Long Point CBC Summary The Christmas Bird Count is North America’s oldest standardized census providing valuable information on the early winter distribution and abundance of birds throughout the western hemisphere. It is also a vital outreach and birder/naturalist recruitment tool, and has become a proud holiday tradition for many. For more information visit https://www.birdscanada.org/volunteer/cbc/. <https://www.birdscanada.org/volunteer/cbc/> The 60th Long Point Christmas Bird Count took place on 19 December. The count covers a ~24km circle centered on the lighthouse south of St. Williams, ON. Generally mild conditions leading up to the count kept Long Point’s Inner Bay and Big Creek largely free of ice. Small ponds, wetlands, and shorelines were frozen. Count Day was overcast with temperature ranging from -6° to 2°C. Light to moderate westerly winds persisted throughout the day. Forty-seven local birders counted a remarkable 73,759 birds of 114 species. This ties the second highest species total (114 in 2016), and third highest total number of birds counted in the 60-year history of the Long Point count. The long-term average is 28,014 individuals of 102 species, and the recent decade average of 38,998 of 104 species. The average number of birds counted at Long Point has grown consistently over the decades from 10,375 in the 1960’s to 38,998 in 2010-2020. Since the count began in 1961, volunteers have contributed more than 8,500 hours counting more than 1.5 million birds of 193 species. High totals at Long Point are always attributed to lingering waterfowl that haven’t yet been pushed out by ice. Similar conditions were experienced in the previous two highest years in 1999 and 2006. Redhead were by far the dominant waterfowl with close to 20,000 residing on the Inner Bay along with ~11,000 other diving ducks, ~6,000 scaup, and ~5,000 Canvasback. There was also a record number of Mallard (9,038), high numbers of most other dabbling ducks, and near record high numbers of Tundra Swan (4,425) and Canada Goose (3,501). Sandhill Cranes put on a remarkable show with a high count of 5,768 most of which are still present. Another formal count during count week found 7,100 cranes in the area. A little snow helped to concentrate some landbirds, but overall they were dispersed across the landscape and numbers were generally average or below average with some notable exceptions being nuthatches and their allies. There were 11 Tufted Titmouse tying the previous record set in 2016; a record number of Red-breasted Nuthatch (223 – previous record was 126 in 1997. See Dunn 2019. The Auk, Volume 136, Issue 2, 1 April 2019, ukz008, https://doi.org/10.1093/auk/ukz008 for an interesting synopsis of RBNU movements in the continent); third highest total of White-breasted Nuthatch (140), and record numbers of Brown Creepers (112). Winter finches were present in average or below average numbers, The coveted Bird of the Day prize was given to Tim Lucas for discovering the counts first ever American White Pelican at Turkey Point. This is one of about 10 records in the province for the month of December. Highlights: Snow Goose – Two were observed along Big Creek with Tundra Swans (APT, MTT, RR). Cackling Goose – One was observed along Front Rd. (BL, SL). Glaucous Gull – One was observed at Turkey Point (PB). Little Gull – One young bird was observed on the Inner Bay (GW, RWW). American White Pelican –The first for the count was observed at Turkey Point (TL, PB). Killdeer – Two were present at the Port Rowan Harbour. Dunlin – One was present at Turkey Point (TL), and two were observed along Long Point’s south shore (SAM, MSWB, JL). Hoary Redpoll – One was observed along a roadside west of St. Williams (JL, KGC, AC). Pine Warbler – One was observed at Turkey Point Provincial Park (PB). First time on the count since 2008. Count Week ‘ish’ Birds: Short-eared Owl – One was observed in Port Rowan December 25. