50K-plus birds counted at CBC

Was it the weather, 40 enthusiastic bird watchers or just the birds that made for a fantastic Peach Tree Christmas Bird Count, CBC, in West Niagara on Sunday, Jan. 2.

Certainly a combination of all the above with mild temperatures allowed the counters in the CBC to find 73 species and count an amazing total of 52,669 birds.

CBC’s have been on going in North America since 1900. They were started by ornithologist Frank Chapman of the Audubon Society when he proposed a new holiday tradition—a “Christmas Bird Census” rather than what was known as the Christmas Side Hunt.

Today there are over 2,000 CBC’s in the Americas.

Jan. 2, the 40 counters for the Peach Tree Christmas Bird Count were spread out in a 15 km diameter circle that is centered at Fulton.

The area includes most of Grimsby, west Stoney Creek, Grassie, Smithville and Caistorville and lands in between. The circle is divided into about 20 sections. Some of the counters monitored their backyard bird feeders and two parties travelled sections of the Bruce Trail in the circle monitoring forest birds.

To complement the Peach Tree CBC a CBC for KIDS is being held in Grimsby on Jan 14. For information contact Bruce Mackenzie: