83rd Bronx-Westchester Christmas Bird Count
December 23, 2006

The Bronx-Westchester CBC has seen well over 220 different species.
Summary of birds seen over its 80 plus year history.
1999 Results
2000 Results
2001 Results
2002 Results
2003 Results
2004 Results
2005 Results
2006 Results are below
2007 Results

Return to Main Chapter Page

    The Bronx-Westchester Christmas Bird Count was held Saturday December 23, 2006. Over 70 volunteers searched the sound, rivers, ponds, lakes, woods and meadows throughout southern Westchester and the Bronx identifying and counting all the birds they encountered. 116 species were identified tallying 46,251 birds.

    The forecast called for rain all day, but the rain ended just after daybreak and the sun came out in the afternoon. The warm weather leading up to the count resulted in low numbers of ducks and many other species. Lakes remained unfrozen to our north and many ducks stayed north. Local birds took advantage of the weather by staying spread out and did not concentrate themselves in prime habitat. The weather did result in many rare sightings.

    The female Rufous Hummingbird remained at Lenoir Nature Preserve to make it to the count. A Pacific Loon was reported off Orchard Beach, but unfortunately could not be found and confirmed the next day. A Lesser Yellowlegs in the East Bronx was the counts 9th record.

    Three species of warblers were found. Two Orange-crowned Warblers were in Pelham Bay Park. A Nashville Warbler was near the power line path in Greenburgh. And an American Redstart was found at Half-Moon Overlook, just above Spuyten Duyvil in the Bronx.

    Wave Hill had an Indigo Bunting and a Baltimore Oriole was nearby in Riverdale. A possible "pink-sided" Junco was glimpsed on the Old Croton Aqueduct in Tibbetts Brook Park, Yonkers. The bird also could not be relocated.

    Other highlights included Surf and Black Scoters, along with a Northern Gannet in the Sound. An immature Bald Eagle was seen from the marina in Yonkers.

    Low numbers were recorded for Canada Goose, Wood Duck, American Black Duck, Mallard and Common Goldeneye while Monk Parakeets and American Robin set new high counts. Species missed (not seen) were Ring-necked Duck, American Coot, Yellow-rumped Warbler, and Savannah Sparrow. - Michael Bochnik, Compiler

    Thanks to all participants. The complete compilation results are attached.

    The next count will be on SUNAY, December 23, 2007


Michael Bochnik
(914) 2379331 
BochnikM@cs.com 

Species

Hudson Valley

Yonkers

West Bronx

East Bronx

Scarsdale

Rye

Total

Snow Goose (white form)

1

1

2

Brant

709

30

736

1475

Canada Goose

165

178

692

365

1662

619

3681

29-year Low

Mute Swan

5

2

21

60

80

168

Wood Duck

2

1

1

4

24-year Low

Gadwall

25

50

75

American Wigeon

19

132

122

273

American Black Duck

2

12

4

295

143

183

639

75-year Low

Mallard

45

125

268

140

321

423

1322

23-year Low

Mallard hybrid

1

1

1

5

8

Northern Shoveler

3

2

42

47

Northern Pintail

1

1

Green-winged Teal (Am.)

2

16

8

26

Canvasback

2

2

8

12

Redhead

1

1

Greater Scaup

9650

402

10052

Lesser Scaup

103

103

scaup, sp

200

200

Surf Scoter

1

5

6

White-winged Scoter

CW

CW

CW

Black Scoter

2

2

Long-tailed Duck

59

59

Bufflehead

1

363

117

184

665

Common Goldeneye

3

22

20

45

All Time Low Count (52 in 1941)

