CBC = NAS #110, MICL #15

The 15th annual Clinton Christmas Bird Count was held on December 20, 2009. This was also the 110th annual National Audubon Christmas Bird Count (CBC).

We had 21 field participants in 13 parties. 67 species were recorded on count day.

Much of the still water was frozen which reduced the number of waterfowl species. Overall, the weather for the day was quite pleasant, but there were lengthy periods of time with very little bird activity. Overall, 14,683 individual birds were tallied.

New species for the count was European Goldfinch and was found by a feederwatcher northeast of Manchester. This bird had been present since early December. This may likely be an escapee or release, but could the future include these species in our bird populations of MI? Below is a photo of this individual taken by Mike Sefton on December 12, 2009:


New or tied high count = 15 species (see table posted below)
Are we getting better at knowing the locations of certain species? Thanks to those who have participated in the count for many or all of the 15 Clinton CBCs.

Several species have become regulars in recent years.
- Turkey Vultures have been found on 7 of the last 8 counts. These are normally found in or near Manchester. Below is one in flight:


- Bald Eagles have been found on 4 of the last 6 counts, and one of the misses included a "count week". I had heard there was a nest on Red Mill Pond in Tecumseh and visited the location on 1/24/10. Here is a photo of the nest:

- Pileated Woodpeckers tied the previous high of 3 individuals. There are likely more individuals in the count circle, but sometimes one has to be lucky to find them. This species has been found on 4 of the last 5 counts.
- Northern Mockingbirds have been found on the last 3 consecutive counts with increasing numbers. It seems there is a decent population north of Manchester and near Tecumseh.

The big misses were Cedar Waxwing and Ring-necked Pheasant. I have heard that other CBCs in the area also missed Cedar Waxwing. It will be interesting to see where this species was distributed during this CBC period.

Below is a table showing the results of the 2009 count and includes the CBC averages and maximums for each species.

Click on table for larger view.

To look into the historical data, check out this link on the NAS website. The Clinton CBC code is MICL.

The next Clinton CBC is scheduled for Sunday, December 19, 2010. If you have time and interest, let me know. We'll get you lined up with an area whether you like to drive or walk. We can always use more help for coverage.