Burlington Winter Bird Count Highlights
By Sarah Schmidt and Larry Clarfeld
On Sunday, December 15th, the GMAS held its 77th annual Burlington Winter Bird Count as part of the 125th annual National Audubon Society's Christmas Bird Count. The data gathered during these counts show trends, including declines, in species, and they yield important information about birds. Over 60 people participated in the Burlington count, which was split into 18 sectors. The habitat included miles of Lake Champlain waterfront, Shelburne Farms, area neighborhoods, parks, and ponds. It was a chilly 18 degrees to start and conditions were dry. Although the count results take time to tally, confirm, and finalize, we can report that the usual birds made their appearance, including, but not limited to, the American Robin, Black-capped Chickadee, Mallard, Dark-Eyed Junco, and Red-bellied Woodpecker.
In addition, there were some very exciting preliminary highlights:
1. The Black-crowned Night Heron is not only a first for our WBC, but a first winter (Dec - Feb) record for the state.
2. Redheads were found for only the 4th time (first since 1996), and in 2 different sectors (3 individuals).
3. Rusty Blackbird was only the 3rd time for the count (other two sightings being in 2015 and 1964). Rusty Blackbird populations have tanked in recent decades, making this quite noteworthy
4. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker is the 2nd time for the count, the first being in 2017 (with one other additional "count week" bird).
Several other exciting observations were shared at a post-count potluck gathering that took place in Burlington. These observations will be included in a more comprehensive report in the next newsletter. Stay tuned!
If you are interested in participating in the next annual count in December 2025, please reach out to Sarah Schmidt at: sschmidt394@gmail.com for more information. New birders are welcome and encouraged to participate!