GinaECFNC

2018 Holiday Beach Christmas Bird Count Summary

Written by Jeremy Hatt for The Egret – Issue 35 – Number 1

The 2018 Holiday Beach Christmas Bird Count was held on Saturday, Dec. 29. 36 volunteers participated in the count, with 33 people observing in the field and 3 people observing feeders. 77 party hours were tallied: 52 hours by foot, 25 hours by car, and 6 hours of feeder watching. A combined total of 441km of distance was traveled for the count by foot and by car.

Conditions for the 2018 Holiday Beach CBC were much milder and more comfortable than the bitter cold of the 2017 count. Temperatures ranged from a low of -1C in the early morning to a high of 1C in the mid-afternoon (temperatures in 2017 ranged from a low of -16C to a high of -9C!). There was a light snow in the early morning that ended before 8am and no other precipitation occurred during the count. Winds averaged between 10-15km/hr. There was also no snow cover on the count (whereas in 2017 there was a snow depth of 6 inches on the ground) and the waters of Lake Erie and the Detroit River as well as the inland waters of Big Creek were all open.

A total number of 18,584 individual birds were counted of 70 species. This is two species lower than the count in 2017. Three additional species were recorded during count week. As was the case with every other Essex County CBC in 2018, the number of passerines was lower on average than other years, likely due to the milder temperatures.

Highlights from the count included 1,438 Tundra Swans (record high for the count), 6,898 Canvasback, 33 Hooded Merganser (record high for the count), 2 Common Loons off of Holiday Beach (record high for the count), 1 Golden Eagle, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 2 Eastern Phoebes on Boblo Island (record high for the count), 29 Eastern Bluebirds (record high for the count), and 1,014 Red-winged Blackbirds (record high for the count). Birds added during count week included Northern Saw-Whet Owl, Belted Kingfisher, and Merlin.

No new species were added to the count.

An enormous thank you goes out to Kory and Sarah Renaud for hosting the roundup at their house at short notice and for providing a meal of chili and refreshments for everyone who was able to attend. Special thanks also go out to all the area leaders as well as everyone who volunteered and helped organize another successful Holiday Beach CBC!

Essex SwiftWatch Summary 2018

Written by Jeremy Hatt for The Egret – Issue 35 – Volume 1

The Essex County Field Naturalists’ Club continues to help monitor Chimney Swifts in Essex County by searching for new nesting sites, spring roost monitoring, and Swift Night Out events. This article summarizes the results of 2018.

The Chimney Swift is currently listed as a Threatened species in Ontario, which means the species is not endangered, but is likely to become endangered if steps are not taken to address factors threatening it.

According to Bird Studies Canada, “the Chimney Swift Canadian population has declined by 95% since 1968. Their habitat is being lost as buildings are modernized and chimneys are capped, steel-lined, or torn down. Other factors, such as severe weather events and changes in insect abundance, are likely also affecting swifts.”

In 2018, eight sites in Essex County were surveyed during the annual spring roost monitoring project. According to the 2018, Ontario SwiftWatch Report published by Bird Studies Canada, “Long-term monitoring at roost sites helps our understanding of local and regional population changes. Monitoring as many roosts as possible during the same time each year will help determine whether specific events or factors might be influencing swift numbers (e.g., drought, cold spring, or conservation actions). Roost monitoring is crucial for identifying chimneys regularly used by high numbers of swifts during migration for stewardship and protection. It is also helpful for tracking the success of these stewardship and protection efforts, and for identifying new threats as they arise.”

Five members of ECFNC volunteered to count roosting swifts on five count nights: May 17, May 23, May 27, May 31, and June 4. These sites included three in Kingsville and three in Windsor. Additional volunteers in Leamington monitored two additional sites. The sites with the highest number of roosting swifts so far identified include the Epworth Church in Kingsville (high count of 319 on May 17, 2019), The Chelsea Hotel in Windsor, and the Walkerville Collegiate Institute. The mid-May date is an optional early count done by Essex County and other southern Ontario locations, which are the first regions to see Chimney Swifts arrive during spring migration. Over the last 2 years, some of our highest counts have been tallied on this early date.

My sincere thanks go out to ECFNC members Jonathan Choquette, Jennifer Nantais, Paula O’Rourke, and Nancy Pancheshan for their continued volunteer efforts with swift monitoring in Essex County.

