David Johnson of Grand Marais took this photo of a sandhill crane on the Grand Marais harbor on December 17. Johnson said, “It must be a straggler heading south.” The crane happened to be in Grand Marais during the Audubon Christmas Bird Count, so it was listed along with chickadees, waxwings, starlings and crows. Bird Count compiler Jeremy Ridlbauer said it was very rare for a sandhill crane to be spotted in Cook County at this time of year. “Definitely out of its range,” said Ridlbauer.
Cook County birders awoke to heavy snowfall on Saturday, December 17, which was lovely—but not helpful for the 2011 Audubon Christmas Bird Count (CBC). However, as the sky cleared, 24 birders had a great time completing the county circle and at the end of the day had a respectable list.
CBC Compiler Jeremy Ridlbauer said, “We had 36 species on the count day and 41 species during the count week.”
The Grand Marais counting circle area is a 7.5-mile radius circle from a point three miles south of the middle of Devil Track Lake. The count circle covers Highway 61 to Lindskog Road and north, some of County Rd 60, the Gunflint Trail to the county landfill road, Pine Mountain Road to the backside of Elbow Lake, Devil Track Road to Bally Creek Road, Ball Club Road to The Grade, Pike Lake Road, and Highway 61 west to Cascade Lodge, and all of the lakeshore between Lindskog Road and Cascade Lodge.
Ridlbauer said, “Thanks to all who participated either on count day and/ or contacted me with your feeder results!”
This year’s count was absent a few species sometimes seen, including the white-throated sparrow; long-tailed duck; bufflehead and harlequin ducks; barred or saw whet owls; raptors; horned lark; and spruce grouse.
Ridlbauer said the birds “missing” from the list are not a concern. They are not always seen, but he presents the list for birders each year to help them remember to keep an eye out for those species.
He said there were fewer feeder watchers this year than in previous years, which does affect the numbers a little. However, when the numbers of counters are low, the participants hit the birding “hot spots” first, said Ridlbauer. Every year counters make sure to watch within the city, on the harbor, at the Grand Marais Rec. Park, along the East Bay, and Croftville.
Ridlbauer submits the Grand Marais count to the National Audubon Society. The Society designates a 16-day period for the count around Christmastime and publishes a complete compilation annually of all official counts in its Audubon Field Notes.
Ridlbauer also shared the results of this year’s count with Cook County News-Herald readers. Thanks, Jeremy!
2011 Audubon Christmas Bird Count
| BirdA | bundance |
| Bohemian Waxwing | 584 |
| Cedar Waxwing | 490 |
| Black-capped | Chickadee 319 |
| Common Redpoll | 312 |
| European Starling | 130 |
| Evening Grosbeak | 117 |
| Common Raven | 94 |
| Rock Pigeon | 69 |
| Pine Grosbeak | 60 |
| American Crow | 53 |
| Blue Jay | 42 |
| Red-breasted Nuthatch | 37 |
| Downy Woodpecker | 35 |
| Common Goldeneye | 29 |
| Herring Gull | 20 |
| American Goldfinch | 19 |
| White-winged Crossbill | 18 |
| Mallard | 16 |
| Dark-eyed Junco | 12 |
| Hairy Woodpecker | 10 |
| Bald Eagle | 8 |
| Pine Siskin | 7 |
| Black-backed | Woodpecker 5 |
| Northern Cardinal | 5 |
| Pileated Woodpecker | 4 |
| Ruffed Grouse | 3 |
| Brown Creeper | 2 |
| Gadwall | 2 |
| Boreal Owl | 1 |
| Chipping Sparrow | 1 |
| Northern Shrike | 1 |
| Ring-necked Duck | 1 |
| Rough Legged Hawk | 1 |
| Ruby-crowned Kinglet | 1 |
| Snow Bunting | 1 |
| White-breasted | Nuthatch 1 |
| Meadowlark | CW* |
| Purple Finch | CW |
| Red-breasted | Merganser CW |
| Sandhill Crane | CW |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | CW |
CW annotates birds spotted not on count day, but in the “count week”–the three days before and three days after the count day of Saturday.
Leave a Reply