The number of birds seen in the 41st annual Christmas bird count in Banff and Canmore was 4,581 – almost double the number from last year and higher than many years in the past two decades.
The Dec. 19 count was great for seedeaters overall, with numerous red-breasted nuthatches, pine grosbeaks and pine siskins. Compared to the CBC last year, more than 1,600 white-winged crossbills were seen this year, contributing to the high number of birds.
“The crossbills were definitely a biggie and that’s because they are zooming in on the cone crops of spruce trees,” said Heather Dempsey of Bow Valley Naturalists, organizers of the count.
“Their numbers fluctuate from year to year depending on the food source. Last year there were cones all across Canada from what I understand and so they didn’t need to focus on our trees.”
The count saw 46 different bird species recorded. The long-term average is 43.
A major highlight was the first sighting for the Banff-Canmore count of a sora rail – a small and secretive bird of freshwater marshes that is the most common and widely distributed rail in North America.
Even though it is rarely seen, the sora rail makes its presence known with plaintive whistles and whinnies. As with other rails, it spends most of its time hidden in dense marshy growth or wet meadows.
Dempsey said the sora is often heard here throughout the summer, but rarely seen.
“It’s just a really secretive bird. We’ve never known them to be here in the winter time,” said Dempsey.
“Even though you hear them, to actually see one is quite an accomplishment. Rumours were that it was lingering at the marsh in early December, but it is a new and exciting discovery to see one this late.”
In winter, the sora migrates to the southern United States and northern South America.
“It’s probably having a good time here and just didn’t leave,” said Dempsey.
“It was pretty mild here, and it weathered those snow storms, or maybe it could have come from a little further up north.”
Another highlight for the count was recording three merlins, a small, fierce falcon, in Canmore on count day and another two in Banff and the Lake Minnewanka area in the week leading up to the count.
They use surprise attacks to bring down small songbirds and shorebirds.
“Merlin are rare to see on our count. They’ve only been counted six times total and the most ever before has been one or two, so the three seen in Canmore is a new record,” said Dempsey.
“Merlins are often seen on counts in urban areas as they feed off small birds. Calgary recorded 27 last year, and Edmonton 19.”
Dempsey said very few ducks were seen overall this year compared to many years, noting 257 mallards were counted in Canmore, with only two seen in Banff.
“This is more than twice as many seen in the last couple of years on the count, but it pales besides the counts of the 1990s when we topped over 1,400 of them in 1994,” she said.
No common goldeneyes were seen the day of the count, although 12 were seen at Lake Minnewanka earlier in the week.
“Although there is a lot of open water, the lack of goldeneye on the Bow River is attributed to Banff’s improved sewage treatment over the decades,” said Dempsey.
Dempsey said the mix of chickadees seen seems to be changing, with increasing numbers of mountain and boreal chickadees being seen.
“It also seems there is a decline in finding the cheery black capped chickadees, not just here, but in many parts of North America,” she said.
A couple of bald eagles were flying overhead during the day, which is expected.
All likely members of the crow and jay families were seen, including magpies, crows, ravens, blue and Steller’s jays, nutcrackers and gray jays.
