The Bermuda Audubon Society held its 36th CBC on 2nd January 2011. Highlights of this year’s count were:
- 9,305 individual birds (600 more birds than last year’s total)
- 102 species of birds (100 in 2009)
- Two new species for count day
- European Starling was the most common species (27% of the count)
- About 250 species have now been recorded on the CBC in Bermuda since 1975
Sixteen members of the Society counted every bird from dawn to dusk as well as adding any additional species seen during the week. Considerable effort went into planning the count, with the observers dividing the island up into nine areas. Completing much of the census on foot, observers also used car, bike, boat and golf carts! Some unusual species were seen this year. New species for Bermuda’s count included a White-winged Dove seen by Jeremy Madeiros in the Smiths Hills and a Brown Creeper seen by Paul Watson in Ferry Point Park. Other unusual species included a Northern Gannet which passed through Andrew Dobson’s field of view while he was watching two Humpback Whales off Warwick Long Bay! Two globally endangered species of birds were recorded, our own national bird, the Cahow, and the Piping Plover, a small shorebird which breeds in the eastern US and Canada. High counts were broken for several species, notably Killdeer (504) and American Pipit (112). These two species arrived in large numbers as a result of the bad weather and the storm systems that reached Bermuda. However, over 50% of all birds recorded were starlings, kiskadees or sparrows – all invasive species which shouldn’t really be in Bermuda and they have certainly had an impact on our local birds. The low numbers of migrant warblers continues a depressing downward trend in the population of these species. It is a reflection of loss of habitat in summer (breeding grounds) and wintering areas. This year there may well have been mortality in Bermuda as a result of the long period of winter storms.
CBC results will be available as they are entered onto the National Audubon website www.audubon.org/conservation/science/christmas-bird-count
