The most unusual bird recorded this year was the Painted Bunting observed at the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge (JHNWR). This bird (a juvenile and probable female) was first identified there on January 4 by Frank Windfelder, and it was still present as of January 28. Painted Buntings have been recorded occasionally at other locations in southeastern Pennsylvania, but this constitutes the first record of the species for Philadelphia County, as well as one of only a handful of winter records for the state. Almost equally unusual was the female Indigo Bunting discovered at Roosevelt Park by Rob Hynson and Bill Keim. Winter records of this species in Pennsylvania, while not as unusual as those of Painted Buntings, are still quite rare, and none were previously known for Philadelphia. Other outstanding finds this year included a White-winged Scoter (brown-plumage) that was observed on the Delaware River just north of Oxford St. by Matt Sharp, and an unidentified rail that was seen during the predawn hours at the JHNWR by Doris McGovern. The above species, which had never been recorded on the census before, raised the total number of species recorded since 1987 to 146.

Normally there are at least one or two freezes during the month prior to the census that force some of the waterfowl and water birds wintering in the Philadelphia area to leave. This winter however, only one brief freeze occurred prior to the census. As a result waterfowl were found in larger than average numbers and these included record high counts for Black Duck, Northern Shoveler, Green-winged Teal and Ring-necked Duck, as well as for Pied-billed Grebe, Double-crested Cormorant, American Coot and Ring-billed Gull. Because most regional waters had remained open throughout December ducks were also well distributed with 12 species found at the Southwest Water Pollution Control Plant (Miller; Walters, McMorris, Shafer), 10 at the JHNWR (McGovern, Sevareid; Miller), 9 at Roosevelt Park (Horwitz, Hynson, Kacir, Keim), and 8 (including the only Canvasback) at the East Park Reservoir (Herr; Russell, Towey). While a record high 27 Snow Geese were also recorded 26 of these were flyovers observed at the mouth of the Pennypack Creek (Kurtz). The only bird seen on the ground was a lone juvenile found with Canada Geese at Fox Chase Farm in the upper Pennypack (Schultz, Walsh). Other species of water birds recorded this year that are often forced out by freezes included Great Egret (6th record; this year’s total of 3 ties the record high set in 1998, 2004) and American Woodcock (9th record). Both of these species were found at the JHNWR (McGovern, Sevareid). Although Red-breasted Merganser and both scaup had been present shortly before the census and Lesser Scaup was present shortly after the census, none of these species, nor Wood Duck (unrecorded since 2003), could be found on census day.

Above average December and early January temperatures probably also helped to produce record high totals for Turkey Vulture and two species of raptors including Red-tailed Hawk and Peregrine Falcon (the Peregrine total actually tied the record high previously recorded in 2005). And for only the second time ever the number of Cooper’s Hawks recorded was larger (by 1) than the number of Sharp-shinned Hawks. While well short of their record high this year, American Kestrels do appear to be rebounding after several very lean years. This year’s total of 10 was the first double-digit figure recorded since 2003. Previously this species had always been recorded in double digits. Northern Harriers continue to be scarce however, probably due to loss of habitat. Only 2 individuals were reported this - one at the Northeast Philadelphia Airport (Schultz, Walsh) and one at the Northeast Water Pollution Control Plant [NEWPCP] (Horwitz, Hynson, Kacir, Keim). A single Red-shouldered Hawk was seen along the Cresheim Creek (Hence and Hence) and a single Merlin was found just south of the mouth of the Pennypack Creek (Lyman). While the total for Eastern Screech-Owls was well below last year’s record high (perhaps due in part to drizzle before dawn which may have reduced their activity) the species was found by a larger than average number of parties (5) and these reports came from the Cobbs, Pennypack and Wissahickon Creeks. Great Horned Owls, which had only been recorded in the single digits twice prior to 2003, were recorded in the single digits for the 5th year in a row.

Pileated Woodpeckers were found by 3 different parties (all in the Wissahickon) producing a larger than average total, but all other woodpeckers were recorded in average to below average (e.g., sapsuckers) numbers. Among the rarer passerines recorded this year were Eastern Phoebe (9th record) at the Army Corps area (Walters, McMorris, Shafer), House Wren (3rd record) in the Pennypack (Williams), Palm Warbler (8th record) at Penn’s Landing (Wiedner), Common Yellowthroat (8th record) at the JHNWR (McGovern, Sevareid), and Chipping Sparrow (7th record) at the NEWPCP (Russell, Towey) and in East Falls (Moody and Moody). Also noteworthy – one of the 4 White-crowned Sparrows reported was found in Chestnut Hill (Bilheimer and Bilheimer, French) an area from which the species is almost never reported during the winter. But the rarest passerine found besides the 2 buntings was the Yellow Warbler discovered by Frank Windfelder at the mouth of the Pennypack Creek (south bank) in a section of Fairmount Park not currently open to the public. Interestingly, this species, which is never really expected during winter, had been recorded on the census once previously in 1998.

