The Woodstock Field Naturalists' (WFN) held their 81st Annual Christmas Bird Count (CBC) on Saturday December 20, 2014. Each year the Christmas Bird Count is conducted ten days before and after Christmas which runs from December 14th to January 5th. During the 19th century many North Americans participated in the traditional Christmas “side hunts” in which the person with the largest pile of birds won.
However, by the 20th century American ornithologist and an officer of the recently formed National Audubon Society, Frank M. Chapman, proposed counting birds instead of killing them. On Christmas Day in 1900, 25 bird counts were held ranging from Toronto, Ontario to Pacific Grove, California and 90 species were counted on that day. Since then this tradition carries on marking the National Audubon Society’s 115th Christmas Bird Count. Each bird count occurs in an established 15-mile wide diameter circle that is divided into six parts. A team of bird watchers takes an area and counts birds for the day then reports their findings to the count compiler.
The CBC is the longest running survey conducted by citizens in the world. Data collected by CBC is one of two of the largest sources of information to provide researchers, ornithologists and conservation biologists information on how the population of North American birds has changed over one hundred years. As such, trends can be predicted to establish measures to protect birds and their habitat. For instance, in 2009 data helped to comprise the Audubon's Birds & Climate Change analysis report, which documented 314 species that could be on the brink of extinction due to climate change. Such species are well known birds that include the Bald Eagle, the Common Loon, the Baltimore Oriole, the Burrowing Owl and the Allan Hummingbird. In Woodstock, Pittock Dam is the centre of the 15-mile wide diameter circle and long-time WFN member Jeff Skevington is the count complier. (View Woodstock CBC.)
Despite the electricity being out early on Saturday morning, I headed to Area D’s meeting place at Nikki’s Roadhouse in Princeton, Ontario to meet our three-person team. It was a beautiful bright and sunny day, you would think perfect for bird watching. However, our first stop at Blenheim Swamp or Benwell Swamp (famously known for the murder and trial in Canadian history when Frederick Benwell - Plaque #22 - was murdered in February 1890 by Reginald Birchall who was later hanged) found neither sightings nor sounds of our feathered friends. WFN President Roger Boyd cited that inclement weather and snow on the ground attracts more bird sightings. Blenheim Swamp is comprised of free-standing trees like Red Maple, Yellow Birch, White Ash, and Swamp Ash. The soil is peat moss in which vegetation has shallow roots. Various vegetation grown in peat moss include Skunk Cabbage, numerous ferns, Dogwood, Button Bush and Lady’s Slipper to name but a few.
However, by the 20th century American ornithologist and an officer of the recently formed National Audubon Society, Frank M. Chapman, proposed counting birds instead of killing them. On Christmas Day in 1900, 25 bird counts were held ranging from Toronto, Ontario to Pacific Grove, California and 90 species were counted on that day. Since then this tradition carries on marking the National Audubon Society’s 115th Christmas Bird Count. Each bird count occurs in an established 15-mile wide diameter circle that is divided into six parts. A team of bird watchers takes an area and counts birds for the day then reports their findings to the count compiler.
The CBC is the longest running survey conducted by citizens in the world. Data collected by CBC is one of two of the largest sources of information to provide researchers, ornithologists and conservation biologists information on how the population of North American birds has changed over one hundred years. As such, trends can be predicted to establish measures to protect birds and their habitat. For instance, in 2009 data helped to comprise the Audubon's Birds & Climate Change analysis report, which documented 314 species that could be on the brink of extinction due to climate change. Such species are well known birds that include the Bald Eagle, the Common Loon, the Baltimore Oriole, the Burrowing Owl and the Allan Hummingbird. In Woodstock, Pittock Dam is the centre of the 15-mile wide diameter circle and long-time WFN member Jeff Skevington is the count complier. (View Woodstock CBC.)
Despite the electricity being out early on Saturday morning, I headed to Area D’s meeting place at Nikki’s Roadhouse in Princeton, Ontario to meet our three-person team. It was a beautiful bright and sunny day, you would think perfect for bird watching. However, our first stop at Blenheim Swamp or Benwell Swamp (famously known for the murder and trial in Canadian history when Frederick Benwell - Plaque #22 - was murdered in February 1890 by Reginald Birchall who was later hanged) found neither sightings nor sounds of our feathered friends. WFN President Roger Boyd cited that inclement weather and snow on the ground attracts more bird sightings. Blenheim Swamp is comprised of free-standing trees like Red Maple, Yellow Birch, White Ash, and Swamp Ash. The soil is peat moss in which vegetation has shallow roots. Various vegetation grown in peat moss include Skunk Cabbage, numerous ferns, Dogwood, Button Bush and Lady’s Slipper to name but a few.
