BRITISH COLUMBIA AND YUKON TERRITORY. Richard J. Cannings 1330 Debeck Road, Site 11, Comp 96, RR1 Naramata, BC V0H 1N0

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1 average. Athabasca reported the only Spruce Grouse for Alberta. Yellowknife reported 375 Willow Ptarmigan, well over the 10-year average of 202. The region s only Rock Ptarmigan (2) were reported from Arctic Bay. Sharp-tailed Grouse numbers (200 this year) have dropped a little each year for the last two but remain well above the 10-year average of 131. As in the previous years, Pincher Creek, reporting 129 birds, appears to be the provincial Wild Turkey capital. The only grebes reported were two Horned at Wabamun Lake. Thirteen species of diurnal raptors were counted in Alberta. Bald Eagle populations have been increasing since 1962; this year 132 eagles were reported from 22 counts. Northern Goshawks were well represented with half of the counts reporting this woodland accipiter. Rough-legged Hawks were unusually common with 117 reported, the highest number since Single Gyrfalcons were reported from Beaverlodge, Cochrane Wildlife Reserve, Fort Saskatchewan, High River, and Nanton. Three Peregrine and nine Prairie Falcons were tallied in Alberta. Perhaps Alberta s best wintering bird this year was a single Virginia Rail seen on the Banff-Canmore count; details were not provided. Previous sightings of single birds from 1999 and 2004 were also from the same count site. Owls were again well represented. Bergthal s six Snowy Owls was the most in Alberta; Hay River had a count week bird for the Northwest Territories. An all-time record of 22 Northern Pygmy-Owls were counted in Alberta, including nine at Cochrane Wildlife Reserve. Northern Flickers were counted in record numbers, with a total of 313 seen in all but three counts in Alberta; Pileated Woodpeckers also set a record with 187 seen. Single Loggerhead Shrikes were reported from Athabasca, Fort Saskatchewan (with details), and Lac La Biche. Single shrikes were observed in 1986 and 1997, but three birds in one year is unprecedented. Seventy-seven Northern Shrikes set yet another record for Alberta; Yellowknife reported one during count week. Black-capped Chickadee numbers (20,145) surpassed their previous high reached in 2004, while Mountain Chickadee numbers (463) were also higher than the 10-year average. Hinton had a count week Ruby-crowned Kinglet, while Medicine Hat reported the only Varied Thrush. Fort Saskatchewan reported the only Fox Sparrow this year. White-crowned and Harris s sparrow were seen at Hay River and Norman Wells. House Finches continue to increase in Alberta as expected, while unlike other global sites House Sparrows were also up and appear to be holding their own. BRITISH COLUMBIA AND YUKON TERRITORY Richard J. Cannings 1330 Debeck Road, Site 11, Comp 96, RR1 Naramata, BC V0H 1N0 dickcannings@shaw.ca A total of 92 counts reported for British Columbia and Yukon, one more than last year. No new counts were added and one long-term count, Comox, was cancelled because of severe weather. Strong storms hit the coast hard, reducing species and individual counts but still providing much interesting information. Interior counts were less affected by the weather and some spectacular results emerged there. Yukon counts were generally cold but otherwise comfortable. And technology reared its ugly head at Rose Spit, where an uncooperative ATV refused to start, delaying the count and reducing coverage significantly. Despite the vagaries of weather, the overall species count in British Columbia edged up one to 227 this year, and the Yukon count climbed by 2 to 35. Ladner topped coastal counts with a rather mediocre 138 species; Victoria was second at 134. In the interior, Oliver-Osoyoos tallied a stunning 121 species, leaving other Okanagan counts far behind. Whitehorse was tops in the Yukon with 25 species, the same total as last year. Mountain Bluebird (Sialia currucoides), Nanoose Bay, British Columbia. Photo/Rhys Harrison Brant numbers dipped to 1848 from last year s amazing 3845, largely due to a steep drop in numbers at Ladner; the number of counts reporting Brant actually increased to eight. Golden and Vanderhoof found five Spruce Grouse each a very difficult species to track down in winter. Wild Turkey numbers continued their steady climb in the Kootenays 624 were seen on 10 counts. An Arctic Loon seen on the Duncan count was the only new species added to the Canadian Christmas Bird Count list this year. Ptarmigan must have been hiding under the snow on count day; only count week birds were reported, with White-tailed at Whistler and Willow at Haines Junction, Teslin, and Whitehorse. Hecate Strait produced some nice pelagic species, including two Northern Fulmar and a Sooty Shearwater. That route also produced interesting alcids four Thick-billed Murres and 31 Cassin s Auklets. Sooke had an amazing 17 Turkey Vultures this year. Ospreys were reported from four circles but only backed by details on the Victoria count; this is an exceptionally rare species in winter in British Columbia. Skidegate Inlet had two Gyrfalcons; singles were also seen at Kamloops, Kelowna, and White Rock. Oliver-Osoyoos reported three Prairie Falcons, while Penticton had one as well. Vaseux Lake had the only Sora for the region this year. In the large shorebird department, White Rock THE 108TH CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT AMERICAN BIRDS 51

2 Count circles in BRITISH COLUMBIA AND YUKON TERRITORY British Columbia detail reported a Long-billed Curlew and six Marbled Godwits, while a Willet was seen on the neighboring Ladner count. Sooke tallied six Red Phalaropes. Unusual gulls included a Lesser Black-backed at Kamloops as well as single Slaty-backeds at Ladner and Abbotsford-Mission; Penticton reported another Lesser Blackbacked in count week. Eurasian Collared-Doves continued their expansion, being seen on five counts, though numbers at their core site at Cawston dropped to 69. Nearby, Oliver-Osoyoos had 17. As happened last year, six Western Screech-Owls were counted on six counts, three on the coast and three in the Okanagan Valley. Vernon had the only Snowy Owl in the region, while Smithers counted six Northern Hawk Owl; single hawk owls were at Hat Creek, Haines Junction, Mayo, and Teslin. Anna s Hummingbird numbers increased substantially, with 661 seen on 21 coastal counts, including Leucistic American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos), Terrace, British Columbia. Photo/Diane Weismiller 373 at Victoria. Rufous Hummingbirds are very rare in winter in British Columbia, so it was a big surprise to get two reports this year one well seen in the forests of Pender Harbour and the other photographed at a feeder in Nanaimo. Mountain Bluebirds graced three widely spaced counts, with three at Nanoose Bay, two at Rose Spit, and a single bird at Penticton; Lillooet had one in count week. A Swainson s Thrush was well-described at Kelowna, one of only a handful of regional winter records. Northern Mockingbirds once again lived up to their name with singles in Prince George and Whitehorse. A Black-throated Blue Warbler was seen during count period at Nanoose Bay, while a Wilson s at Abbotsford-Mission was also a treat. A total of 16 Townsend s Warblers were seen on eight counts, including five at Parksville-Qualicum. A Chipping Sparrow at Greater Masset was an astounding find (and luckily photographed), while a dozen Harris s Sparrows were scattered across British Columbia counts. Creston Valley had a single Yellowheaded Blackbird, while Vanderhoof reported nine Rusty Blackbirds. As is often the case, finches provided a great deal of excitement throughout the region this year. Pine Grosbeaks and Whitewinged Crossbills were common in the Yukon, with totals of 589 and 646, respectively. Pine Grosbeaks were scattered across British Columbia as well, but not in anywhere near the numbers they were last year; only the 385 at 52 AMERICAN BIRDS

3 McBride were newsworthy. Cassin s Finches were scattered through the southern interior, but they also showed up on the edges of their normal range at Whistler, Pemberton-Mount Currie, and D arcy-birken. Red Crossbills more than doubled their numbers of last year with 3713 tallied, most of them on southern Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands. Pine Siskins soared to near-record numbers, with 65,891 seen. Most of those were on the south coast (Duncan, at 6103, had the highest total), although Revelstoke reported almost 3000 in the southern interior mountains. Common Redpolls staged a minor invasion with 9361 birds counted, mostly in the interior as usual but a few spilling onto the coast. The only Hoaries were three at Dawson Creek. Evening Grosbeak numbers continued to inch upwards, with 1640 reported throughout the region, including a single bird at Watson Lake. ALASKA R.L. Buzz Scher 8640 Leeper Circle Anchorage, AK bscher@rmconsult.com The Alaska region included 34 counts, which was low. In total, the counts recorded 145 species (plus 7 count week) Count circles in ALASKA and close to 132,000 total individuals (respectively above and below the fiveyear running averages); 47 species (almost 54,350 individuals) of passerines were tallied. The counts involved a nearrecord 914 participants (650 in the field). Brandt s Cormorant (6 at Ketchikan) was new to the region s CBC list (as was Tiaga-Bean Goose, but see below), bringing the total species count after 50-plus years