New Year's CBC

We started off the New Year with one last CBC--the St. Clair NWA.  Although the relative temperature was not terribly cold, the wind chill made it unbearable.  As a result, we spent little time out of the car!

Milder years are much better with open water and much waterfowl.  It is not often we get a winter like this.

I checked out the wildlife area with Pete Read and Don Pye.  Normally we would walk the dike and Balmoral Line, but it was out of the question today.  There would not be much, if anything, along the dike.  Most birds would have been long gone or dead by now!

I arrived a bit earlier and scouted around.  On the way there, I saw two Snowy Owls along Heron Line in their usual position (way out).

One here

Several groups of Snow Buntings were seen along the way.  They do not mind this weather!

We decided to go by car down Balmoral Line.  There was a small open water area where geese and ducks were packed--only kept open because they stay there.  It was difficult to pick out anything different, and we could not stay out of the car any length of time.

However, there were two Northern Pintail and a single male Northern Shoveler mixed in with 2000+ Mallard and Black ducks.

A lone Tundra Swan, which we assumed was still alive, kept its head down the whole time.

Near the end of Balmoral Line, we encountered a group of Rusty Blackbirds working along the ditch out of the wind.

Once in a while, we get Brewer's Blackbird on this count, but not today.

We arrived back at the parking lot and noticed a bird under the Red Cedar alongside the ditch.  We got a little closer and I realized it was a Gray Catbird!  Of all the things to find out there this winter....

I am not sure if it will survive much longer as the weather is supposed to get even colder this week.

I believe I have seen one other catbird on this count when we checked out Bradley many years ago.

We decided to try a walk, but only got to the little bridge.  It was pointless to go any further!

By this time it was about 11:30 and we were pretty much done.  To accommodate everyone, the areas are small and there is not enough to go around for a full day's work anymore.  Just as well, it was pretty bleak out there today!  However, this count is always a good way to start off the New Year.

And of course, this count is known for the crows.

Early morning feed