Bedford Audubon Society

The 50th Annual Peekskill Christmas Bird Count was held on December 18, 2004. With a new all-time record breaking high count of 96 species, the 50th Annual Count was nothing less than a major success!

With 32 participants in all, spread out over eight parties combing the countryside for birds, over 15,000 individual birds were counted in the 96 species seen!

The Count area covers northern Westchester from the Hudson River eastward to Chappaqua, Mount Kisco, Bedford Hills, and Katonah.

Highlights of the count included 12 Black Vultures in a roost near Peekskill, one Snow Goose on the Croton River in Ossining, 55 Brant flying down the Hudson River at Croton Point Park, three Northern Shoveler ducks, a Greater Scaup, 15 Bald Eagles, two Peregrine Falcons at the Bear Mountain Bridge, 12 Eastern Screech-Owls, seven Great Horned Owls, two Short-eared Owls, two House Wrens at Teatown Lake Reservation, 100 Eastern Bluebirds, one Brown Thrasher, eight American Pipits, four White-crowned Sparrows, an incredible 60 Savannah Sparrows at Croton Point, two Eastern Meadowlarks at Croton Point, and finally an immature Lark Sparrow, which is new for the count.

The Lark Sparrow is a rare western stray to the east coast of North America and is rarely found in Autumn on the East Coast. This record represents one of only a very small number of winter records for Westchester County.

Because of the relatively mild weather without any major snow events or severe cold leading up to the count, many half-hardy species lingered in the region through count day. Conversely, certain species had not arrived from their more northern climes because the severe cold had not pushed them south into our region. An example is Bald Eagle. While 15 were found on count day, last year over 32 were found. This year 59 Red-tailed Hawks were found as compared to last year’s 84. Northern winter finches were virtually absent in the region this year as well.

It is interesting to note that three Red-necked Grebes and a Merlin both seen at Croton Point the day after the count were not seen on the count. What a difference a day makes!

Common Loon	13	Red-tailed Hawk	59	Ruby-crowned Kinglet	8
Pied-billed Grebe	2	Peregrine Falcon	2	Eastern Bluebird	100
Double-crested Cormorant	4	Wild Turkey	37	Hermit Thrush	8
Great Cormorant	17	American Coot	91	American Robin	123
Great Blue Heron	12	Ring-billed Gull	934	Gray Catbird	10
Black Vulture	12	Herring Gull	132	Northern Mockingbird	83
Turkey Vulture	46	Great Black-backed Gull	14	BROWN THRASHER	1
SNOW GOOSE	1	Mourning Dove	167	European Starling	1673
Canada Goose	4267	Rock Pigeon	431	American Pipit	8
BRANT	55	Eastern Screech-Owl	12	Cedar Waxwing	93
Mute Swan	125	Great Horned Owl	7	Eastern Towhee	1
Wood Duck	6	Short-eared Owl	2	American Tree Sparrow	251
Gadwall	36	Barred Owl	2	Field Sparrow	10
Am. Black Duck	175	Belted Kingfisher	11	Savannah Sparrow (very high number)	60
Mallard	861	Red-bellied Woodpecker	50	Fox Sparrow	6
Mallard x Black Hybrid	2	Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	1	Song Sparrow	247
NORTHERN SHOVELER	3	Downy Woodpecker	116	Swamp Sparrow	9
Green-winged Teal	11	Hairy Woodpecker	25	White-throated Sparrow	482
Canvasback	514	Northern Flicker	6	WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW	4
Ring-necked Duck	15	Pileated Woodpecker	11	LARK SPARROW (immature)	1
Greater Scaup	1	Blue Jay	92	Dark-eyed Junco	588
Lesser Scaup	19	American Crow	322	Northern Cardinal	220
Bufflehead	101	Common Raven	2	Red-winged Blackbird	113
Common Goldeneye	7	Horned Lark	2	EASTERN MEADOWLARK	2
Hooded Merganser	144	Black-capped Chickadee	406	Rusty Blackbird	14
Common Merganser	272	Tufted Titmouse	253	Common Grackle	2
RED-BREASTED MERGANSER	1	Red-breasted Nuthatch	2	Brown-headed Cowbird	3
Ruddy Duck	465	White-breasted Nuthatch	103	Purple Finch	1
Bald Eagle	15	Brown Creeper	8	House Finch	79
Northern Harrier	3	Carolina Wren	60	American Goldfinch	166
Sharp-shinned Hawk	5	HOUSE WREN	2	House Sparrow	535
Cooper’s Hawk	4	Winter Wren	20	Count Period***—Red-necked Grebe
Red-Shouldered Hawk	2	Golden-crowned Kinglet	37	Count Period***—Merlin

Total Species: 96 plus 1 hybrid; Total Individuals: 15,536

***A "Count Period" bird is a bird species observed within the count circle three days before or after the count. It is not included in the totals.

Main Christmas Bird Count Page

Bedford Audubon Society

A Northern Westchester & Eastern Putnam Counties, New York Chapter of the National Audubon Society

Celebrating 95 Years of Conservation 1913-2008

2004-2005 Christmas Bird Counts

Peekskill Christmas Bird Count Turns 50 Years Old By John Askildsen, Compiler

Peekskill Christmas Bird Count Turns 50 Years Old
By John Askildsen, Compiler