The Sunshine Coast Natural History Society conducted their 44th annual Christmas Bird Count (CBC) on Dec. 17, centred on Gibsons and Sechelt but covering the area from Port Mellon to West Sechelt. The 32nd Pender Harbour count, organized by the Pender Harbour Wildlife Society, covers Middlepoint to Egmont and was held on Dec. 29 after being delayed from the pre-Christmas period by snow and sub-zero temperatures.
The Sunshine Coast count area (Gibsons-Sechelt) was covered by 26 participants in eight separate parties. The weather was quite acceptable for a mid-winter bird count with a temperature of 5C, some drizzle and calm conditions on the Strait. At day’s end 89 different species had been recorded and a total of 8,624 birds. In the count-week (three days before and after count-day) an additional five species were reported, for a total of 94 species. The “best” species observed, in terms of rarity, were a white-throated sparrow on North Road in Gibsons and a yellow-rumped warbler in Sechelt, both recorded for only the fourth time in 44 counts. Also of note were three rhinoceros auklets, previously recorded five times in 43 years. American goldfinch is generally absent from the Sunshine Coast during the winter but has been inexplicably common this year and they were duly recorded on the count.
The species count is only one aspect of the CBC exercise and more important is recording the long-term numbers of common species. Numbers go up and down for a host of reasons, including the weather both locally and continentally, cone crops locally and regionally, breeding success during the previous summer, etc, etc. so it is the long-term trend that is critical. CBC data and other bird censuses all show that overall bird populations have dropped precipitously over the past 50 years, though there have been both winners and losers in our changing world.
The delayed Pender Harbour count on Dec. 29 was held in reasonable conditions. Compilation is not yet complete (at press time) but it appears that 78 species were recorded, slightly below the long-term average for the count. On land, American goldfinch was recorded for only the second time (last 30 years ago). On the water, there was a notable gathering of marine birds in the Bjerre Shoals area of Malaspina Strait to the north of Thormanby Island, with grebes, looms, cormorants, gulls, alcids and ducks (notably a flock of 50 long-tailed ducks) all present. The highlight was a count of 1,700 ancient murrelets, along with its congeners: marbled murrelet, rhinoceros auklet and common murre.
To report your sightings or questions contact [email protected] or 885-5539. Good Birding.
