Cedar Creek Christmas Bird Count

Written by Paul Pratt for The Egret, Issue 35- Number 1

The thirty-fourth Cedar Creek CBC was held Saturday December 15, 2018. This count originally started in part to help count the huge winter roost of American Crows in Essex. Although relatively few crows have been counted in recent years (32 in 2018) our peak count recorded 117, 149 in 2000. By 2004 the Essex roost started to decline as crows shifted to the winter roost in Chatham. This year thirty-seven observers tallied 15,032 individual birds of 79 species. The most common birds recorded were Canada Goose 2911, Starling 2641, House Sparrow 1398, Blue Jay 528, Brown-headed Cowbird 513, Red-breasted Merganser 509. Lower numbers of American Tree Sparrows were found (86 vs and average count of 500). Unusual counts included 235 Canvasback (a record high), 23 Sandhill Crane, 1 Gray Catbird and 1 Orange-crowned Warbler. An after-count compilation and pot-luck was hosted by Tom & Peggy Hurst for all participants.