Mactaquac Christmas Bird Count

Local Birders Conduct Citizen Science

Hairy Woodpecker

January 1st brings a group of birders to the Mactaquac area to do an annual bird census, the Christmas Bird Count.  Over 50 counts are done in New Brunswick between the dates of December 14 and January 5.  Counts are done in the same 24 km circle every year.  This provides useful data on bird populations and all the factors that might influence them.  The Mactaquac circle goes from Keswick to Granite Hill and Kingsclear to Upper Prince William.  This year 14 people took part.

Bald Eagle

The count yielded 36 species and 1965 individuals.  The group drove almost 400 km and worked about 24 hours altogether, a commendable effort.

Pine Grosbeak [N Poirier Photo]

Below are the results.  They show a rather low count for finches.  That was expected because the cone crop was low in the area.  There was an excessive number of Blue Jays in some sectors.  This was the first year we did not record any House Sparrows.  Their numbers have been dwindling for many years and normally a close look around active barns would produce some.  This year we found none.  

Surprise findings were a Brown Thrasher coming to a feeder in Upper Queensbury.  This was the first time we have had Wild Turkeys.  There was a Belted Kingfisher and a Horned Grebe at the Fish Hatchery.  A kingfisher was found only once before on a count.  We have never had a grebe before, an exciting find.  There was a lot of open water there so it must have been finding food.  Undoubtedly the cold weather will drive it to the coast.

Canada Goose							0
Am Black Duck	120					20	140
Mallard	5						5
Common Goldeneye							0
Hooded Merganser						1	1
Common Merganser	16					8	24
Wild Turkey				6			6
Horned Grebe	1						1
Bald Eagle			1	1	3	3	8
Sharp-shinned Hawk				1			1
Red-tailed Hawk							0
Rough-legged Hawk							0
Ruffed Grouse							0
Herring Gull	1					4	5
Great Black-backed Gull	2					22	24
Rock Pigeon		24	3	260		2	289
Mourning Dove	8	1	7	37		15	68
Belted Kingfisher	1						1
Downy Woodpecker	1		5	11	1		18
Hairy Woodpecker	2	1	10	11	2		26
Pileated Woodpecker						1	1
Blue Jay	5	6	45	128	37	4	225
American Crow	19	27	5	35	4	13	103
Common Raven	2	6	11	8	4		31
Black-capped Chickadee	25	18	65	179	14	12	313
Red-breasted Nuthatch		2	3	6			11
White-breasted Nuthatch	1		5	11		1	18
Brown Creeper			1	2			3
Golden-crowned Kinglet							0
American Robin			1			1	2
Brown Thrasher				1			1
European Starling	17			77	200	12	306
Bohemian Waxwing				15			15
Snow Bunting							0
American Tree Sparrow	2		6	26	2		36
White-throated Sparrow			2				2
Dark-eyed Junco	2		3	13	2		20
Northern Cardinal			1	3			4
Pine Grosbeak			30	2			32
Purple Finch			2				2
White-winged Crossbill							0
Common Redpoll							0
Pine Siskin	15						15
American Goldfinch	48	11	48	48		20	175
Evening Grosbeak	12		2	15		4	33
House Sparrow							0
					Total birds		1965
					No. species		36

  

With ever decreasing funds available for biological and environmental research, citizen science is becoming more and more important.  Christmas bird counts have been done in New Brunswick since they first began in the early 1900s.  We have accumulated a large body of data for New Brunswick, more than some other provinces.  Many thanks to birders all over the province and especially to those who helped with this count. 

American Robin