[birdky] RPT: Bernheim Forest CBC results
- From: "Palmer-Ball, Brainard (EPPC OOS KNPC)" <Brainard.Palmer-Ball@xxxxxx>
- To: "BIRDKY" <birdky@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 8 Jan 2008 08:50:56 -0500
Bernheim Forest CBC
22 December 2007
18 observers in 8 parties; thanks to all who participated!
A gorgeous day with partly cloudy skies, light winds until
mid-afternoon, and warm temps (after initial cool start)
67 species which is about normal
Highlights: I guess Mute Swans are no longer a highlight??? ... although
the fact that at least 10 have returned again to the Forest's Lake Nevin
is interesting in that they appear to be exhibiting winter site fidelity
like the Sauerheber Tundras; 1 Ruddy Duck; 2 juv Golden Eagles, one
flying south over rural farmland east of Lebanon Junction, the other
near the traditional area in the Forest's south portion; 39 Red-breasted
Nuthatches; 246 Eastern Bluebirds; 3 Chipping Sparrows; and 26 Pine
Siskins (3 parties).
The winter bird picture is beginning to become clearer, although it is
still sort of hard to figure out why some species are present in good
numbers while others are not. For example, berry-eaters (American
Robins, Hermit Thrushes, Cedar Waxwings, and Yellow-rumped Warblers)
were again predictably scarce because of the poor crop this year.
However, Red-breasted Nuthatches were yet again not as numerous on a
2007-2008 CBC as their fall migration numbers suggested might be around
in December for the counts. Our total of 39 was FAR away from our
Bernheim count record total of 110 in the winter of 1986-1987 (when a
similarly strong fall flight occurred) and didn't even rank in the
all-time top 5 years for this count. Also, after a pretty decent number
of Purple Finches being around in November, we had only 4 on the count.
Other seed-eating species like towhees and White-throated Sparrows are
about average, but certainly not high. This all strongly suggests that
many birds did not hang around here when they found poor food supplies
this fall during their southward passage; the paucity of some local
residents like cardinals and woodpeckers is harder to explain, but their
numbers are just average rather than high, so maybe this simply reflects
just an average level of breeding success.
bpb, Frankfort
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