to 224 species (by my count). Look out California and Texas! Statewide, 17 species accounted for more than 75 percent of the total individual non-passerines. The most numerous were Glaucous-winged Gull (8311), Mallard (8174), Long-tailed Duck (4536), Black Scoter (4095), Surf Scoter (4046), and Bald Eagle (3448). Six species accounted for more than 75 percent of the total individual passerines: Bohemian Waxwing (13,591), Common Redpoll (8180), Common Raven (7723), Black-capped Chickadee (4940), Northwestern Crow (3870), and Pine Siskin (2869). New species region high counts, by circle, were also established for Rock Ptarmigan (114, Unalaska), Western Grebe (1002, Wrangell Island), Northern Harrier (4, Glacier Bay), and Brown-headed Cowbird (2, Wrangell). The total 11 counts in the southeast subregion produced 110 species (40 passerine) and 51,538 individuals (12,253 passerines). The Glacier Bay count recorded the most species (73), while Juneau had the most individuals (10,875), count week species (15, a record for the region), and participants (45). In addition to the aforementioned Brandt s Cormorant and Brown-headed Cowbird, new species to the subregion counts included Cackling Geese (Juneau and Sitka; no details provided), and an Iceland Gull (Ketchikan; second Alaska CBC record). Other subregion highlights included three Wood Ducks (Juneau), Barred Owl (Chilkat and Glacier Bay), Horned Lark (Glacier Bay), Harris s Sparrow (Juneau, Mitkof Island, and Wrangell), and Swamp Sparrow (Glacier Bay). In the southcoastal subregion, nine counts tallied a total 116 species (39 passerine) and 57,225 individuals (31,214 passerines). The Kodiak count recorded the most species (76; region high), while Anchorage had the most individuals (15,508, including 6190 Bohemian Waxwings; region high) and participants (130; region high). Unusual species for the subregion included Snow Goose (Kodiak), Western Screech-Owl (Cordova), Northern Harrier (Matanuska Valley), Bonaparte s Gull (Seward), Slaty-backed Gull (Soldotna), Savannah Sparrow (Seward), and Brambling (Anchorage). The total five southwest subregion counts produced 75 species (21 passerine) and 13,380 individuals (2266 passerines). The Unalaska count had the Alaska detail THE 108TH CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT AMERICAN BIRDS 53

4 most species (48), individuals (8923), and participants (23). In addition to the aforementioned Rock Ptarmigan, new subregion high counts were set for White-winged Scoter (529, Unalaska), Dunlin (44, Izembek N.W.R.), American Dipper (17, Unalaska), and Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (358, Unalaska). Other subregion highlights included Slaty-backed Gull (Shemya and Unalaska), and Golden-crowned Sparrow (Izembek N.W.R.). And in the continental subregion, nine counts produced a total 39 species (19 passerine) and 9674 individuals (89 percent passerines). The Fairbanks count had the most species (29), individuals (5773), and participants (92). New species to the subregion counts included Barrow s Goldeneye, Peregrine Falcon, and Townsend s Solitaire, all at Fairbanks. And new subregion high counts were set for Mallard (325, Fairbanks), Common Goldeneye (9, Fairbanks), Common Merganser (42, Delta Junction), Bald Eagle (68, Delta Junction), and Gyrfalcon (2, Tok). Finally, I consider that the regional editor s basic role is to review the data from each count and provide comments (e.g., unusual species, confidence in identification, numbers, etc.), which should be important to anyone considering to utilize data for some other use. In the not-too-distant past, all editorial comments were provided with the published count results. However, since the end of hard-copy (boo-hiss), I believe the value of Audubon s online CBC database is significantly compromised because it is not obvious to a user that there are editorial comments or other information that should be considered (at least I can t find this information through the website). Case in point, three Tiaga-Bean Geese were recorded on the Shemya Island (western Aleutian Islands) count; to my knowledge the first time for any North American CBC. There is no question about identification of these birds (well photographed); they had been present continuously since late September and they were unrestrained and capable of flight at the time of the CBC. However, there apparently was a period in the late fall when these birds (all three?) were injured (wounded?). There is no way to determine if the earlier injuries had anything to do with these birds, now healthy, remaining on the island into December. Therefore, I opted (after considerable deliberation) not to delete the record; instead annotating the entry and including the above circumstances