Christmas Bird Count Season Comes to a Close

Have you noticed a lot of people out in the cold peering through binoculars lately?  Were you driving behind a car that inexplicably kept slowing down and that had its windows down despite the howling winds, freezing rain, or barely double-digit temperatures?  If so, you likely experienced someone participating in the annual Christmas Bird Count.  The count took place at hundreds of locations throughout the western hemisphere from December 14 to January 5, just as it has for the past 115 years.

Participants in the Northeast LaPorte County Christmas Bird Count look for a particularly vocal Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus).

I had the opportunity to assist with four Christmas Bird Counts in Indiana and Michigan this season, including two that I have helped with for many years and two that I joined for the first time in 2014.  The first count that I joined was a new one for me, the Northeast LaPorte County Christmas Bird Count, on December 15, 2014.

An inquisitive Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) observed on the Northeast LaPorte County Christmas Bird Count.

For this count I joined Dennis Richardson, Frances Sipocz-Richardson, Jo Brugos, John Brugos, and Kip Miller.  Upon arriving at the Richardsons' home, I heard Brown Creeper (Certhia americana) and Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis); a nice way to start off the day!

One of several Common Loons (Gavia immer) that we saw in northeast LaPorte County on Christmas Bird Count day.

Our group visited a variety of habitats during the day, ranging from lakes to wetlands to pine plantations to forests.  Although bird numbers seemed low, we tallied a very respectable 48 species, birding from 8:00 AM central time until dusk. 

An iconic Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) soars over a northeast LaPorte County wetland.

Some of our highlights during the Northeast LaPorte County Christmas Bird Count included American Black Duck (Anas rubripes), Canvasback (Aythya valisineria), Redhead (Aythya americana), Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis), White-winged Scoter (Melanitta deglandi), Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula), Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus), Common Merganser (Mergus merganser), Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis), Common Loon (Gavia immer), Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus), Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus), Rough-legged Hawk (Buteo lagopus), Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus), and Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus).

A White-winged Scoter (Melanitta deglandi, in the back on the right) stole the show at the Northeast LaPorte County Christmas Bird Count.

A couple of days later, on December 17, 2014, I was at it again, this time across the state line into Michigan to help with the New Buffalo Christmas Bird Count.  I was teamed with the amazing Kip Miller, and we were joined for most of the morning by Helen Obenchain.  Before Helen arrived, Kip and I got an early start with owling and had spectacular looks at a red-phase Eastern Screech Owl (Megascops asio).  We then searched to no avail for a Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus) that Kip had seen at the New Buffalo harbor the previous day, but we were at least treated to a Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus) as a consolation prize.  Again, I can certainly think of worse ways to start out a day of birding!

Early morning owling during the New Buffalo Christmas Bird Count produced a red-phase Eastern Screech Owl (Megascops asio).

Kip and I (and Helen for part of the morning) visited various habitats, including lakefront, deciduous forest, fields, planted prairie, and wetlands.  My eyes were thoroughly tired when I headed home after seeing 42 species during almost 11 straight hours of birding. 

Birds were difficult to see on the choppy Lake Michigan waters during the New Buffalo Christmas Bird Count, but this pair of Horned Grebes (Podiceps auritus) was relatively close to shore.

We had plenty of highlights during the New Buffalo Christmas Bird Count, including Redhead (Aythya americana), Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula), Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus), Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator), Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis), Red-throated Loon (Gavia stellata), Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus), Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus), Bonaparte's Gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia), Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus), Eastern Screech Owl (Megascops asio), Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides villosus), Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus), Brown Creeper (Certhia americana), Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus), Winter Wren (Troglodytes hiemalis), and Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla).

Winter Wrens (Troglodytes hiemalis) can sometimes be difficult to come by, but this one seen during the New Buffalo Christmas Bird Count was quite cooperative. 

