Volunteers take part in annual Christmas Bird Count at Point Pelee

The 73rd annual Christmas Bird Count took place at Point Pelee National Park on Monday. CTV Windsor’s Chris Campbell was there to check it out.

Volunteers from across southwestern Ontario and beyond spent the day scanning skies and shorelines at Point Pelee National Park as part of the annual Christmas Bird Count, one of the largest citizen science initiatives in North America.

The count began in 1900. Now, it’s held each year in mid-December and relies on volunteers to document the number and species of birds found within a designated area during a single day, contributing data used by scientists and conservation groups to track long-term trends.

Nadia Koybe, who travelled from Ottawa to take part for the first time, said participants had already spotted more than 20 species by mid-morning.

“We’ve been walking since about eight, and so we’ve seen, I think, over 20 species at this point,” Koybe exclaimed.

“We saw some eastern bluebirds and a bunch of waterfowl.”

Koybe said winter birding offers advantages not seen during other seasons.

“It’s a lot better than in summer because there’s no leaves, so you have better sightlines,” she said.

“At this time of year, you’ll see a lot of birds on the water. Some people call it ‘weird duck season’ because you get ducks you wouldn’t see at other times of the year.”

Daniel Lee of Windsor said he returned for a second year after participating in two Christmas Bird Counts last winter.

“I participated last year in two Christmas counts, and I came back this year. I’m hoping to do five this year,” Lee explained.

Lee said sightings included ducks, an eastern bluebird and a red-tailed hawk, adding he was still hoping to spot owls.

“I think it’s great — that’s why I’m here,” he said.

Parks Canada said the information collected during the count helps build a clearer picture of what species are present in the park during the winter months.

“It’s really important because this is the largest citizen science push in North America,” said Kyrsten Burns, interpretation coordinator at Point Pelee National Park.

“We want to know what’s in the park and how many there are.”

Burns noted the data can be used for a range of purposes, including restoration projects, population monitoring, and public education.

Burns said Point Pelee’s location, along multiple migratory bird routes, make it an important site for monitoring change.

“We know we see lots of birds in the spring and fall, but we also know there are birds here now — some that may be late on their way south or species that weren’t here in previous years,” she said.

“Those are changes we want to record and follow up on.”

Burns told CTV News that volunteers were expecting to see a mix of species during this year’s count, including waterfowl, gulls, bluebirds, cardinals, and birds of prey, with a goal of documenting 100 different species.

“We’re very lucky in this area to have a lot of hawks,” she said, adding red-tailed hawks and eagles had already been spotted.

The data collected during the count will be shared with conservation organizations and added to a long-term database used to assess habitat quality and track changes in bird populations over time.

More pictures are available here.