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THIS WEEK at HILTON POND
22-30 December 2019

Installment #708---Visitor # hit counter

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Join Us for the
30th Annual
York/Rock Hill
Christmas Bird Count

19 December 2020
(Please click on the link above for more information.)


29th ANNUAL YORK/ROCK HILL (SC)
CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT

All text, maps, charts & photos © Hilton Pond Center

Each winter--in cooperation with the National Audubon Society--Hilton Pond Center implements and compiles a Christmas Bird Count (CBC) for York/Rock Hill in York County, South Carolina (see map above). Christmas Bird Counts--perhaps the first big organized "citizen science" effort--originated 119 years ago as an alternative to traditional holiday bird hunts when folks young and old used newly gifted guns to see who could bring down the most birds. For that first CBC in 1900, ornithologist Frank Chapman organized 25 counts of live birds from Toronto to Pacific Grove CA and involved 27 participants who tallied 89 combined species. That's a far cry from 2017 when 2,536 CBCs in the United States, Canada, and Latin America involved 73,153 participants who tallied more than 56 million birds, with 641 species in the U.S. alone!

All text, maps, charts & photos © Hilton Pond Center

Hilton Pond Center started the York/Rock Hill count in 1991 to help provide a snapshot of numbers and species of early-winter birds present in central York County--in the heart of the Carolina Piedmont Region. Beginning before sunrise and finishing after dusk, participants identify and tally birds seen and/or heard in an area inscribed by a standard circle 15 miles in diameter (see map above)--centered where Tools Fork Creek flows beneath the new bridge on SC Hwy 5 (West Main Street) just west of Northwestern High School. (Count-center coordinates are 34° 57' 23.57" N, 81º 06' 24.64" W; in decimal degrees that's N34.956547, W81.106844.)

All text, maps, charts & photos © Hilton Pond Center

This year's 29th annual York/Rock Hill count on 21 December started out a little different. Founder and compiler Bill Hilton Jr. (30-count veteran ) was en route back from an eight-day bereavement trip to Ocala FL, and journeyman counter Tom Anderson (six counts) was entertaining out-of-town guests. That left CBC stalwart Bob Olson (22 counts)--along with second-time participant Lauren Mobley (owner of Rock Hill's Wild Birds Unlimited) to handle much of the 2019 count duties. Those two started out at 6:30 a.m. and--by car and on foot--covered as much of the 15-mile-diameter count circle as they could before dusk. Meanwhile, Tom tallied birds in his neighborhood and Bill got back to Hilton Pond Center just in time to add one species--Red-shouldered Hawk (above)--and a smattering of other birds before the sun went down. (Sincere thanks to Bob for accurately summarizing the initial count data and transmitting it to Bill for final compilation.)

All text, maps, charts & photos © Hilton Pond Center

In all, our four participants reported 54 species, below the 29-year average count of 66.7 and not even close to the record high of 80 set back in 2000. (At least one species, White-breasted Nuthatch, was seen during the seven-day count week but not on count day.) Except for the huge flock of Red-winged Blackbirds (above), individual birds were few and far between. A grand total of 7,357 birds seen put us at nearly twice the 29-year average of 3,916, but without that cloud of blackbirds we tallied a dismal 1,777 individuals.

All text, maps, charts & photos © Hilton Pond Center
Loggerhead Shrike photo above courtesy Bob Olson

We were pleased to see an elusive Loggerhead Shrike (above) during the count but were disappointed two other predatory "wirebirds"--American Kestrel and Belted Kingfisher--did not put in an appearance. A sad note: For the first time in 29 years, Dark-eyed Juncos were not seen on count day. We heard no owls and were unaware of any wintering hummingbirds in the count circle. Amazingly, ALL the ducks were missing (except Mallards), and most of the expected sparrows were either absent or present only in small numbers. As expected, Purple Finches and Pine Siskins did not fly south this winter due to a bumper seed crop within their Canadian breeding range, while wintering American Goldfinches (below) have been present at area feeders in relatively small numbers. And who knows WHERE all the Yellow-rumped Warblers have gone!

All text, maps, charts & photos © Hilton Pond Center

Of 54 species observed on this year's count, 18 were tallied at or above their 29-average, but the majority of birds on our list (see below) saw their averages drop for the 29-year span. Even common species such as American Robins and European Starlings had overall averages that went down significantly.