Hooded Merganser

2

33

12

14

58

33

152

Common Merganser

1

21

5

1

28

Red-breasted Merganser

54

34

147

235

Ruddy Duck

64

2

44

58

3

171

Ring-necked Pheasant

1

5

6

Wild Turkey

20

20

Red-throated Loon

3

4

12

19

Common Loon

1

7

8

Pied-billed Grebe

1

1

2

loon, sp

1

1

Horned Grebe

8

2

10

Northern Gannet

1

1

Double-crested Cormorant

1

12

5

51

69

Great Cormorant

12

1

23

36

Cormorant, sp

4

4

Great Blue Heron

2

2

1

5

18

28

Black-crowned Night-Heron

1

1

2

Turkey Vulture

1

2

1

2

6

Bald Eagle

1

1

Northern Harrier

1

1

Sharp-shinned Hawk

2

3

4

3

2

14

Cooper's Hawk

2

4

3

2

3

14

Red-shouldered Hawk

1

1

2

Red-tailed Hawk

15

14

17

18

14

14

92

American Kestrel

1

1

1

3

Merlin

1

1

2

Peregrine Falcon

2

2

2

1

7

Ties High Count , 2005

Virginia Rail

4

4

Killdeer

2

CW

10

4

16

Lesser Yellowlegs

1

1

9th Count Record, last seen in 1987

Ruddy Turnstone

1

1

Purple Sandpiper

15

15

Dunlin

1

1

Wilson's Snipe

3

3

American Woodcock

1

1

2

Bonaparte's Gull

37

37

Ring-billed Gull

170

885

995

1647

728

462

4887

Herring Gull

8

126

18

614

107

103

976

Great Black-backed Gull

1

14

6

57

16

35

129

Rock Pigeon

41

615

445

145

280

199

1725

Mourning Dove

86

171

355

208

151

311

1282

32-year high, second highest count

Monk Parakeet

22

3

25

New High Count (19 in 2004)

Eastern Screech-Owl

2

1

3

Great Horned Owl

2

3

4

9

Barred Owl

CW

CW

Northern Saw-whet Owl

2

2

Rufous Hummingbird

1

1

2nd count record, seen in 2001

Belted Kingfisher

2

2

3

9

10

26

Red-bellied Woodpecker

12

21

49

5

37

41

165

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

5

1

3

3

12

Downy Woodpecker

17

25

32

32

28

48

182

Hairy Woodpecker

6

8

15

5

9

20

63

Northern (Yel.-sh.)Flicker

2

1

7

5

10

25

Pileated Woodpecker

1

1

1

3

Blue Jay

68

100

357

134

76

113

848

American Crow

49

27

59

40

288

57

520

Fish Crow

2

25

5

32

Black-capped Chickadee

50

49

41

16

89

106

351

Tufted Titmouse

65

52

125

65

75

104

486

Red-breasted Nuthatch

1

1

1

3

White-breasted Nuthatch

13

10

17

13

28

44

125

Brown Creeper

2

2

1

5

Carolina Wren

14

18

18

37

27

70

184

House Wren

2

2

Winter Wren

5

6

2

3

21

37

Marsh Wren

1

1

2

Golden-crowned Kinglet

1

3

8

12

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

2

4

1

2

9

Hermit Thrush

3

5

3

6

11

28

American Robin

39

52

310

179

104

270

954

New High Count (830 in 2004)

Gray Catbird

1

3

3

1

4

12

Northern Mockingbird

18

12

44

16

16

25

131

Brown Thrasher

1

1

2

European Starling

411

310

754

341

289

266

2371

Cedar Waxwing

16

11

3

30

Orange-crowned Warbler

CW

2

2

6th count record, last seen in 03

Nashville Warbler

1

1

6th count record, last seen in 01

American Redstart

1

1

2nd count record, seen in 1931

Eastern Towhee

1

2

1

2

6

American Tree Sparrow

1

2

85

7

80

175

Chipping Sparrow

1

2

1

4

Field Sparrow

7

7

Fox Sparrow

1

9

24

7

10

51

Song Sparrow

48

28

81

43

113

155

468

Swamp Sparrow

1

4

2

2

16

25

White-throated Sparrow

138

232

908

384

241

415

2318

White-crowned Sparrow

1

1

Dark-eyed (Slate col.) Junco

65

265

404

52

246

192

1224

Dark-eyed Junco

1

1

Northern Cardinal

52

53

72

48

63

88

376

Indigo Bunting

1

1

2nd count record, seen in 1975

Red-winged Blackbird

348

36

38

2

424

Rusty Blackbird

24

24

Common Grackle

4

742

1950

1

2697

Brown-headed Cowbird

2

1

3

Baltimore Oriole

1

1

11th count record

House Finch

40

47

92

14

64

49

306

American Goldfinch

23

25

78

30

111

107

374

House Sparrow

223

137

1152

116

243

351

2222

Hudson Valley

Yonkers

West Bronx

East Bronx

Scarsdale

Rye

Number of Saves

2

2

6

5

1

13

Number of Species

45

52

70

74

69

91

116

Totals

1936

3784

8619

18189

6478

7245

46251

Missed Species: Ring-necked Duck, American Coot (last missed in 1988) , Yellow-rumped Warbler, Savannah Sparrow
52 % of the regular occurring species were down 20% or more from their 20 year averages, 
only 26 % were above and 22% were near their averages.

Summary of birds seen over its 80 year history.
1999 Results
2000 Results
2001 Results
2002 Results
2003 Results
2004 Results
2005 Results

Return to Main Chapter Page