in the special aspects submitted for that count with the hope that someday the information, as well as all of the editor s comments on any species, will be obvious to anyone looking at the historic database. NEW ENGLAND Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont Wayne R. Petersen Massachusetts Important Bird Areas Program Mass Audubon 208 South Great Road Lincoln, MA wpetersen@massaudubon.org Although not the most robust species total on record, the cumulative tally of 217 species made the 108th New England Christmas Bird Count season memorable, nonetheless. A mixed bag of weather conditions during the count period variously influenced certain counts, and serendipity played a major role in at least one Massachusetts CBC. Only 120 CBCs were conducted in New England this year; the shortfall from 127 last year undoubtedly due in part to inclement weather on scheduled count days for several CBCs. Not surprisingly, the total of 3100 participating observers was down slightly from 3331 last season. The yeoman effort put forth by the birders who did take part in the count was manifest by the fact that cumulatively they logged party hours and covered 43, party miles. The highest overall CBC species total in the region this year belonged to South Kingstown, an Ocean State census that successfully logged a remarkable 145 species. Mid-Cape Cod in Massachusetts was a close second with 142 species. Other top honors went to Greater Portland (93) in Maine, Coastal New Hampshire (113) in New Hampshire, Ferrisburg (82) in Vermont, and New Haven and Old Lyme, each with 132 species, in Connecticut. While most of these accolades often belong to the same short list of CBCs, readers are reminded of the tremendous habitat advantage afforded to counts located on the coast, or on Lake Champlain in the case of Vermont. The long list of species recorded on these counts is certainly impressive, but the large totals are in no way any more significant than the more modest totals recorded at inland sites. Every bird has the same value when it comes to monitoring trends in winter bird populations. Despite the shorter overall regional list, there were still some stunning discoveries made during this CBC season. In this editor s opinion the top pick was a toss-up between a Broad-winged Hawk and four Northern Rough-winged Swallows at New Haven, a Great Crested Flycatcher (a bird that was definitively photographed) at Cape Cod, and a Veery at Lakeville-Sharon. Each of these reports has its own story, but it might be of particular interest to point out that the swallows had been present for several days prior to the count, and the Veery was a cripple that was apparently unable to fly. The Northern Rough-winged Swallows represented a first New England CBC Slaty-backed Gull (Larus schistisagus), Cape Ann, Massachusetts. Photo/Phil Brown 54 AMERICAN BIRDS

5 Count circles in NEW ENGLAND record, and the editor is aware of only one previous Great Crested Flycatcher on a New England CBC. Although small numbers of several of these species regularly winter in the southern United States, it is fair to say that in general all of them are neotropical migrants that generally evacuate the United State in the winter, thus making their early winter appearance in New England that much more intriguing. Also in the running for top honors, and not to be outdone by lingering native species, was a Barnacle Goose (from who knows where?) at Edwin Way Teale Trail Wood and a Slaty-backed Gull at Cape Cod (plus two count week individuals at Cape Ann). The provenance of Barnacle Geese is the subject of a never-ending debate among birders; however, since the increase in reports over a wide area in northeastern North America is unequivocal, this editor is inclined to lean toward wild origin for this species, unless there is clear evidence to the contrary. The Slaty-backed Gull represents a slightly different scenario. As previously noted, serendipity had a hand in this season s CBC effort. Slaty-backed Gulls are a Berengian species whose presence on a New England CBC was first detected in New Hampshire in Since then there have been no other CBC THE 108TH CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT AMERICAN BIRDS 55