Number of Chimney Swifts Entering Chimney per site from the 2018 Spring Roost Monitoring Results

On September 9, a Swift Night Out was held at the Walkerville Collegiate Institute and 20 members of the community came out to participate and learn about swifts. This site has been known to be a significant fall roosting site in the past, which is why it was chosen for the event. Only a few Chimney Swifts were observed (likely due to cold temperatures, wind, and rain), but Ontario SwiftWatch coordinator, Liz Purves, was in attendance and was able to provide everyone with information on Chimney Swift migration, behaviour, breeding, threats to the species, and local and national conservation efforts.

In 2019, our goal is to continue with spring roost monitoring at sites across the county and to identify new breeding sites and fall roosting sites. We also hope to engage with landowners for stewardship opportunities to ensure current nesting and roosting sites are protected as well. Finally, we are planning to hold another Swift Night out in the spring so stay tuned!

WE NEED YOUR HELP!
If you are interested in volunteering with Ontario SwiftWatch in Essex County, please contact me at Liz Purves at . We especially need more volunteers for spring roost monitoring and for identifying roosting and nesting sites across the county.

Current non-private swift roosting/nest sites identified in Windsor and Essex County:

Windsor
711 McEwan Ave – Our Lady of Assumption Church
1385 University Ave W – Church of Ascension
176 University Ave W
119 Chatham Street W
100 University Ave W
327 Ouellette Ave – Basil Court
511 Pelissier Street – The Chelsea
1164 Ouellette Ave
2100 Richmond Street – Walkerville Collegiate Institute
10150 Riverside Dr E – Old Brewery

Amherstburg
130 Sandwich St S – General Amherst High School (south chimney)
48 Richmond Street – CIBC
317 Ramsay St – Christ Anglican Church

Tecumseh:
540 Old Tecumseh Rd – PureCycle Spin and Yoga Studio

Essex
2651 County Rd 12 – Colchester North Public School

Kingsville
56 Division Street – Epworth United Church
1 Main Street – CIBC
11 Main Street
12 Pearl St. E – May May Inn

Leamington
125 Talbot Street West – old Leamington District High School
Marlborough St W – old train station
51 Talbot Street E
69 Talbot Street E
89 Talbot Street E
3 Nelson Street
12 Nelson Street
9 John Street – United Church of Canada
29 John Street – Leamington Post Office
7 Clark Street W – Leamington OPP
107 Erie Street N

Stoney Point
7119-7505 Tecumseh Rd – old church

Pelee Island
1073 West Shore Rd – Pelee Island Heritage Centre

Gull Watching at the Essex-Windsor Regional Landfill

Written by Jeremy Hatt for The Egret – Volume 35 Issue 1

The Essex-Windsor Regional Landfill is a great place to look at gulls in Essex County. In the colder months, many gulls migrating south stop over or overwinter in the Great Lakes region including Lake Erie, Lake St. Clair, and the Detroit River. The landfill provides an alternative food source for these overwintering gulls when food becomes scarcer. Although the actual landfill is not open to the public, the field immediately south of the landfill serves as a loafing place for gulls between meals and provides the best viewing opportunities for birders.

From my experience, the best time for finding gulls at the landfill is from November until the beginning of April. In the coldest periods of the year when both Lake St. Clair and Lake Erie are mostly frozen over, there are sometimes no gulls present at this location. This was the case in 2019. After the polar vortex, hit at the end of January, Lake St. Clair, and Lake Erie experienced almost 100% ice cover, gull numbers at the landfill fell to virtually zero for the rest of January and all of February. Gulls typically roost on open water at night so many gulls likely left the area in search of open water or the landfill was too far from the nearest open water to fly to each day.

The landfill provides a great opportunity to not only study large groups of Herring and Ring-billed Gulls, but also to pick out uncommon or rare gulls. Gulls are typically present at the landfill from mid-morning to late afternoon (exact times vary based on the length of day).

It should be warned that this location has a tendency to be hit or miss. Gulls here are often flushed by raptors including Bald Eagles, Red-tailed Hawks, and Cooper’s Hawks that also feed around the landfill. There are also days that gulls just are not present, perhaps when waste is not exposed or as previously mentioned, in the coldest periods of the year when the lakes are frozen over.

The Essex-Windsor Regional Landfill is located on County Road 18 between Coulter Side Road and McCormick Road. County Road 18 is often busy and used heavily by semi-trucks. The shoulder of the road is wide enough for a vehicle to pull off but extra caution should be taken to be as safe as possible. The gulls often rest in the middle of the field so a scope is ideal for viewing. It is best to pull over as far as possible, turn on your hazard lights, and use a window mount for your scope. If you do get out of your vehicle, it is recommended you stand in front of it. It is not uncommon for the OPP to stop to ask why you are pulled over.