All text, maps, charts & photos © Hilton Pond Center

In conclusion, as documented by the 29-year history of the York/Rock Hill count, there is no question bird numbers are declining in this part of the Carolina Piedmont. Observations during other times of the year--including banding results at Hilton Pond Center and tallies made by backyard feeder watchers--show there are just not as many birds as there used to be. In many cases, habitats that were good spots to see unusual species during past Christmas Bird Counts have been clear-cut and bulldozed into subdivisions or commercial enterprises. Likewise, York County farmland is disappearing, and the shorelines of Lake Wylie and the Catawba River are being developed at an increasing--to us, alarming--rate. Yes, we had fewer people counting birds this year, but those who did participate found houses and parking lots in locations that in previous years had sheltered good numbers of winter birds.

All text, maps, charts & photos © Hilton Pond Center

Despite the words of that old General Electric TV commercial, "progress is [NOT ALWAYS] our most important product." Our region needs more natural areas--like Fort Mill's Anne Springs Close Greenway (above)--plus expanses of land under conservation easements if we want the decline of York County birds to slow down or stop. Private landowners can certainly play a role by making their own properties bird-friendly, by planting trees and shrubs, by getting rid of energy-wasting grassy lawns, and by reducing the use/abuse of pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, and other chemicals that harm birds and other wildlife. We must act now--collectively and as individuals--before it is too late for the birds, and for us.

Please take time to peruse Table 1 below for a full accounting of the official results from our 2019 early winter bird survey. Then mark your calendar and join friends of Hilton Pond Center for the gala 30th annual York/Rock Hill Christmas Bird Count scheduled for Saturday, 19 December 2020. No experience necessary--just binoculars and a desire to help get a more complete census of avifauna in central York County, South Carolina. If you'd like to participate in the 30th anniversary event or have questions about the most recent or other past counts, please contact the compiler at RESEARCH.

TABLE 1:
2019 YORK/ROCK HILL SC
CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT TOTALS
(21 December 2019)
RED = New record high (1 species)
GREEN = Ties record high (none)
MAROON = At or above average (18)
Common
Name
2019
Count
29-year
Avg.
29-year
High
Number of
Counts
Blackbird, Brewer's
.
--
--
--
Blackbird, Red-winged
5,580
278
5,580
23
Blackbird, Rusty
.
2
30
5
Blackbird sp.
.
152
2,156
(9)
Bluebird, Eastern
57
81
216
29
Bobwhite, Northern
.
1
13
2
Bufflehead
.
2
11
11
Bunting, Snow
.
<1
1
1
Buteo sp.
.
<1
1
(1)
Canvasback
.
<1
8
1
Cardinal, Northern
61
70
169
29
Catbird, Gray
.
<1
1
1
Chickadee, Carolina
23
39
159
29
Coot, American
7
18
79
25
Cormorant, Double-crested
34
39
150
24
Cowbird, Brown-headed
14
25
245
11
Creeper, Brown
.
1
3
11
Crow, American
36
83
191
29
Crow, Fish
.
<1
10
3
Dove, Mourning
87
92
266
29
Dove, Rock (Pigeon)
3
36
185
26
Duck, American Black
.
<1
4
5
Duck, Ring-necked
.
4
50
9
Duck, Ruddy
.
3
19
10
Duck, Wood
.
1
10
9
Dunlin
.
--
--
--
Eagle, Southern Bald
.
1
3
12
Egret, Great
.
<1
1
2
Falcon, Peregrine
.
--
--
--
Finch, House

47

40
193
29
Finch, Purple
.
3
30
10
Flicker, Northern
3
7
33
26
Gadwall
.
<1
3
3
Gnatcatcher, Blue -gray
.
--
--
--
Goldeneye, Common
.
<1
1
1
Goldfinch, American
12
22
68
28
Goose, Canada
121
144
296
29
Goose, Snow
.
--
--
--
Grackle, Common
300
425
3,901
22
Grebe, Horned
.
2
11
14
Grebe, Pied-billed
4
7
24
28
Grosbeak, Evening
.
--
--
--