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker – One was observed at Concession 1 at Big Creek December 18. Least Bittern – One was flushed from the marsh at Big Creek National Wildlife Area December 16. Peregrine Falcon – One has been in the area. White-winged Crossbill – Two were at the Port Rowan Wetland December 15. Lapland Longspur One was on Concession 1 December 18. Complete list (not in tax order and includes 0’s): RED-THROATED LOON 0 COMMON LOON 0 PIED-BILLED GREBE 1 HORNED GREBE 4 RED-NECKED GREBE 0 EARED GREBE 0 DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT 4 AMERICAN BITTERN 0 GREAT BLUE HERON 39 GREEN-BACKED HERON 0 BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON 0 TRUMPETER SWAN 0 TUNDRA SWAN 4425 MUTE SWAN 60 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE 0 SNOW GOOSE 2 SNOW GOOSE Blue form 0 ROSS'S GOOSE 0 BRANT 0 CACKLING GOOSE 1 CANADA GOOSE 3501 WOOD DUCK 15 GREEN-WINGED TEAL 41 AMERICAN BLACK DUCK 1276 MALLARD 9038 NORTHERN PINTAIL 43 BLUE-WINGED TEAL 0 NORTHERN SHOVELER 20 GADWALL 820 AMERICAN WIGEON 403 CANVASBACK 4645 REDHEAD 19740 RING-NECKED DUCK 54 GREATER SCAUP 622 LESSER SCAUP 107 Scaup sp 5300 LONG-TAILED DUCK 8 BLACK SCOTER 0 SURF SCOTER 0 WHITE-WINGED SCOTER 5 Scoter sp. 0 COMMON GOLDENEYE 501 BUFFLEHEAD 539 HOODED MERGANSER 265 COMMON MERGANSER 226 RED-BREASTED MERGANSER 2488 Merganser sp. 0 RUDDY DUCK 115 Duck sp. 0 TURKEY VULTURE 1 BALD EAGLE 37 NORTHERN HARRIER 21 SHARP-SHINNED HAWK 2 COOPER'S HAWK 6 NORTHERN GOSHAWK 1 Accipiter sp. 0 RED-SHOULDERED HAWK 1 RED-TAILED HAWK 39 ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK 2 Buteo sp. 0 GOLDEN EAGLE 0 AMERICAN KESTREL 1 MERLIN 2 PEREGRINE FALCON 0 GYRFALCON 0 GRAY PARTRIDGE 0 RING-NECKED PHEASANT 0 RUFFED GROUSE 7 WILD TURKEY 62 NORTHERN BOBWHITE 0 KING RAIL 0 VIRGINIA RAIL 0 SORA 0 COMMON MOORHEN 0 AMERICAN COOT 120 SANDHILL CRANE 5786 LESSER GOLDEN-PLOVER 0 KILLDEER 2 SPOTTED SANDPIPER 0 LESSER YELLOWLEGS 0 SANDERLING 0 LEAST SANDPIPER 0 BAIRD'S SANDPIPER 0 PURPLE SANDPIPER 0 DUNLIN 3 WILSON'S SNIPE 0 AMERICAN WOODCOCK 0 Jaeger sp. 0 LITTLE GULL 1 BONAPARTE'S GULL 190 RING-BILLED GULL 94 HERRING GULL 123 ICELAND GULL 0 THAYER'S GULL 0 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL 0 GLAUCOUS GULL 1 GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL 16 BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE 0 CASPIAN TERN 0 COMMON TERN 0 ROCK PIGEON 133 MOURNING DOVE 178 EASTERN SCREECH-OWL 13 GREAT HORNED OWL 7 SNOWY OWL 1 BARRED OWL 1 LONG-EARED OWL 0 SHORT-EARED OWL 0 NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL 0 Owl sp. 0 BELTED KINGFISHER 5 RED-HEADED WOODPECKER 0 RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER 59 YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER 0 DOWNY WOODPECKER 159 HAIRY WOODPECKER 35 BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER 0 NORTHERN FLICKER 22 PILEATED WOODPECKER 12 EASTERN PHOEBE 0 WESTERN KINGBIRD 0 HORNED LARK 16 BLUE JAY 153 AMERICAN CROW 964 BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE 566 BOREAL CHICKADEE 0 TUFTED TITMOUSE 11 RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH 223 WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH 140 BROWN CREEPER 112 CAROLINA WREN 45 HOUSE WREN 0 WINTER WREN 20 MARSH WREN 4 GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET 98 RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET 2 BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER 0 EASTERN BLUEBIRD 55 TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE 0 SWAINSON'S THRUSH 0 HERMIT THRUSH 1 Thrush sp. 0 AMERICAN ROBIN 11 GRAY CATBIRD 6 NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD 0 BROWN THRASHER 0 AMERICAN PIPIT 41 BOHEMIAN WAXWING 0 CEDAR WAXWING 2 Waxwing sp. 0 NORTHERN SHRIKE 1 EUROPEAN STARLING 229 WHITE-EYED VIREO 0 BLUE-HEADED VIREO 0 ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER 0 NASHVILLE WARBLER 0 YELLOW WARBLER 0 YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER 4 PINE WARBLER 1 PALM WARBLER 0 NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH 0 COMMON YELLOWTHROAT 2 YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT 0 Warbler sp. 0 NORTHERN CARDINAL 224 DICKCISSEL 0 SPOTTED TOWHEE 0 EASTERN TOWHEE 3 AMERICAN TREE SPARROW 417 CHIPPING SPARROW 6 FIELD SPARROW 0 VESPER SPARROW 0 SAVANNAH SPARROW 0 FOX SPARROW 1 SONG SPARROW 85 LINCOLN'S SPARROW 0 SWAMP SPARROW 125 WHITE-THROATED SPARROW 48 WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW 16 HARRIS' SPARROW 0 Sparrow sp. 0 DARK-EYED JUNCO 580 DK-EYED oregon JUNCO 0 LAPLAND LONGSPUR 0 SMITH'S LONGSPUR 0 SNOW BUNTING 2 RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD 6060 EASTERN MEADOWLARK 0 Meadowlark sp. 0 YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD 0 RUSTY BLACKBIRD 5 BREWER'S BLACKBIRD 0 GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE 0 COMMON GRACKLE 52 BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD 208 BALTIMORE ORIOLE 0 Blackbird sp. 0 PINE GROSBEAK 0 PURPLE FINCH 11 HOUSE FINCH 190 Finch sp. 0 RED CROSSBILL 1 WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL 0 Crossbill sp. 0 COMMON REDPOLL 525 HOARY REDPOLL 1 PINE SISKIN 176 AMERICAN GOLDFINCH 220 EVENING GROSBEAK 49 HOUSE SPARROW 416 COMMON RAVEN 0 Am. WHITE PELICAN 1 SPECIES 114 INDIVIDUALS 73579