 Looking down the lane way at Blenheim or Benwell Swamp |  |
The next stop was at Horner Creek - named after Oxford County’s Quaker settler Thomas Horner - in Blandford-Blenheim Township fared much better. There we spotted Red-Bellied Woodpeckers, Juncos and Red-Tailed Hawks. It was at this site that a new discovery was made. Markings were found on the trees resembling claw markings. If seen in Algonquin Park, one would surmise that the markings were made by bear claws. But in Oxford County bears do not exist. Our little group was perplexed for none of us could recall having seen such a sight before. Was it a disease or a new trait for a bird? Roger noticed that the majority of trees supporting the markings were all Ash trees and occurred on the south side of the trees.
Claw like markings on the south side of Ash Trees at Horner Creek
Rabbits or deer eating the bark of a Beech Tree.
Further east of Horner Creek we stopped at Whiteman’s Creek near Burford. Whiteman’s Creek has two main tributaries, Kenny Creek in Norwich Township and Horner Creek. Whiteman’s Creek flows through the sandy soils of the Norfolk Sand Plain before meeting up with the Grand River between Brantford and Paris. A good sighting of Song Sparrows, Goldfinch, Pileated Woodpeckers, Rock Pigeons and Chickadees was seen along with more marking on the trees. Also at Whiteman’s Creek we found numerous trees that were chopped down by beavers. The beginning structure of a dam was found. Another person in the group reported that once authorities from the Grand River Conservation Authority find the dam, it will be dismantled and the beavers could be relocated elsewhere.
 Trees cut down by beavers.  Stripped pieces of wood to be used to build the beaver dam. |  Beaver dam at Whiteman's Creek.  Trail where beavers carry branches to the creek to build their dam. |
A drey an empty squirrel's nest.
At Kenny Creek our bird watching group found the source of the markings on the Ash trees. A female Hairy Woodpecker was seen stripping off the bark right in front us. Doing a quick research writing this blog, the markings our group saw matched the markings Woodpeckers make on Ash trees infected with the Emerald Ash Borer. So our problem was solved by observation. Bluebirds were seen at this location. Aside from our feathered friends, other animals were spotted, two skittish deer ran out onto the road then ran back on the other side of the woods, a muskrat was seen in the creek, various horses and of course cattle being Oxford County.
 Markings on trees caused by Hairy Woodpeckers searching for Emerald Ash Borer. |  |
After seven hours counting birds, Area D team counted 20 species of birds. The total species for WFN’s CBC was 67 species with a total of 23,486 birds recorded. (Refer to the WFN’s website to download the data for 2014. ) Next year’s WFN’s Christmas Bird Count will be held on Saturday December 19, 2015. Everyone is welcome to participate in the field or by counting the birds at your feeder if you reside within the 15 kilometre radius of the bridge over Pittock on Innerkip Road. Contact information is also provided on the website. Following a long day tramping around in the bush, birders were invited to the home of John and Thora Harvey for a pot-luck dinner. John has been a member of WFN for 62 years. Both John and his wife Thora are honorary members. The Harveys have hosted these gatherings for thirty years. John has participated in the WFN’s Christmas Bird County since 1953. He is a wealth of information in identifying not only birds but plants, flowers and trees.
I always thoroughly enjoy my day birding at the Christmas Bird Counts every year. I first joined WFN almost twenty-four years ago attending their monthly meetings which occur the first Monday each month at Huron Park Secondary School library. I find the meetings both educational and interesting. The monthly outings to surrounding locations to view birds were fun like Hawk Cliff, Long Point or Rondeau Provincial Park. These days though I attend the annual Harvest Dinner and participate in CBC. The next meeting for the Woodstock Field Naturalists’ Club will take place on Monday January 5, 2015. It will be a members’ participation night. The next outing will occur on Saturday January 10, 2015 meeting at 10:00 at the parking lot of W.C.I. to go to Fisherville to see owls. Bring your lunch and chairs. For further information contact Rich Skevington at 519-462-2862. Always a good time to be had and fun for the whole family.
Gallery of photos taken on WFN's 81st Annual Christmas Bird Count in Area D.
I always thoroughly enjoy my day birding at the Christmas Bird Counts every year. I first joined WFN almost twenty-four years ago attending their monthly meetings which occur the first Monday each month at Huron Park Secondary School library. I find the meetings both educational and interesting. The monthly outings to surrounding locations to view birds were fun like Hawk Cliff, Long Point or Rondeau Provincial Park. These days though I attend the annual Harvest Dinner and participate in CBC. The next meeting for the Woodstock Field Naturalists’ Club will take place on Monday January 5, 2015. It will be a members’ participation night. The next outing will occur on Saturday January 10, 2015 meeting at 10:00 at the parking lot of W.C.I. to go to Fisherville to see owls. Bring your lunch and chairs. For further information contact Rich Skevington at 519-462-2862. Always a good time to be had and fun for the whole family.
Gallery of photos taken on WFN's 81st Annual Christmas Bird Count in Area D.
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