Gull, Bonaparte's

116
174
1,200
29
Gull, Herring
.
1
7
5
Gull, Laughing
.
<1
1
1
Gull, Ring-billed
120
714
3,708
29
Harrier, Northern
.
1
6
17
Hawk, Cooper's
1
1
2
15
Hawk, Red-shouldered
1
4
10
28
Hawk, Red-tailed
2
10
23
28
Hawk, Sharp-shinned
1
1
4
14
Heron, Great Blue
15
17
39
29
Heron, Green
.
<1
1
1
Hummingbird, Rufous
.
<1
1
6
Jay, Blue
23
60
247
29
Junco, Dark-eyed
.
74
404
28
Kestrel, American
.
3
10
25
Killdeer
33
25
119
29
Kingfisher, Belted
.
4
14
26
Kinglet, Golden-crowned
.
5
38
20
Kinglet, Ruby-crowned
5
13
48
29
Lark, Prairie Horned
.
<1
3
2
Loon, Common
.
1
5
20
Mallard
8
42
141
28
Meadowlark, Eastern
26
27
114
26
Merganser, Common
.
--
--
--
Merganser, Hooded
.
6
38
17
Merganser, Red-breasted
.
<1
5
3
Merlin
.
--
--
--
Mockingbird, Northern
50
35
99
29
Nuthatch, Brown-headed
12
4
18
27
Nuthatch, Red-breasted
.
<1
1
5
Nuthatch, White-breasted
CW
1
3
12
Oriole, Baltimore
.
<1
1
1
Osprey
.
<1
3
2
Owl, Barred
.
<1
3
8
Owl, E. Screech
.
<1
1
3
Owl, Great Horned
.
<1
3
6
Owl, Northern Saw-whet
.
--
--
--
Phoebe, Eastern
5
5
10
28
Pintail, Northern
.
--
--
--
Pipit, American
.
22
403
13
Redhead
.
--
--
--
Robin, American
127
507
7,705
29
Sapsucker, Yellow-bellied
1
4
12
28
Scaup, Greater
.
<1
4
1
Scaup, Lesser
.
3
70
6
Shoveler, Northern
.
--
--
--
Shrike, Loggerhead
1
1
5
14
Siskin, Pine
.
1
18
1
Snipe, Wilson's
.
<1
4
5
Sparrow sp.
.
8
112
(7)
Sparrow, Chipping
34
29
136
24
Sparrow, Field
6
10
58
23
Sparrow, Fox
.
<1
4
7
Sparrow, House

.

10
48
21
Sparrow, Lincoln's
.
--
--
--
Sparrow, Savannah
.
2
27
9
Sparrow, Song
8
27
91
29
Sparrow, Swamp
.
2
15
14
Sparrow, Vesper
.
1
34
3
Sparrow, White-crowned
.
<1
7
1
Sparrow, White-throated
69
45
179
29
Starling, European
33
526
3,063
29
Teal, Green-winged
.
1
15
3
Teal, Blue-winged
.
--
--
--
Tern, Forster's
.
--
--
--
Thrasher, Brown
4
3
14
23
Thrush, Hermit
1
2
15
24
Titmouse, Tufted
18
19
41
29
Towhee, Eastern
17
20
59
28
Turkey, Wild
.
7
53
8
Vireo, Blue-headed
.
<1
3
3
Vulture, Black
52
37
222
29
Vulture, Turkey
33
60
264
28
Warbler, Palm (Yellow)
.
<1
3
1
Warbler, Pine
7
3
13
25
Warbler, Yellow-rumped
.
31
196
26
Waxwing, Cedar
50
102
1,322
25
Wigeon, American
.
--
--
--
Woodcock, American
.
<1
2
3
Woodpecker, Downy
8
6
17
29
Woodpecker, Hairy
1
1
3
11
Woodpecker, Pileated
.
1
3
8
Woodpecker, Red-bellied
14
15
41
29
Woodpecker, Red-headed
1
1
5
16
Wren, Carolina
32
22
60
29

Wren, House

.

1

1

4

Wren, Winter
1
1
3
13
Yellowthroat, Common
.
<1
1
2

2019 Individuals

7,357

29-yr avg
3,916
29-yr total
125,816
29-yr Max
12,945

2019 Species

54

29-yr avg
66.7
29-yr Max
80
22 spp. seen every year
Italicized species are possible/probable for the area but have not yet been observed on count day for an official York/Rock Hill CBC.

111 species have been observed at least once over the 29-year history of the count; our local CBC record is 80 species in 2000. Record number of individuals for our local CBC is 12,945 in 1994.

CW = Species seen this year during count week (three days before or three after) but not on count day



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Don't forget to scroll down for Nature Notes & Photos,
plus lists of all birds banded or recaptured during the period.



"This Week at Hilton Pond" is written and photographed by Bill Hilton Jr., executive director of Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History

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Thanks to the following fine folks for recent gifts in support of Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History and/or Operation RubyThroat: The Hummingbird Project. Your tax-deductible contributions allow us, among other things, to continue writing, photographing, and sharing "This Week at Hilton Pond" with students, teachers, and the general public. Please see Support or scroll below if you'd like to make a gift of your own.