Since Kip coordinates the New Buffalo count, he sometimes observes areas outside of the section that he is specifically covering.  Species in the table below that are marked with an X were seen outside of our section.  While searching for the Winter Wren (Troglodytes hiemalis) pictured above, we ran into a couple of other birders who had seen Eurasian Collared Doves (Streptopelia decaocto) in their count area, so Kip and I made a late afternoon trip to see these birds, which are as yet uncommon in southwest Michigan.

Eurasian Collared Doves (Streptopelia decaocto) had never before been observed during the New Buffalo Christmas Bird Count.

I was at it again just a few days later, participating in the South Bend Christmas Bird Count on December 20, 2014.  I coordinate the southwest quarter of the count circle, and was lucky enough to have two other teams helping out with our area.  Lindsay and I covered the southern portion of the area, owling and birding from 5:00 AM until about 4:00 PM.  We started the day with four gray phase Eastern Screech Owls (Megascops asio) and 2 Barred Owls (Strix varia) on our list before most of the population of South Bend had even rolled out of bed.

One of four gray phase Eastern Screech Owls (Megascops asio) that we saw during the South Bend Christmas Bird Count.

I enjoy the area that we cover during the South Bend Christmas Bird Count because of our variety of habitat, ranging from deciduous forest to pine plantation to old field to agricultural fields to suburban feeders to wetlands, but what we really lack is open water areas.  Consequently, we don't get many ducks or gulls, but we were able to tally 38 species and good numbers of individuals on one of the birdiest days I can remember for a South Bend count.  Other birders on the count, however, felt that it was a pretty slow day.

A Barred Owl (Strix varia) looks on just before sunrise on the day of the South Bend Christmas Bird Count.

Amongst our highlights during the South Bend Christmas Bird Count were the following: Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo), Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus), Eastern Screech Owl (Megascops asio), Barred Owl (Strix varia), Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius), Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides villosus), Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus), Brown Creeper (Certhia americana), Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus), Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa), Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus), Purple Finch (Haemorhous purpureus), and Pine Siskin (Carduelis pinus).

A Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) observed during the South Bend Christmas Bird Count looks for its next meal.

The final count in which I participated was the Elkhart County Christmas Bird Count on January 3, 2015. Unfortunately, the weather was not cooperative that day, with rain, freezing rain, and snow all day long. I began owling before 6:00 AM and quickly picked up two red phase Eastern Screech Owls (Megascops asio) at one location and a gray phase at another.  I was joined by Ted Miller for the remainder of the day, and we birded until we lost daylight, covering habitats including suburban feeders, river, ponds, wetlands, deciduous forest, old field, and agricultural fields.  The constant precipitation prohibited any photographs, and birds were sparse.  We were able to tally 32 species for the day, but even the numbers of individuals were down, presumably due to the weather and visibility conditions.  I often add species by ear while driving, but all that we could hear was the sloshing of slush beneath the tires and the monotonous beat of my windshield wipers.  Highlights for the day included Gadwall (Anas strepera), Rough-legged Hawk (Buteo lagopus), American Kestrel (Falco sparverius), Eastern Screech Owl (Megascops asio), Barred Owl (Strix varia), and Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris).

My 2014-2015 Christmas Bird Count totals.  An "X" designates a species observed in the count circle on count day but in a different sector than where I was technically counting.

Overall for the 2014-2015 Christmas Bird Count, I tallied 70 species with the help of several wonderful birders.  I'm already looking forward to assisting with these counts, and maybe a couple of others, next December and January!  

Comins Lake

As if we couldn't get enough birding in during our work days at Spring Valley, nearly every day on the way back to the hotel we stopped at Comins Lake. Located in Steptoe Valley, Comins Lake is an artificial lake that was created in 1953 when Highway 93 was realigned, damming Steptoe, Cave, and Willow Creeks.


Although dormant, the plant community immediately surrounding the lake appeared rather interesting, with a dominance of rushes and sedges.


