We managed some significant high counts with 39 species of birds and 2,551 individuals tallied.

FOR ANTIGO TIMES

The Antigo Christmas Bird Count was held on Wednesday, December 21^st 2022.  Six field observers in 4 parties drove and walked within the 15 mile diameter count circle tallying numbers of individual birds seen.  In addition 10 feeder observers tallied birds seen and or heard at their residences. All this was done with snow cover at 6-9 inches and during very cold temperatures, the lowest being -12F with a high of 5 F above zero.

New to the count was an Eastern Screech-Owl seen in a Wood Duck Box at the Springbrook boardwalk off 2nd Ave.  Almost as rare was the Snowy Owl found on Price-Neva Rd near Co. I, very near Bryant.

Record high counts were achieved for: Red-bellied Woodpeckers (26), Pileated Woodpecker (4), American Tree Sparrow (343), Dark-eyed Junco (167), Northern Cardinal (46), and American Goldfinch (337).  The highest count for any individual species went to Snow Buntings with 421 tallied–all in very open country like the potato flats and open airport country.  Snowplow scrapes helped drive juncos, tree sparrows and goldfinch to the sides of roads.

Noteworthy birds barely detected were:  Sharp-shinned Hawk, Rough-legged Hawk (2), American Kestrel, Barred and Great Horned Owl, Belted Kingfisher, Northern Shrike (3), Horned Lark (2), Lapland Longspur, and American Robin.

Overall it was a very successful Christmas Bird Count for Antigo!  Thanks to all who helped this year and in past years.

The count is as follows:

Wild Turkey – 65

Cooper’s Hawk – 1

Sharp-shinned Hawk – 1

Bald Eagle – 6

Red-tailed Hawk – 3

Rough-legged Hawk – 2

American Kestrel – 1

Rock (feral) Pigeon – 217

Mourning Dove – 153

Eastern Screech Owl – 1 (new to count)

Snowy Owl – 1

Great Horned Owl – 1

Barred Owl – 1

Belted Kingfisher – 1

Red-bellied Woodpecker – 26

Downy Woodpecker – 29

Hairy Woodpecker – 18

Pileated Woodpecker – 4

Northern Shrike – 3

Blue Jay – 70

American Crow – 196

Common Raven – 14

Horned Lark – 2

Black-capped Chickadee – 146

Red-breasted Nuthatch – 6

White-breasted Nuthatch – 20

American Robin – 1

European Starling – 155

American Tree Sparrow – 343

Dark-eyed Junco – 167

Snow Bunting – 421

Lapland Longspur – 1

Northern Cardinal – 46

Purple Finch – 2

House Finch – 8

Common Redpoll – 19

Pine Siskin – 40

American Goldfinch – 337

House Sparrow – 23

39 species

Total Individuals – 2,551

David B. Johnson. Compiler of the Antigo CBC

[email protected]