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Chapel Hill Spring Bird Count results



2000 Chapel Hill Spring Bird Count - Compiler's Comments 
by Will Cook

The 43rd Chapel Hill spring bird count on 5/14/2000 was a little below 
average in number of species (120), probably due to the late date, but, 
thanks to a high level of participation, we had our second highest 
count of individual birds ever (11242).  Our best birds included a 
female Anhinga seen soaring high near Jordan Lake by Steve Graves (only 
the second record on a Chapel Hill spring count), an Olive-sided 
Flycatcher seen at Mason Farm by Will Cook (our fourth record), a very 
late Brown Creeper well described by Bobbie Wilkerson, a Wilson's 
Warbler seen at Mason Farm by Will Cook (our fifth record).  Other 
birds that we usually miss included 4 Wild Turkeys, a Chuck-will's-
widow, and 2 Canada Warblers.  

The number of parties and party-hours was the highest in years, so we 
set a large number of record highs.  The count of 87 Great Blue Herons 
shattered the record of 23 from last year.  Boosting the number was our 
first ever heronry, which had 18 active nests, found on Cub Creek in 
Chatham County by Alan Johnston and Edith Tatum.  The count of 43 Red- 
shouldered Hawks blasted past the old record of 28 set in 1997, thanks 
in part to Alan Johnston's neighborhood family of five.  The 27 Song 
Sparrows more than doubled the old record of 13, because of their 
increased use of urban habitats such as shopping mall parking lots, 
where they formerly were absent.  Other record highs were set for Black 
Vulture, Turkey Vulture, Canada Goose, Mallard, Killdeer, Ruby-throated 
Hummingbird, Downy Woodpecker, Pileated Woodpecker, Great Crested 
Flycatcher, Red-eyed Vireo, American Crow, Carolina Chickadee, Tufted 
Titmouse, White-breasted Nuthatch, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Pine Warbler, 
Summer Tanager, Northern Cardinal, and Indigo Bunting.  

A few species were seen in unusually low numbers.  The count of 55 Bam 
Swallows was our lowest since 1974, far below the mean of 96.  Because 
of the late date we only found 4 Black-throated Blue Warblers (mean 
31), and 4 Yellow-rumped (Myrtle) Warblers (lowest ever; mean 163), and 
3 White- throated Sparrows (ties record low; mean 66).  Field Sparrows 
were also scarce, with only 21 (lowest since 1969; mean 43).  


-- 
Charles W. "Will" Cook                w 919-660-7423
cwcook@duke.edu                 h 919-967-5446
Duke University Botany Dept., Durham, North Carolina
http://www.duke.edu/~cwcook