The number of red-breasted nuthatch birds observed in annual Christmas Bird Count last month were significantly more (148) than a year ago (72).--SUBMITTED PHOTO DAN SCHIEBELBEIN
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A total of 52 species were observed during the 39th annual local Christmas Bird Count.
Although the temperature was relatively mild with a high of 8 C there was a brisk wind that can affect bird activity, said Marty Drut, compiler and park interpreter for the Medicine Hat Interpretive Program.
The 52 species counted is slightly fewer than the previous count in December 2019, but a total of 21,869 birds were counted.
Anyone who lives near the South Saskatchewan River or can observe the activity of Canada geese in the mornings and evenings, especially on the west side of the city. The numbers are not what they were a couple of years ago, though. There were 16,849 in 2020 compared to 21,586 in 2018.
For the first time in the history of the bird count there were more common ravens (15) than American crows (10). Ravens were observed in 1982 and then not seen again until 2006.
“Raven numbers have been going up over the last 10 years or so,” said Drut, noting that ravens and crows are in the same family of birds and that the raven is the bigger of the two. The shape of the tails is distinctly different.
There was also a big change in the number of mallards spotted. There were 3,135 counted in 2019 and only 674 in 2020.
Drut says it is hard to know if there is anything to read into this change. There are anecdotal reports of plenty of them around.
“You have to look at three years going forward to see if that’s a trend,” said Drut.
The number of horned larks decreased from 197 in 2019 to only two in 2020. They have had consistently low counts in the past 10 years, said Drut.
There were increased numbers of black-billed magpie: 643 compared to 566 a year ago, and in fact the most recent count is the second highest number since 2003.
“Magpies are an important native species and they are very critical for maintaining the fabric of our Eco-system,” said Drut. WestNile virus negatively impacted their numbers a few years ago.
There were 148 red-breasted nuthatch birds counted last month compared to just 72 in December 2019.
Drut says it is of note that there were only 175 European starlings observed this time. A year ago there had been 854. They are not a native bird and do not migrate. The drop in numbers does not indicate anything at this stage – there would have to be a trend over a longer period of time to consider possible reasons.
There have been sightings of a number of bald eagles. Drut says there is only one resident pair along the South Saskatchewan River in our area but there appear to be young ones that will still establish a territory of their own.
