The 15th December monthly census was conducted on Sunday, December 18 as
part of the Lake Erie Island Christmas Bird Count.  Below are the numbers
and species observed by our group conducting the census.  Species marked
with an * were observed by our groups on the island during the day.  Our
group consisted of myself, Paula Bartlett, Tom Behlen, and Sandy Tkach.
Weather was mild for December with temps in the 30's to mid 40's, overcast
to partly cloudy, with SW winds 5-12 mph.  One species was added to the
December census count; Turkey Vulture.  The group observed 49 species which
is slightly below average of the 15 years (51 species).  The 5758
individuals observed was will below the 15 year average of 21,740
individuals.

29     Canada Goose
*        Tundra Swan
15      Gadwall
*        American Wigeon
17      American Black Duck
108    Mallard
*         Canvasback
*         Redhead
138     Greater Scaup
856     Lesser Scaup
2         Surf Scoter
*          White-winged Scoter
325     Bufflehead
411      Common Goldeneye
*          Hooded Merganser
17       Common Merganser
359     Red-breasted Merganser
*          Wild Turkey
7         Common Loon
32       Horned Grebe
*          Double-crested Cormorant
*          American Bittern
*          Great Blue Heron
1         Turkey Vulture
7          Bald Eagle
1          Northern Harrier
*           Sharp-shinned Hawk
1           Cooper's Hawk
2          Red-tailed Hawk
*           Rough-legged Hawk
1          Killdeer
*           Dunlin
8           Bonaparte's Gull
57         Ring-billed Gull
261       Herring Gull
1           Lesser Black-backed Gull
14         Great Black-backed Gull
*            Eastern Screech-Owl
*            Great Horned Owl
*            Northern Saw-whet Owl
*            Belted Kingfisher
3            Red-bellied Woodpecker
*            Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
23          Downy Woodpecker
*             Hairy Woodpecker
5            Northern Flicker
4            Blue Jay
45          American Crow
1            Horned Lark
73          Black-capped Chickadee
*             Red-breasted Nuthatch
*             White-breasted Nuthatch
4            Brown Creeper
2            Carolina Wren
4            Winter Wren
5            Golden-crowned Kinglet
1            Ruby-crowned Kinglet
5            Eastern Bluebird
3            Hermit Thrush
57          American Robin
2716      European Starling
15          Cedar Waxwing
9            Yellow-rumped Warbler
1            Eastern Towhee
*             American Tree Sparrow
*            Song Sparrow
*            Swamp Sparrow
9            White-throated Sparrow
*            White-crowned Sparrow
14          Dark-eyed Junco
*            Snow Bunting
37          Northern Cardinal
*             Red-winged Blackbird
*             Purple Finch
2             House Finch
*             Red Crossbill
12          American Goldfinch
38          House Sparrow

* = species observed on the island on census day but not on census route

Tom
--
H. Thomas Bartlett
Tiffin, Ohio
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