Christmas Bird Count tallies high number of species

Bird-watchers in Burnaby have counted the highest number of species in the past 15 years for the annual Christmas Bird Count.

The Dec. 14 count at Burnaby Lake and Deer Lake found a total of 69 species - that's 10 more than the average over the past decade.

Burnaby resident George Clulow, organizer for the local count, said perfect weather, experienced birders and good luck all played a factor.

"Some years you miss stuff. Even relatively common birds just don't show up for whatever reason, but this year we got them all," he said.

Every year, citizen scientists across the continent spend a day counting and logging various species of birds.

Overall, the Burnaby results reflect a stable local winter bird population, Clulow said.

"We're not seeing any great surprises. We're not seeing any crash and declines, although some of the birds are low," he said. "If we keep our parks in tact and not too tailored, if we have the habitat for our birds, we'll maintain our birds."

Count highlights include seven pileated woodpeckers, which Clulow said was simply unprecedented.

Ring-necked ducks are on the rise (66 were counted), which is part of a North American trend.

In a separate count on Burnaby Mountain, birders found a flock of pine grosbeaks, a red-feathered finch, close to Horizons Restaurant on Centennial Way. Pine grosbeaks are rare in these parts, and photographers from all over the Lower Mainland have been flocking to the mountain to see the bird, according to Clulow.

"And these birds have been so cooperative, it's just been stunning," he said.

(Many birders indentify species by sound. Click here to listen to the call of the pine grosbeak.)

Anna's hummingbirds are continuing their upward trend in the area, with nine counted this season.

The count at Burnaby's crow roost, however, was off this year with only 8,000 corvids. Counting crows is not an exact science, but volunteers usually tally their numbers as they fly towards the roost at Burnaby's Still Creek.

"They fooled us this year, they came in early, and they are extremely hard to count when they are in the roost," Clulow said.