On most days, we only spent a few minutes watching waterfowl on the lake, but on a couple of occasions when I had a bit more time I walked or drove around other parts of the lake and spent more time birding. Comins Lake was very productive and played a huge part in my reaching 80 bird species for my trip list.


I simply could not get enough of the Yellow-headed Blackbirds (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus - now that's a descriptive Latin name if I've ever seen one... yellow head yellow head). These loud, obnoxious Icterids with bright yellow heads and striking white wing patches were present in large flocks every day at Comins Lake.


I'd only seen Cinnamon Teal (Anas cyanoptera, below) in books and photos, so it was a real treat to see this reddish duck on several occasions at Comins Lake. I was surpried at just how red the males were; females are quite drab, and I was really only able to identify them at long range by their association with the brightly-colored male.


Cinnamon Teals are dabbling ducks, meaning that they feed mostly at the surface. The two ducks below are diving ducks, meaning that they dive for food and often spend several seconds under water. This can be frustrating when trying to photograph them.


Above is a male Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis) in breeding plumage. This is an unmistakable duck, with its powder blue bill, red body, black cap, white face, and rudder-like tail that often sticks straight up. If ever there was a cute duck, Ruddy Duck is it.


On the opposite end of the size spectrum for diving ducks is the much larger Canvasback (Aythya valisneria). Those of you familiar with aquatic plants will recognize the specific epithet of the Latin name for Canvasback as the genus for eel grass (Vallisneria americana). The winter buds and roots of Eel grass are said to be the preferred food of this diver during the non-breeding period.


We observed one or two Common Loons (Gavia immer, above) on the lake. One of its alternate names (Great Northern Diver) provides a precise description of the habits of this bird. Common Loons can dive up to 200 feet deep in search of fish to feed upon. Growing to over three feet long, Common Loons can weigh up to 12 pounds; they are not the most graceful of birds in flight.


A common bird on Comins Lake that was intermixed with American Coot (Fulica americana, not pictured) was the Eared Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis), known in some places at the Black-necked Grebe. The birds in the photograph above are in breeding plumage; in non-breeding plumage, they are much less spectacular, with a grayish body, whitish neck and face, and dark cap.


I only saw one gull that was close enough to identify during my trip. Bonaparte's Gulls (Chroicocephalus philadelphia, above) have black hoods when in breeding plumage, but in non-breeding plumage, as I usually see them in Indiana, they have white heads with a small black spot behind the eye. During migration, this species can be seen throughout nearly the entire United States, but to see them on breeding grounds, you would need to travel north to the taiga and boreal forest regions of Canada.


I was excited to see the bird in the photograph above, Brewer's Blackbird (Euphagus cyanocephalus). Brewer's Blackbirds are fairly uncommon in Indiana during migration, but this species is common in the western United States during the summer (and year round in some places). Brewer's Blackbirds can be difficult to distinguish from the more eastern Rusty Blackbirds (Euphagus carolinus), but males of the former are more glossy than those of the latter, and the female Brewer's Blackbird often does not have the yellow iris (seen in the male above), whereas the female Rusty Blackbird does have a yellow iris.


Finally, as I posted previously, one of the highlights for me at Comins Lake was American Avocet (Recurvirostra americana). This shorebird is primarily a western species, but I have seen them on one occasion along Lake Michigan at Indiana Dunes State Park. The very smooth looking plumage, white eyering, and upturned bill makes these birds look cartoonish to me.


Other birds of interest at Comins Lake included Clark's Grebe (Aechmophorus clarkii), Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps), Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus), Great Egret (Casmerodius albus), Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias), White-faced Ibis (Plegadis chihi), Gadwall (Anas strepera), American Wigeon (Anas americana), Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata), Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca), Redhead (Aythya americana), Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris), Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis), Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola), Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus), Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis), Long-billed Curlew (Numenius americanus), Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago), Common Raven (Corvus corax), Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor), Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis), Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica), Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris), Mountain Bluebird (Sialia currucoides), and Western Meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta).