All


Below is a short summary of the Jug Bay Count.

Count was on Sunday, which, if I recall was the 20th

Weather was in the 30's and 40's all day, partially cloudy.

112 Species were seen which is 4 above the long-term average species total
Counts were generally lower for many species from the long-term average, 
the general exception being woodpeckers (except Flicker which is long-term 
decline)
Total counting hours were slightly above average with 38 people 
participating.
 
New High Counts

13 Pied-billed Grebe (8 in 2001) 
79 Double-crested Cormorant (63 in 2008) 
257Gadwall (126 in 1990) 
127 Ring-necked Duck (59 in 2000) 
6 Greater Yellowlegs (5 in 2007) 
10 Purple Sandpiper (4 in 2010)  - Only second time on the count
1 Rufous Hummingbird - First time at count at known location in Harwood
15 Red-headed Woodpecker (10 in 1981 and 2005) 
1 Orange-crowned Warbler (first time on Count) - Jim Stasz called in with 
tape of song
41,873 Common Grackle (23550 in 2008)

A Quick Look at Trends and Patterns from 1981 to 2011

Note in the first 3-4 years of the count there was as big glut of 
"Baltimore" birders who ran around with tape records and that likely 
inflated the totals in those years above the averages we have seen 
since...that said, some obvious patterns are present.   Oh yes, there was 
also a good deal more boat work on the Patuxent...particularly in the 90s 
which may explain some of the waterfowl count oddities...

So you can see my patterns in and Excel sheet I maintain. I am going to 
attach this Excel 2010 file to another email.  If it does not go through 
then I will be happy to email it to you.   I have a number of summaries in 
there including some very easy to create Sparklines (new graphing tool) 
that really pops the data for you.  Feel free to copy the format and use 
the file for your counts.  I have graphs by actual counts and graphs 
standardized by total hours.

Common Loon - A gradual increase over time, but not dramatic...partially 
perhaps due to lack of heavy scoping of the bay during the early years.
Horned Grebe - Always erratic in counts, but noticeable declines in the 
last decade 
Double-crested Cormorant - Massive increases from none to now dozens each 
year
Great Egret - Now occurs regularly
Mute Swan - Started at zero and then increased greatly and now back to 
zero or nearly so 
Tundra Swan - Fairly contestant but last few years absent or nearly so 
Canada Goose - Generally increasing but with a bit lower numbers in the 
90s
Snow Goose - Small but consistent numbers early on...now largely absent
Green-winged Teal - Fairly large numbers in the 90s, but now back to 
numbers seen in the 80s
Pintail - An increase in the 2000s mirroring continental trends, but now 
down to lower numbers
Shoveler - Large increases in 1990s and 2000s now lower in numbers 
Wigeon - General declines in the last decade
Canvasback - Essentially gone in the last 2 decades
Redhead - Same story as Canvasback, but seems to linger as ones and twos
Ring-neck - The reflection of Canvasbacks now expected and in numbers
Oldsquaw - Some increases in the late 90's now back to very low numbers
Goldeneye - Rather linear decline from the start of the count
Hooded Merganser - Clear increases 
Common Merganser - Smaller, but clear increases
Black Vulture - Large increases, particularly in comparison to some 
middling if any increase in its cousin
Bald Eagle - Large increases particularly in immatures
Harrier - Recent indications of declines
Kestrel - Large and consistent declines
Bobwhite - Was regular and in good numbers, now absent
Turkey - As woodlands increase in age these have increased greatly
Coot - Odd large symmetrical increase in the 90s decline and now another 
increase
Killdeer - Hints of a decline in last 2 decades
Dunlin - Now found regularly ... formerly absent
Greater Yellowlegs - Ditto
Rock Dove - Increase, but nothing dramatic
Red-headed Woodpecker - Erratic, but clearly more around now than at the 
beginning of the count
Flicker - Some indications of declines
Pileated Woodpecker - Strong increases 
Phoebe - Good steady increase over time
Blue Jay - Decrease in the 90s and 00s but increase over the past few 
years
White-breasted Nuthatch - Large increase in the numbers 
Winter Wren - Gradually increasing numbers
Marsh Wren - Occurred regularly, but now much less so, perhaps a 
reflection of no boats running up the marshes.
Golden-crowned Kinglet - Declines in numbers in the last decade
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - Small but noticeable increase
Hermit Thrush - Generally more around
Robin - Ditto
Catbird - Ditto
Thrasher - Ditto
Mockingbird - Steady declines
Pine Warbler - Was moderately regular, but not seen in over 10 years
Towhee - General increase
Tree Sparrow - General decline
Savannah Sparrow - Strong increases
Fox Sparrow - Increasing
Song Sparrow - Increasing
House Finch - Large increase in 80s, decline in since then to much lower 
numbers
House Sparrow - Steady decline


sam

 Droege   
w 301-497-5840 h 301-390-7759 fax 301-497-5624
USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
BARC-EAST, BLDG 308, RM 124 10300 Balt. Ave., Beltsville, MD  20705
Http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov

The balance wheel

Where I waved at the sky
And waited your love through a February sleep,
I saw birds swinging in, watched them multiply
Into a tree, weaving on a branch, cradling a keep
In the arms of April sprung from the south to occupy
This slow lap of land, like cogs of some balance wheel.
I saw them build the air, with that motion birds feel.

Where I wave at the sky
And understand love, knowing our August heat,
I see birds pulling past the dim frosted thigh
Of Autumn, unlatched from the nest, and wing-beat
For the south, making their high dots across the sky,
Like beauty spots marking a still perfect cheek.
I see them bend the air, slipping away, for what birds seek.

- Anne Sexton

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