Clayton ‘Early Morning Bird Walk” bird numbers affected by cold

Report of the Apr 11, 2018 Early Morning Bird Walk,  by Howard Robinson 

Nineteen MVFN members showed up at 6 AM for the Apr 11th Early Morning Bird Walk at the Robinson’s property near Clayton, Mississippi Mills, Ontario.  The temperature was -5 degrees C and did not get above freezing for the duration of the walk. The weather was more like Winter than Spring

For a brief period, the group identified birds by ear. As light levels increased, the team was able to use eyes and binoculars.

Most of Clayton Lake was iced over and we had a safe walk down the lake to check for waterfowl nearer Clayton.

Clayton Lake, mostly frozen over. photo Howard Robinson
Going to look for ducks, Clayton Lake. photo Howard Robinson
photo Howard Robinson
The group had good views of a female Pileated woodpecker as she “mined for bugs”. photo Michel Gauthier
“Spruced up” Black-capped Chickadee. photo Howard Robinson

After more than two hours of birding and an interlude for refreshments, the numbers were tallied.  Only eighteen species of birds had been spotted or heard by the group. This was a lot lower than the 36 species counted last year during the same week. The colder weather is having its effect.

The Group List with the number of each species is as follows:

13 Canada Goose

2 Wood Duck

9 Mallard

4 Common Goldeneye

6 Wild Turkey

1 Downy Woodpecker

2 Hairy Woodpecker

1 Northern Flicker

2 Pileated Woodpecker

6 Blue Jay

9 American Crow

9 Black-capped Chickadee

2 Red-breasted Nuthatch

1 White-breasted Nuthatch

15 American Robin

8 Dark-eyed Junco

8 Song Sparrows

7 Common Grackle

 

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