BIRD NOTES

There are three winter birding projects that take place each year. They are the Christmas Bird Counts, Project Feederwatch and The Great Backyard Bird Count. Birdwatch Canada Winter 2026 Number 112 wrote an article on these projects and the results from the 2024/25 Season.

On Feb. 19 I went with the Environmental Class for the community college out birding. We found 27 species for the day.

Robert Keereweer located a thick-billed murre near the Blandford Fish Plant on Feb. 15. I was going to make a trip to try and see this bird, but decided to wait a few days before going. In the meantime, on Feb. 16, I was out birding in Feltzen South, and just off the beach I found a thick-billed murre.

Eric Mills located a red-necked grebe on the Lunenburg waterfront Feb. 7. I was out birding with Barbara McLean on Feb. 9 and we had excellent views of this bird. The best in fact that I have ever had. The grebe was literally about one metre from me. I was as the top of a wharf looking down at it.

I saw 34 species of birds on Jan. 30 which signifies a great day of birdwatching for me.

The database, eBird, was launched in 2002 by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology at the Cornell University and the National Audubon Society. It gathers basic data on bird abundance and distribution at a variety of spatial and temporal scales.

On Jan. 17, Ethan Sarty and I set off for New Glasgow on a quest for the tufted titmouse.

On the Lunenburg Christmas Bird Count, which took place on Jan. 3, Fulton Lavender told me that he had seen four yellow-rumped warblers at the intersection for North and South Stonehurst.

Lise Bell has the final tally for the Broad Cove Christmas Bird Count, which occurred on Dec. 28 – a total of 65 birds were seen on the count day.

I had to move the date for the White Point Christmas Bird Count from Dec. 20 to the 21 due to predicted high winds. It turned out that the winds were very high on the day of the count ranging from 29 to 59 kms mostly from the southwest. Temperatures were between four and nine celsius.

David Walmark and I went out birding on Dec. 17 for a couple of hours.

The Barrington Christmas Bird Count was held on Dec. 14 this year.