(1/2021) The Catoctin Christmas Bird Count (CBC) has been held every year since 1949 and the Frederick Bird Club wasn’t going to let a global pandemic stand in the way of holding the 72nt count. Of course, things would be different. Social distancing and safety were the number one priority. Face masks, hand wipes, caravan birding, sack lunches and port-a-potty stops were the norm.
Weather conditions were mixed. Most roads were clear, but a heavy snow three days before the count had left all roads edged by solid snow-plow mounds. A few roads and most trails in parks and forests were still covered by heavy, icy snow. And it was cold. Morning temperatures never got above 18, but skies were clear and there was no wind.
The Catoctin CBC covers a 15-mile diameter circle in north Frederick County with Thurmont as the epicenter. The territory is divided into 8 sectors and includes a few towns and a lot of open country including state, national and local parks, forests, numerous waterways, fisheries and seemingly endless farm fields. The Frederick Bird Club, a chapter of the Maryland Ornithological Society, has sponsored the Catoctin CBC for many years. It is a very tangible example of citizen science and a great way to enjoy a winter’s day in beautiful northern Frederick County.
This year’s Catoctin CBC was held on Saturday, December 19, and as the count compiler, I didn’t know what to expect. Caravan birding is cumbersome and the normal pull-offs were piled with snow. We did have an excellent team, however. People who normally traveled or hosted family were available for the count for the first time. For others, the pandemic was an ideal time to hone birding skills and a count was a perfect winter outing.
The majority of the birds seen during winter counts are year-round residents, like chickadees, cardinals, hawks, and woodpeckers. Of course, by the time of the count, our migrating summer residents, the original "snow-birds," have already headed south for warmer territories with open water and plentiful insects and other food. But there are also a few winter-only visitors, who migrate from colder northern climates due to lack of food or heavy ice/snow cover. Our most common winter visitors are Dark-eyed Juncos and White-throated Sparrows that can be seen at the base of many bird feeders throughout the winter.
With the help of the CBC official database, I have been able to look at 71 years of Catoctin CBC population and species data. Many of our common species show significant population declines and some species are increasingly rare or no longer found in Frederick County. A few species like the Bald Eagle show impressive population gains. Red-tailed Hawks are doing very well, but Northern Harrier and Kestrel numbers remain low. Reported numbers for both Black and Turkey Vultures have increased by over 50%, helped by abundant road-kill.
The recovery story is still positive for several highly visible species. The Catoctin CBC’s first Bald Eagle was reported in 2001; now they are seen regularly. This year, 8 Bald Eagles were reported. Not as good as last year’s record number, but well above historical averages. Ravens were first observed in the 1973 count; this year 20 were sighted. Wild Turkeys were not reported until 1976, but flocks of 20-40 are not uncommon in recent years. Only two were seen on this year’s count, a disappointment, but not a trend.
The population numbers for our two common winter visitors, Juncos and White-throated Sparrows, were the highest in the history of the count. Another handsome winter visitor, the White-crowned Sparrow, also had impressive numbers. Several things could have contributed to the increase. Fields were covered with snow forcing birds to feed at road edges (where we could easily find them). Birds were also taking advantage of well-stocked feeders, as more families have taken up "back-yard" birding during the pandemic. Hopefully, numbers for these species are increasing. We’ll know more next year.
Overall, results for this year were much better than last. Numbers for most woodpeckers and feeder regulars like Carolina Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, White-breasted Nuthatch, Northern Cardinal, and American Goldfinch increased 50% or more over 2019. And Robins had the highest numbers in over 20 years. But good results for one year doesn’t indicate a trend. There are still plenty of birds out there, but the hard reality is that some of our most loved and familiar back-yard birds are rapidly disappearing.
Studies show that grassland bird populations in North America have declined by more than 50%. Habitat loss is a probable factor in these declines, particularly agricultural intensification and development. Grassland birds include Bobwhites, Eastern Meadowlark, Ring-necked Pheasant, Northern Harrier, Horned Lark and many sparrow species.
In the first ten years of the Catoctin CBC, Northern Bobwhite, Eastern Meadowlark and non-native Ring-neck Pheasant were common. Ruffed Grouse and Logger-head Shrike were seen regularly. The American Tree Sparrow averaged 240 birds a year the first 10 years of the count; the last 10 years the average was 3. Most of us remember seeing a covey of Bobwhites scurry across a field or hearing the beautiful song of the meadowlark calling from a fence post. The Bobwhites are all gone and the number of Meadowlarks has declined significantly. Meadowlark numbers were up a bit this year; we’ll be watching that number closely in the future.
If you are not one of the more than 50 million bird watchers in the United States, you may be thinking, it’s unfortunate, but doesn’t really affect me. But scientist Ken Rosenberg cautions, "These bird losses are a strong signal that our human-related landscapes are losing their ability to support birdlife, and that is an indicator of a coming collapse of the overall environment." A strong warning that should get everyone’s attention.
Scientists say it is possible to bring the birds back and restore our environment, but it will take collective action at a national and international scale. A variety of initiatives are already underway including: bird-safe building standards; conservation innovations in paper/wood production, agriculture and fisheries; cost-effective renewable energy; and expansion of conservation efforts and protection of The Migratory Bird Conservation Act.
As I mentioned last year, there are seven simple actions everyone can do to help birds: make windows safer; keep cats indoors; reduce lawn and use native plants; avoid pesticides; drink shade grown coffee; avoid single use plastic; and join the Citizen Science Effort.
The pandemic happened quickly and forced most of us to make countless changes in our daily lives. It has taken years to understand the impact of environmental change and wildlife loss, but the impact is just as severe. Time is running out, but as COVID taught us, we can change when the stakes are high.
If you are interested in learning more about the birds of Frederick County, the Frederick Bird Club www.frederickbirdclub.org and Audubon Society of Central Maryland www.centralaudubon.org welcome guests and new members. Visit their websites to learn about meetings, bird-focused presentations, bird counts, and bird walks and outings throughout the year.
