A Superior Christmas Bird Count
Map view of Superior’s Christmas Bird Count circle, created in 2012, with a 7.5 mile radius. (Image by National Audubon Society)
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
For the first time ever, on December 30, 2023, the Friends of the Lake Superior Reserve had the pleasure of hosting Superior’s annual Christmas Bird Count, with some surprising appearances!
From sunrise to sunset, 13 groups of bird counters from all over Wisconsin and Minnesota participated in the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count – a century-old citizen science effort led annually by the National Audubon Society. Here in Superior, the Christmas Bird Count has historically been a small-scale effort, with as few as two people counting birds in the 15-mile-wide area. When FOLSR joined forces with a few passionate locals, the 2023 count proved that Superior birders are ready and willing to train their binoculars on the region’s winter feathered friends!
Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola)
With El Niño conditions keeping the Great Lakes region unusually warm, looking for anomalies was of particular interest. The reports were far beyond typical, with species such as American Robins and Black-capped Chickadees singing their mating songs as if it were spring. Inland areas were also unusually busy. Neil Gilbert, a CBC participant and avid birder said, “Overall, the birding was more productive than expected, with a few nice surprises. A nice haul for an inland section with very few feeders and basically no open water.” Some of Neil’s notable sightings included an Iceland Gull, a Rough-legged Hawk, a Red Crossbill, and 22 White-winged Crossbills. Throughout the count circle, we saw a total of 50 species, and notable sightings included 2 Northern Cardinals, 3 House Finches, 8 Buffleheads, and a Lesser Black-backed Gull - all normally out of range this time of year.
“This is the best coverage of the count circle we’ve ever had,” said Laura LaValley, local bird counter who has helped lead Superior’s CBC since its conception. “Most everyone had excellent results, and we’re excited to see what we’ll find in 2024 and beyond.”
Click here to see a short feature on Northern News Now of Sharon Moen, FOLSR’s Board of Directors Chair, sharing what she saw out on Barker’s Island during the count.
Full results of Superior’s 2023 Christmas Bird Count:
Species Count
Mallard ………………………………..………………………….………….. 64
Common Goldeneye ……………..…………..……….. 204
Common Merganser ………………..……………………….. 4
Red-breasted Merganser …………..……….……….. 13
Bufflehead ……………………………………………………..…………… 8
Herring Gull …………………………………….………..…………. 1,153
Ring-billed Gull ……………………………..………..…………… 23
Glaucous Gull ………………………………..………..……………… 2
Iceland Gull ………………………………………………...…………….. 1
Thayer’s Gull ……………………………………………..……………… 3
Lesser Black-backed Gull ……………..….……………. 1
Gull sp. …………………………………………………………..…………… 25
Ruffed Grouse …………………………………………..……………. 3
Wild Turkey ………………………………………………..…………… 45
Rock Dove …………………………………………………..……….. 882
Mourning Dove ………………………………….……..…………. 23
Bald Eagle ……………………………………….…………..……….. 207
Red-tailed Hawk …………………………………..…..…………… 1
Rough-legged Hawk ………………..………...……………. 3
Peregrine Falcon …………………………………...……………… 1
Great Horned Owl ………………………………...……………… 1
Downy woodpecker …………………………..…………… 25
Hairy Woodpecker ………………………………..…………. 37
Pileated Woodpecker ………………………...….……….. 9
Red-bellied Woodpecker ……………..…..…………. 3
American Crow ……………………………………..………… 199
Common Raven ………………………………………………. 52
Blue Jay ………………………………………………….……..………… 57
Northern Shrike ……………………………………..…………….. 4
Cedar Waxwing ……………………………………...………… 14
Bohemian Waxwing …………………………....…………. 5
Waxwing sp ……………………………………………..…..……….. 5
Black-capped Chickadee …………..….…….. 491
White-breasted Nuthatch …………..………….. 28
Red-breasted Nuthatch …………..……..…………. 19
Dark-eyed Junco ……………………….………..…………. 28
Tree Sparrow …………………………………..………..…………… 4
Common Redpoll ………………….……….……...……….. 141
Hoary Redpoll …………………………………..……..……………… 1
House Finch …………………………………………………………….. 3
Goldfinch ………………………………………………………………… 32
Pine Siskin …………………………………………………..…………….. 11
Red Crossbill …..………………………………………..…….……….. 1
White-winged Crossbill …………………..………….. 22
Pine Grosbeak ………………………………………..…………….. 5
Purple Finch ……………………………………….……..………….. 22
Northern Cardinal …….…………….…….……..…………….. 2
Finch sp …………………………………………….…………..…………… 4
House Sparrow ……………………………………..………….. 114
Red-winged Blackbird …………………….……………… 1
Common Grackle ……………………….………..…………… 9
European Starling ……………….………………..……… 927
American Robin ……………………….………………………….. 3