Mactaquac Christmas Bird Count

Mactaquac Christmas Bird Count 2018

Northern Cardinal

The Mactaquac Christmas Bird Count was held on Saturday, January 5.   Fourteen participants logged in over 35 hours and 443 km to cover the area from Keswick to Granite Hill and Upper Kingsclear to French Village.  We counted 2033 individual birds of 37 different species, an average amount for the circle.  It was an enjoyable undertaking this year with good weather and a fair number of birds.  Temperatures were around 0ºC with very little wind, making the birds active.

Wild Turkey

Highlights are interesting.  We added Wild Turkeys for the first time, with 4 seen on Keswick Ridge Road.  At the dam an Iceland Gull, a Glaucous Gull, and a Barrow's Goldeneye were seen.  A Song Sparrow was seen at Bear Island.  A Tufted Titmouse was at Kingsclear and a Belted Kingfisher was at the hatchery.  Our only raptor (other than eagles) was an immature Red-tailed Hawk.  Of interest were the 11 American Robins and the 11 Northern Cardinals.  This is a 'finch winter' and it was evident in this count.  We had 95 Bohemian Waxwings, and 4 Pine Grosbeaks along with 50 Common Redpolls, 52 Evening Grosbeaks and a few American Tree Sparrows and Dark-eyed Juncos.

Tufted Titmouse

Christmas bird counts represent a major effort in citizen science each year.  Thousands of counts are done throughout North America from December 14 to January 5.  Over 50 are done in New Brunswick alone.  We have been doing them here every year for about 50 years.  One of the first count ever done in North America was done right here in NB in the early 1900s.  

American Robin

The Mactaquac Christmas Count can always use more volunteers.  We need more people to count the birds at their feeders on that day.  Why not get involved?   It is rewarding to participate and contribute to bird censuses and environmental health.  Shown below is a detailed list of birds counted that day.

Am. Black Duck 67

Mallard 6

Hooded Merganser 14

Common Goldeneye 29

Barrow’s Goldeneye 1

Common Merganser 20

Bald Eagle 5

Red-tailed Hawk 1

Wild Turkey 4

Herring Gull 71

Iceland Gull 1

Glaucous Gull 1

Great BB Gull 122

Rock Pigeon 335

Mourning Dove 48

Belted Kingfisher 1

Downy Woodpecker 13

Hairy Woodpecker 17

Pileated Woodpecker 7

Blue Jay 131

American Crow 97

Common Raven 29

Tufted Titmouse 1

Black-capped Chickadee 322

Red-breasted Nuthatch 20

White-breasted Nuthatch 14

American Robin 11

European Starling 298

Bohemian Waxwing 95

American Tree Sparrow 6

Song Sparrow 1

Dark-eyed Junco 8

Northern Cardinal 11

Pine Grosbeak 46

Common Redpoll 50

American Goldfinch 78

Evening Grosbeak 52

Finch sp. 80