and Green-winged Teal.