The Smithers Christmas Bird Count yielded a low number of species but acceptable number of individuals in 2022.
The count took place on December 27, 2022. Despite relatively unfavourable conditions, a high number of 55 people (plus one four-month-old baby) in 24 different parties searched for birds out in the field and two more watched their feeders full time.
Visibility was generally poor for much of the day, starting with heavy fog which changed briefly to snow making it very difficult to see birds unless they were very close, and roads were icy. The number of identified species was a low 42, but the number of individual birds was an acceptable 5,461.
Bohemian waxwings were numerous mainly in town, whereas pine siskins and black-capped chickadees were the most frequently seen out in the bush.
The real exciting species of the day was the short-eared owl. A total of 11 birds were reported seen hunting over the open fields, although allowing for double counting, the actual number was more likely to be nine. That is still a very high number as only one or two have been seen on our count in the past.
Also interesting was the high number of varied thrush and robins. I have never had varied thrushes at my feeder in 37 years of doing the count and I am assuming the mild weather leading up to mid-December encouraged them to stay longer than normal.
Although not reported on count day, the most unusual species by far was the spotted towhee which has been hanging around a feeder in town for several weeks and was seen during count week. Also, sooty grouse were seen on the ski hill by a grouse/ptarmigan expert who says he never imagined seeing them there in the winter.
BV Naturalists wish to thank all the people who took part in the bird count and made it so successful. If any bird not on the list below was seen either on Count Day or during Count Week (Dec 24 to Dec 30), please let us know at 250-847-9429.
- Rosamund Pojar
Total number of individual birds 5,461
Total number of species 42
Common Goldeneye 4
Bald eagle (mature) 38
Bald Eagle (immature) 6
Ring-necked Pheasant 2
Ruffed Grouse 30
White-tailed Ptarmigan 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1
Cooper’s Hawk 1
Cooper’s/Sharp-shinned Hawk 1
Eurasian Collared Dove 1
Northern Pygmy Owl 2
Short-eared Owl 11
Barred Owl 1
Pileated Woodpecker 1
Hairy Woodpecker 28
Downy Woodpecker 33
American Three-toed Woodpecker 2
Northern Flicker 21
Woodpecker sp. 2
Northern Shrike 5
Canada (Gray) Jay 11
Steller’s Jay 17
Golden-crowned Kinglet 2
Townsend’s Solitaire 5
American Robin 35
Varied Thrush 12
Black-billed Magpie 20
American Crow 359
Common Raven 256
Black-capped Chickadee 1,082
Mountain Chickadee 18
Red-breasted Nuthatch 41
Bohemian Waxwing 1,265
Song Sparrow 9
Dark-eyed Junco 155
Red-winged Blackbird 8
Brewer’s Blackbird 203
European Starling 95
Purple Finch 27
Pine Grosbeak 91
White-winged Crossbill 3
Common Redpoll 64
Pine Siskin 1085
Redpoll/siskin 20
Evening Grosbeak 34
House Sparrow 354
Count Week Species
Common Merganser
Ptarmigan sp. (Willow?)
Sooty Grouse
Spotted Towhee
Boreal Chickadee