Basics and Highlights
December 15, 2012, marked the 57th Hoover Reservoir Christmas Bird Count. Highlights of the count included setting 12 new record highs (or tie with previous record) for previously recorded species, and adding a new species (species number 138) a Rufous Hummingbird at two different feeders.
Statistics
40′ 12 N, 82′ 5 W, as described 1975, center I-71, 7.5 mi. n. Rt. 161. December 15, 2012; 7:50 a.m. to 5:05 p.m. Temp 40 F to 50 F. Wind WSW, 5-15 mph. Snow depth 0.0 inches. All water was open, no ice. Cloudy all day, light rain in afternoon, followed by fewer clouds. Observers: 65 in the field in 13 parties (non-owling) and 2 Feeder Watch. Total party-hours 62; total party-miles 228.5; 46.5 hours and 43 miles on foot; 15.5 hours and 185.5 miles by car.
Credits
Once again Highbanks Metro Park (Craig Biegler and Martha Koch), Sharon Woods Metro Park (Allison Shaw), and Inniswood Metro Gardens (Jennifer Kleinrichert) coordinated park programs with the Christmas Bird Count for the Hoover Reservoir Circle. I regret that I do not have the names of all of the park interns who assisted on this day.
Other team leaders were Charlie Bombaci, Bill Kinkead, and Rob Thorn (from Hoover Reservoir), Darlene Sillick (western edge), and Shaune Skinner (who I thank for taking over the Alum Creek Lake area).
I wish to thank every participant for contributing your time and skills on this day. Without you the Audubon Christmas Bird Counts could not take place. May everyone have a wonderful 2013 filled with good birding, good friends, and good health.
Next CBC
Next year’s Hoover Reservoir Christmas Bird Count will take place on Saturday, December 14, 2013.
Species List
Common Loon 2
Pied-billed Grebe 12
Horned Grebe 4
Great Blue Heron 23
Canada Goose 1145
Northern Shoveler 43
Northern Pintail 9
Wood Duck 6
Green-winged Teal 6
American Black Duck 63
Mallard 457
Gadwall 18
Redhead 3
Ring-necked Duck 104
Lesser Scaup 46
Surf Scoter 2
Common Goldeneye 2
Bufflehead 11
Hooded Merganser 187
Red-breasted Merganser 9
Ruddy Duck 23
Bald Eagle 7
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1
Cooper’s Hawk 8
Red-shouldered Hawk 2
Red-tailed Hawk 28
Merlin 1
American Kestrel 1
Bonaparte’s Gull 222
Ring-billed Gull 1,277
Herring Gull 4
Rock Pigeon 20
Mourning Dove 66
American Coot 1
Eastern Screech Owl 5
Great Horned Owl 2
Barred Owl 4
Belted Kingfisher 16
Rufous Hummingbird 2
Red-headed Woodpecker 5
Red-bellied Woodpecker 124
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 5
Downy Woodpecker 145
Hairy Woodpecker 21
Northern Flicker 74
Pileated Woodpecker 9
Blue Jay 234
American Crow 178
Carolina Chickadee 385
Tufted Titmouse 159
Red-breasted Nuthatch 14
White-breasted Nuthatch 135
Brown Creeper 8
Carolina Wren 51
House Wren 4
Golden-crowned Kinglet 5
Eastern Bluebird 200
Hermit Thrush 1
American Robin 1,011
Northern Mockingbird 14
Cedar Waxwing 112
European Starling 6,924
Yellow-rumped Warbler 37
Northern Cardinal 327
Eastern Towhee 6
American Tree Sparrow 114
Fox Sparrow 4
Field Sparrow 2
Song Sparrow 56
Swamp Sparrow 4
White-throated Sparrow 168
White-crowned Sparrow 4
Dark-eyed Junco 175
Red-winged Blackbird 310
Eastern Meadowlark 1
House Finch 172
American Goldfinch 168
House Sparrow 194
Additional Count Week Birds: Brown Thrasher, Pine Siskin
Totals
Totals: 78 Species, 15,420 Individuals.
Compiler: Lee McBride, 445 Caldy Ct, Dublin, Ohio 43017