We're pleased folks are thinking about the work of the Center and making donations. Those listed below made contributions received during the period. Please join them if you can in coming weeks.

Gifts can be made via PayPal (funding@hiltonpond.org); credit card via Network for Good (see link below); or personal check (c/o Hilton Pond Center, 1432 DeVinney Road, York SC 29745). You can also donate through our Facebook fundraising page.

The following made contributions to Hilton Pond Center during the period 22-30 Dec 2019:

  • Tom Anderson (long-time donor)
  • Anonymous (repeat donor, via PayPal)
  • Barbara Connolly (via Network for Good)
  • Elise Fischer (repeat donor, in memory of her brother Mark)
  • Frank Holleman (long-time donor)
  • Karen & Jeff Hurt (repeat donors)
  • Kathy & Don Miner (repeat donors, via PayPal)
  • Elizabeth Shneiders (via Netowrk for Good)
  • Frank Voelker (long-time repeat donor, via Network for Good)
  • The following friends contributed via the "Donate" button on one of the Center's Facebook postings, including GivingTuesday and our End-of-Year Fundraiser; some may be repeat Facebook contributors. Hope Andresen was a Top Tier donor via Facebook for 2019. Alisha Tomlinson, Fran Thomas, Linda wells, Kathy Tinius, Jean Bohs, Carmon Ortiz.
 
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The Piedmont Naturalist--Vol. 1--1986 (Hilton Pond Press) is an award-winning collection of newspaper columns that first appeared in The Herald in Rock Hill SC. Optimized for tablets such as iPad and Kindle, electronic downloads of the now out-of-print volume are available by clicking on the links below. The digital version includes pen-and-ink drawings from the original edition--plus lots of new color photos. All sales go
to support the work of
Hilton Pond Center.

BIRDS BANDED THIS WEEK at
HILTON POND CENTER
22-30 December 2019

SPECIES BANDED THIS PERIOD:
Pine Warbler--2
Northern Cardinal--4
White-throated Sparrow--2
House Finch--40
Mourning Dove--3

* = new banded species for 2019


PERIOD BANDING TOTAL:
5 species
51 individuals


2019 BANDING TOTAL:
67 species (38-yr. avg. = 65.0)

1,556 individuals
(38-yr. avg. =
1,833.8)

Ruby-throated Hummingbirds = 162


38-YEAR BANDING GRAND TOTAL:
(Banding began 28 June 1982; since then 171 species have been observed on or over the property.)
127 species banded
69,686 individuals banded

6,355 Ruby-throated Hummingbirds banded


NOTABLE RECAPTURES THIS WEEK:
(with original banding date, sex, and current age):
Carolina Chickadee (1)
08/20/19--hatch year unknown

Northern Cardinal (2)
01/23/17--after 3rd year female
06/15/19--hatch year male

House Finch (1)
03/18/19--after hatch year female


OTHER NATURE NOTES:
--A pair of American River Otters showed up again on Christmas Day 2019, their most recent appearances having been in early February. (They were first seen during the 2018 Christmas Bird Count!) It's likely NOT coincidental that a whopping 2.77" of precipitation fell during the week previous, with direct rainfall and run-off causing Hilton Pond to become nearly full for the first time since late spring. We suspect deeper water is more amenable to otter lifestyles.

--As of 30 Dec, Hilton Pond Center's 2019 Yard List stood at 95--about 55.6% of 171 avian species encountered locally since 1982. Incidentally, 94 of the species so far this year have been observed from the windows or porches of our old farmhouse! (We captured a small flock of Wild Turkeys on a trail cam.) If you're not keeping a Yard List for your own property we encourage you to do so, and to report your sightings via eBird. You, too, can be a "citizen scientist." New species observed during the period: None this week.

--Our immediate past installment of "This Week at Hilton Pond" was about a visit to Sweetwater Wetlands Park near Gainesville FL. It's archived and always available on the Center's Web site as Installment #707.

All text & photos © Hilton Pond Center



Oct 15 to Mar 15:
East of the Rockies please report your sightings of
Vagrant & Winter Hummingbirds

(immature male Rufous Hummingbird at right)


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Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History is a non-profit research, conservation & education organization in York, South Carolina USA; phone (803) 684-5852. Directed by Dr. Bill Hilton Jr., aka "The Piedmont Naturalist," it is parent organization for Operation RubyThroat. Web site contents--including text and photos--may NOT be duplicated, modified, or used in any way except with express written permission of Hilton Pond Center. All rights reserved worldwide. To request permission for use or for further assistance, please contact Webmaster.