6 reports of Slaty-backed Gulls in New England, despite the presence of two individuals in New Hampshire in January Due to severely inclement weather on 13 December, the venerable Cape Cod CBC was postponed until the following weekend for the first time in recorded history. A possible consequence of this change was the discovery of an adult Slaty-backed Gull during the rescheduled count day. Even more remarkable, however, was the discovery at Cape Ann of two Slaty-backed Gulls within an hour of the Cape Cod discovery, thus adding the species to the Cape Ann CBC as a count week species. These three represent the first-ever reports in Massachusetts. In addition to the stellar highlights already mentioned, the region was not without other luminaries. Though not unprecedented, out-of-season seabirds included a Sooty Shearwater at South Kingstown and a Greater Shearwater at Cape Cod, six Red Phalaropes at Eastport, a Parasitic Jaeger in Long Island Sound at New Haven, and an unidentified jaeger at Bath-Phippsburg, all of which represented outstanding occurrences in the northwest Atlantic Ocean in late December. Consistent with the general increase and recent nesting of the species in the region, a Sandhill Crane at South Kingstown was perhaps less surprising than it would have been a decade ago, but a lingering White-rumped Sandpiper at Truro was exceptional in North America this late in the season. A Yellow-throated Warbler at Cape Cod was yet another instance of what has become a remarkable number of CBC occurrences in recent years, and a whopping total of 27 Boat-tailed Grackles at Stratford-Milford was the highest on record for this southern colonizer. Although the variety of hummingbirds in New England failed to match the diversity of several past winters, Rufous Hummingbirds at Hartford, New London, Buzzards Bay, Cape Cod, and Marshfield are simply off the charts for what observers half a century ago would ever have believed possible. Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus), Hartford, Connecticut. Photo/Mark Szantyr In the same vein belongs the regionwide total of 73 Black Vultures, including 52 at New London and one as far north as Thomaston-Rockland in Maine. This species seems to be marching northward with the same alacrity exhibited by Redbellied Woodpeckers within the last 30 years, even though this year s total fell short of the 155 recorded in Perhaps the most dynamic event of the CBC season was the explosive irruption of Bohemian Waxwings into southern New England that took place several days before Christmas. Exemplary were totals of 983 at Cape Cod (where the previous high count was one individual in the 75-year history of the count), 710 at Cape Ann, 73 at Newburyport, and 70 at Mid-Cape Cod. Curiously, only one bird was recorded south of Massachusetts a single individual at South Kingstown. That this was the greatest incursion on record for this elegant passerine was underscored by the regional total of 10,420 the previous high being 5124 recorded in the winter of The coastal nature of the largest flocks suggests that these birds may have arrived over water across the Gulf of Maine, possibly from Newfoundland or other parts of Atlantic Canada instead of making their way south through northern New England. Time will possibly tell. Though not quite as dramatic as the Bohemian Waxwing incursion, Pine Grosbeaks and Common Redpolls also made quite a statement this season. A regional total of 7822 Pine Grosbeaks is clearly the greatest number recorded during a CBC period in many years. Likewise, a regional total of 18,020 Common Redpolls indicates that there must have been a significant catkin shortage in the subarctic and boreal regions from whence this winter finch emanates. Not surprisingly with an irruption of this magnitude, no fewer than 10 Hoary Redpolls were reported, most of which were convincingly documented. Even the increasingly elusive Evening Grosbeak made a better showing throughout New England this winter than has been the case in many a year. A roll call of some of the other traditional irruptive species reflects a varied picture. Regional totals for Northern Goshawk (26), Rough-legged Hawk (119), Short-eared Owl (43), Northern Saw-whet Owl (158), and Northern Shrike (260) clearly indicate that a number of these subarctic and boreal forest nesters erupted southward this winter, no doubt in response to a shortage of Red-backed and other vole species in the north. The saw-whet owl totals are hardly surprising in the aftermath of what was one of the heaviest fall flights of this species that owl banders throughout the Northeast can ever remember. Other regional raptor totals showing obvious trends included 456 Bald Eagles (not quite up to the regional high of 524 set in , but an increase from 449 birds last season); Cooper s Hawk (612) continuing to outstrip Sharp-shinned Hawk (515) in regional abundance; and American Kestrel (39), whose numbers have now dipped far below the 25-year low total of 56 set in Although there seem to be a number of hypotheses to explain why, the fact remains that American Kestrel is in real trouble and is sinking fast, ladies and gentlemen! A taxonomic overview of other CBC highlights starts with waterfowl. The now annual appearance of Greater White-fronted Geese in the region was this year realized by the presence of singles at Lakeville-Sharon, Napatree, and Newport County-Westport. A caveat to 56 AMERICAN BIRDS

