Saginaw Bay Area Bird Survey - Winter '08

[Joe Soehnel]

The Saginaw Bay Area's Bird Survey for Winter '08 has been compiled by David Peters and can be viewed at the Saginaw Bay Area Birding website at http://www.saginawbaybirding.org.  Listed below is David's summary for this time period.
 
Good Spring Birding!
 
Joe Soehnel
 


The widespread presence of two sporadic winter visitors highlighted the season. Bohemian Waxwings were recorded in numbers not seen since the winter of ‘95-’96, and Pine Grosbeaks, although naturally far fewer in total, were equally impressive relative to their SBA history. It was in fact, a very frugivorous season, with two Varied Thrush records, as well as over-wintering American Robins and Eastern Bluebirds. Other winter visitors of note were Common Redpolls, which were present in larger than average year flocks, and Evening Grosbeaks, with very notable totals but a strictly limited distribution. The rarest species reported were a Great Gray Owl, in an unexpected manner typical of the species’ other known SBA records, and a Purple Sandpiper. A full complement of waterfowl, gulls, and hawks were present, including all three Scoters, two Black-legged Kittiwakes, and a number of Sharp-shinned Hawks. Reports of other species unusual for their occurrence during the period were Northern Mockingbird, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Eastern Towhee, Fox Sparrow, Brewer’s Blackbird, and Hoary Redpoll. The mild temperatures leading into the period contributed to a few otherwise departed species lingering into December, but the persistent February cold certainly wasn’t conducive to early arrivals. In the end, a total of 118 species were reported; just one shy of tying the record winters of ’93-’94 / ’97-’98. 


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