Rounding out this year’s list of ‘rare’ passerines was the Northern Rough-winged Swallow. For the third year in a row a wintering flock was present at the NEWPCP. 70 birds were counted there this year (Russell, Towey) but additional birds were also found at various spots near the Delaware River from the mouth of the Pennypack Creek to the JHNWR. These additional birds probably originated from the NEWPCP flock, which was estimated to contain 200 birds in December, but their true origins remain uncertain. The swallows are able to overwinter at the plant because large numbers of flying insects can be found there throughout the winter. The main species consumed is a midge that continually emerges from waters that are being discharged from the plant, which never freeze. This year’s grand total of 140 swallows was the largest number tallied in the 3 years they have been recorded on the census. According to information from American Birds magazine the NEWPCP may be the only location in the U.S. north of southern Florida and southern Texas where the species is currently wintering in any numbers, and the NEWPCP may actually have one of the largest wintering populations of Rough-wingeds in the U.S.

Very few northern irruptive species appear to have migrated into the region this winter. As a result Red-breasted Nuthatch (expected on the census almost annually) and Purple Finch (an increasingly erratic wintering species) both went unrecorded. Given the near complete absence of irruptive species this year the single Black-capped Chickadee observed at the JHNWR was an outstanding find (McGovern, Sevareid). Fruit eating passerines have also been very low in number this winter, and it has been suggested that this is due to the (small) size of this winter’s regional fruit crop. Among fruit eaters Cedar Waxwing and Hermit Thrush were missed for only the 2nd and 3rd times respectively, and American Robin, Gray Catbird, Northern Mockingbird and Yellow-rumped Warbler were all recorded in below average numbers. Crows also continue to be in low number due to a mysterious crash that occurred in February 2003 that appears to have exclusively, or primarily affected the crows of Philadelphia County. Reasons for the crash are not known conclusively, but the fact that Great Horned Owls and American Kestrels have also declined locally since 2003-04 suggests that West Nile Virus (which is particularly lethal to crows, owls, and other raptors) may be involved. This year’s totals for both crow species are the highest since 2003 however, offering hope that both species may now be increasing.

I would like to thank everyone who participated in this year’s census for another excellent effort, and I hope that you will be able to join us for next year’s census, which has been tentatively scheduled for Saturday, January 12, 2008.

Keith Russell - Census Coordinator
6222 McCallum Street
Philadelphia, PA 19144

Species List

Snow Goose 27
Canada Goose 5587
Mute Swan 7
Gadwall 22
American Wigeon 1
American Black Duck 505
Mallard 1264
Northern Shoveler 416
Northern Pintail 101
Green-winged Teal 66
Canvasback 129
Redhead 3
Ring-necked Duck 87
White-winged Scoter 1
Bufflehead 15
Common Goldeneye 5
Hooded Merganser 18
Common Merganser 33
Ruddy Duck 108
Pied-billed Grebe 26
Double-crested Cormorant 66
Great Cormorant 25
Cormorant sp. 1
Great Blue Heron 33
Great Egret 3
Black Vulture 5
Turkey Vulture 66
Bald Eagle 3
Northern Harrier 2
Sharp-shinned Hawk 10
Cooper’s Hawk 11
Accipiter sp. 1
Red-shouldered Hawk 1
Red-tailed Hawk 83
American Kestrel 10
Merlin 1
Peregrine Falcon 4
Hawk sp. 1
Rail sp. 1
American Coot 76
Killdeer 1
American Woodcock 1
Ring-billed Gull 7084
Herring Gull 415
Lesser Black-backed Gull 1
Great Black-backed Gull 196
Rock Pigeon 1698
Mourning Dove 860
Eastern Screech-Owl 18
Great Horned Owl 7
Belted Kingfisher 12
Red-bellied Woodpecker 74
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 5
Downy Woodpecker 111
Hairy Woodpecker 26
Northern Flicker 27
Pileated Woodpecker 3
Eastern Phoebe 1
Blue Jay 87
American Crow 152
Fish Crow 10
N. Rough-winged Swallow 140
Carolina Chickadee 429
Black-capped Chickadee 1
Chickadee sp. 5
Tufted Titmouse 216
White-breasted Nuthatch 93
Brown Creeper 17
Carolina Wren 213
House Wren 1
Winter Wren 17
Golden-crowned Kinglet 23
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 12
Eastern Bluebird 21
American Robin 645
Gray Catbird 2
Northern Mockingbird 86
European Starling 4219
Yellow Warbler 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler 1
Palm Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 1
Eastern Towhee 10
American Tree Sparrow 24
Chipping Sparrow 2
Field Sparrow 43
Savannah Sparrow 3
Fox Sparrow 18
Song Sparrow 673
Swamp Sparrow 17
White-throated Sparrow 1302
White-crowned Sparrow 4
Dark-eyed Junco 534
Northern Cardinal 452
Indigo Bunting 1
Painted Bunting 1
Red-winged Blackbird 531
Rusty Blackbird 26
Common Grackle 34
Brown-headed Cowbird 50
Blackbird sp. 20
House Finch 409
American Goldfinch 143
House Sparrow 1141

Total Species 99
Total Individuals 31,195

Wild Turkey Jan 7
Barred Owl Jan 8