7 the reported increase of white-fronted geese in New England is the apparent assumption among some birders that all such geese emanate from Greenland, a fact that is very likely not always the case. Observers are encouraged to fully familiarize themselves with the features that distinguish the different races of this polytypic species, and to examine carefully all Greater White-fronted Geese before asserting that they necessarily belong to the orange-billed Greenland race, flavirostris. Cackling Geese were identified at New Haven (2) and Quinnipiac (2), a Blue-winged Teal was at Cape Cod, and an interesting hybrid Wood Duck x Hooded Merganser was well documented at Northampton. Although the total of 23,693 Long-tailed Ducks at Nantucket was considerably lower than in some years, this is more likely due to a perturbation in the conditions on the day of the CBC rather than a crash in this otherwise robust population. Pacific Loons appeared at Mt. Desert and York County, and Eared Grebes were documented at Coastal New Hampshire, Cape Ann, and Napatree possibly the greatest number ever documented during a single CBC period in New England. The grebes in the Granite State and Bay State were both presumed to be returning individuals from previous winters. Notable among the wading birds this season were single Great Egrets at Martha s Vineyard, Greenwich-Stamford, and Old Lyme, and a Little Blue Heron at Napatree. Lingering Ospreys were noted this year at Old Lyme, Concord (MA), and Mid-Cape Cod, and a number of CBCs reflected the apparently increasing numbers of Red-shouldered Hawks, particularly in southern New England. Could it actually be that a hybrid Redtailed Hawk x Red-shouldered Hawk noted at Saxton s River is in reality the tip of an iceberg?(!) Much like the aforementioned Bald Eagle, the total of 75 Peregrine Falcons regionwide is right in line with the tremendous increase in regional nesting of this species in the aftermath of the DDT era. Two Soras at Mid-Cape Cod and a count week Common Moorhen at Nantucket were the only individuals of these species reported. Shorebirds of special note were two Semipalmated Plovers at Stratford-Milford and one at Newport County-Westport, as well as a Least Sandpiper at South Kingstown. Of mild concern to this editor is the seemingly gradual, but apparently steady, decline of Purple Sandpipers at traditional and historic wintering areas, particularly in Massachusetts. This might be a species to watch in the future, particularly by those observers who have suitable rocky coastal habitat in their CBC circles. A Laughing Gull and a Little Gull at Nantucket were the only ones in the region, and Nantucket s total of 45 Lesser Black-backed Gulls underscored the preeminence of this location for this species in New England. One of the more notable events of this season s CBC was the remarkable regional total of 300 Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers. Given that this species is marginally at the northern limit of its winter range in extreme southern New England, this number seems quite extraordinary, particularly the 187 recorded in Massachusetts, on top of the 8 in Vermont and 4 each in Maine and New Hampshire. Since the foraging of sapsuckers is partially dependent on weather temperate enough to allow for sap to flow, could it be that we are looking at yet another manifestation of climate change and its impact on the winter distribution of a species typically found farther south? And how about the total of 118 Red-bellied Woodpeckers tallied in the three northern New England states? Recall that this species was a mere vagrant in most of the region less than half a century ago! Single individuals of the always-elusive Red-headed Woodpecker appeared at Napatree, Hartford, Salmon River, and Storrs. In addition to the previously mentioned Great Crested Flycatcher, a count week Western Kingbird at Nantucket was decidedly notable. The number of Tufted Titmice reported regionwide continues to reflect an increase in numbers and geographical spread, while Carolina Wrens held the line set last winter against the demise they sustained several frigid winters ago. A count week Sedge Wren at Nantucket would have been a snappy addition to the island s count, and a Townsend s Solitaire at Quincy and a count week individual at Cape Ann represented the only regional reports of this increasingly regular visitor from the West. A total of 15 Orange-crowned Warblers in Massachusetts was spearheaded by 8 at Nantucket; other noteworthy woodwarblers included a Prairie Warbler at New London, a Black-and-white Warbler at Old Lyme, a count week Wilson s Warbler at Greater Boston, and an amazing regional total of 35 Yellow-breasted Chats, including 21 in Massachusetts and one especially hardy individual as far north as Burlington. A Western Tanager at York County undoubtedly added a nice bit of holiday color to the CBC season in the Pine Tree State. Sparrows making news included Lark Sparrows at Newport County-Westport, Cape Cod, and Truro; Grasshopper Sparrows at Newport County-Westport and New Haven; and Lincoln s Sparrows at Greater Boston and Worcester. A count week Brewer s Blackbird was well described at Newport County-Westport. NEW YORK Kevin J. McGowan, Ph.D. Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology 159 Sapsucker Woods Road Ithaca, NY Kjm2@cornell.edu The 108th Christmas Bird Count in New York provided a slightly odd mix of birds, leading to some record count totals. It was a good northern finch year and many northern species were present throughout the state. At the same time, the weather was rather mild and many half-hardies were present. Overall, 227 species were seen on 68 counts, for a total of 1,307,094 individuals. It was a great goose year in the state, although different from the 107th count, THE 108TH CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT AMERICAN BIRDS 57

8 which also was good for geese. Last year the late start to the winter kept the waters open and allowed record numbers of the common species to remain in the state, especially Snow Geese. What was remarkable about the 108th count was that even without a report of Ross s Goose, seven species of geese were tallied. Leading the list of rarities was a pair of very cooperative visitors from Greenland (presumably) to the eastern end of Long Island; individuals of both Pink-footed Goose and Barnacle Goose were present on the Montauk count, and they very obligingly stayed around for another month. Both Greater White-fronted Goose and Cackling Goose were seen on four counts each. Other waterfowl numbers were more normal, with the regular number of the rarer species tallied. Only the Montezuma count recorded Trumpeter Swan this year, but it tallied 30. Eight Eurasian Wigeon were seen on five counts. The only King Eider this year came from the Wilson-Lake Plains count along Lake Ontario. Harlequin Duck numbers were rather low on Long Island, but a female was tallied on the Oswego-Fulton count on Lake Ontario. Pacific Loon on the Southern Orange County count and Eared Grebe on the Bronx-Westchester count were unusual, but not particularly well documented. The only unusual herons this year were a Little Blue Heron on the Southern Nassau count and a Yellow-crowned Night-Heron on the Northern Nassau count. Bald Eagle numbers continue to climb with 232 seen on 52 counts, but this year s most improved raptor, in terms of numbers reported, was the Merlin, with 76 seen on 33 counts, up from 45 on 21 counts just five years ago. A Yellow Rail was once again reported on the Captree count, in the same area it has been seen before. Semipalmated Plovers made a minor invasion on Long Island, with seven seen on four counts. Otherwise, shorebird numbers were unremarkable. Gull numbers were down for common species in many areas, but some of the less common species were found in good numbers. The 14 Iceland Gulls seen on the Oswego-Fulton count was high, but it was less than half the numbers seen there in subsequent weeks. Highlights of the season were a count week Slaty-backed Gull on the Rochester count and the unusual pairing of adult Sabine s Gull and first-cycle Franklin s Gull reported on the Dunkirk count. The Slaty-backed was a one-day wonder, but the Dunkirk gulls hung around long enough for many observers to get a look. The Forster s Tern on the Southern Nassau count was unusual enough, seen only three times before, but the count week tern in Oswego Harbor on Lake Ontario was completely unexpected. A Selasphorus (sp.) hummingbird on the Northern Nassau count was the only hummingbird. The most frequently flagged High Count species this year was Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. It was seen on 43 counts, with 17 noting larger numbers than normal. Although regular on downstate counts, it tends to be rare upstate, but numbers were up in both regions. A number of rare flycatchers were reported this year, but most seemed to be on the Montauk count, which had all five species: Least Flycatcher, Ashthroated Flycatcher, Western Kingbird, count week Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, and the regular Eastern Phoebe. Brooklyn tried hard, but could only come up with Ash-throated Flycatcher and Western Kingbird. Count circles in NEW YORK 58 AMERICAN BIRDS