According to eBird, eight species of gulls have been recorded at the landfill. The following species accounts are based on eBird data as well as my personal experience from three years of occasional visits to the Landfill. Therefore, much of the information should be considered anecdotal until more data is entered into eBird and new patterns emerge. Species accounts pertain to the periods of November-April.

Bonaparte’s Gulls – Bonaparte’s Gulls move south from Essex County during the coldest periods of the winter when Lake Erie, Lake St. Clair, and parts of the Detroit River freeze over. At the landfill, they are usually present in low numbers in November and sometimes into December and return in March. The high count for Bonaparte’s Gulls is 31 birds on April 15, 2018 (Pat Schiller).

Ring-billed Gull – Ring-billed Gulls can be present throughout the period from November to April. Most of them are adults with lower numbers of first and second winter birds mixed in. The high count for Ring-billed Gulls according to eBird is an estimated 1,500 on March 3, 2016 (Jeremy L. Hatt). In the colder periods of the year, many Ring-billed Gulls move south out of Essex County and Herring Gulls subsequently outnumber Ring-billed Gulls at the landfill.

Herring Gulls – Herring Gulls can be present throughout the period from November to April and are usually the most abundant gull at the landfill, especially during the colder periods. Most of them are adults with lower numbers of first winter to third winter birds mixed in. The high count for Herring Gulls according to eBird is an estimated 1,500 on March 3, 2016 (Jeremy L. Hatt). It is not unusual to see over 1,000 Herring Gulls loafing in the field and feeding in the landfill. In April, pair bonding and copulation has been observed.

Iceland Gull – Iceland Gull has been reported at the landfill from December to April, though they typically are present in Essex County from about October until May. Both “Kumlien’s” and “Thayer’s” subspecies have been reported at the landfill with most records pertaining to “Kumlien’s”. The high count for Iceland Gulls is six birds on January 23, 2019 (Brandon Holden).

Lesser Black-backed Gull – Lesser Black-backed Gulls have been reported at the landfill from November to April and are present in Essex County in low numbers almost year-round. Sightings mostly pertain to single birds though a high count of three was found on April 6, 2016 (Jeremy Hatt).

Slaty-backed Gull – An adult Slaty-backed Gull was found at the landfill on January 15, 2019 (Jeremy Hatt). It was last reported on January 18, 2019. This was the second record of this species for Essex County. The first record for the county was of a third basic bird that was seen at both Wheatley Harbour and Hillman Marsh from January 22 to January 26, 2006 (Dean Ware).

Glaucous Gull – Glaucous Gull has been reported at the landfill from January to March. All records pertain to single birds. Like Iceland Gull, this species is present in low numbers in Essex County from about October to May when they move south in the colder months.

Great Black-backed Gull – Great Black-backed Gulls have been reported at the landfill from November to March and there are usually at least a few present. The high count for Great Black-backed Gulls was 29 birds on January 15, 2019 (Jeremy Hatt).

Herring x Great Black-backed Gull (“Great Lakes Gull”) – This hybrid gets its nickname from its high frequency of occurrence in the Great Lakes region. There is only one record for the landfill; a single adult on December 29, 2015 (Jeremy Hatt, Kory Renaud).

Noteworthy sightings from November 2018 to February 2019:

Lesser Black-backed Gull – Records include a single bird on November 16 (Ian Woodfield), one adult bird on December 3 (Jeremy Hatt), one adult bird, perhaps the same individual as the one seen on December 3, from January 10-15 (Jeremy Hatt), one third winter bird on January 10 (Jeremy Hatt), and one second winter bird on January 11 (Dave Martin, Linda Wladarski).

Slaty-backed Gull – An adult Slaty-backed Gull was found at the landfill on January 15, 2019 (Jeremy Hatt). It was last reported on January 18, 2019

Iceland Gull – Records all pertain to the “Kumlien’s” subspecies and include one adult bird from January 15-16 (Jeremy Hatt), one third-winter bird on January 15 (Jeremy Bensette), and six birds of various ages on January 23 (Brandon Holden).

Glaucous Gull – The only report was of a single adult present from January 10-17 (Jeremy Hatt).

Great Black-backed Gull – High count for the period was 29 birds on January 15 (Jeremy Hatt).

Ring-billed Gull – High count for the period was an estimated 700 birds on November 7 (Jeremy Hatt).

Herring Gull – High count for the period was an estimated 1,300 Herring Gulls on January 17 (Mark Field, Jeremy Hatt). A leucistic adult was found on January 23 (Jeremy Hatt).