*On Saturday, December 16, 2023 the Christmas Bird Count was held in the Midland-Penetanguishene area. The Midland Penetanguishene Field Naturalist Club organizes the count with 47 volunteers divided up into 17 areas centred on Wyebridge Ontario. This area encompasses Wye Marsh and Tiny Marsh. * *2023 marked the 42nd year that the MPFN has organized this count. * *The day was overcast in the morning with a slight rain in the afternoon. Temperature was between -4C and +2C. The wind was light with all waterways open.* *The day was very successful with 64 different species seen (plus 2 other taxa) with a total count of 8,348 individual birds. * *This sets a new record for individual birds and species counted in our circle and is well above our 10 year average of 48.8 species 3,950 individual birds and our 20 year average of 49.4 species 4,272 individual birds. The unusually mild weather with lots of open water and the fact that we also set a record for the number of volunteers involved in the count surely helped these numbers. * *We had new high counts for Belted Kingfisher (3; 1 counted in 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993); Red-bellied Woodpecker (16; 10 counted in 2021, 2022); European Starling (1647; 952 counted in 1999); American Goldfinch (590; 431 counted in 2022) and Northern Cardinal (38; 34 counted in 2020)* *2 species high counts were tied: Wood Duck (1 counted; 3rd time on count; 1 was also counted in 2006 and 2015); and Carolina Wren (1 counted; 2nd time on count; 1 was also counted in 2010). * *It was only the 2nd time that we've had Red-necked Grebe on the count - 5 counted; 15 were counted in 2006.* *We were able to have our wrap up pot luck dinner this year and $540 was raised for the McKeever Owl Foundation through our Mystery Christmas Gift Auction.* *Thanks again to all who took part and especially to our long-serving count coordinator David Schandlen. Mark your calendars for next year Saturday December 14, 2024.* *Here are the final tallies: * *1. Canada Goose 641* *2. Trumpeter Swan 243. Tundra Swan 2 4. Wood Duck 1 * *5. Mallard 2256. American Black Duck 247. Ring-necked Duck 18. Greater Scaup 849. Lesser Scaup 310. Bufflehead 15711. Common Goldeneye 57212. Hooded Merganser 3613. Common Merganser 30414. Red-breasted Merganser 4615. Wild Turkey 1716. Ruffed Grouse 317. Red-necked Grebe 518. Rock Pigeon 537 19. Mourning Dove 27920. Ring-billed Gull 4321. Herring Gull 2722. gull sp. 3923. Double-crested Cormorant 124. Northern Harrier 225. Cooper's Hawk 126. Bald Eagle 527. Red-tailed Hawk 528. Rough-legged Hawk 129. hawk sp. 330. Snowy Owl 131. Barred Owl 132. Belted Kingfisher 333. Red-bellied Woodpecker 1634. Downy Woodpecker 6635. Hairy Woodpecker 3336. Pileated Woodpecker 1237. American Kestrel 138. Northern Shrike 139. Blue Jay 23040. American Crow 14941. Common Raven 942. Black-capped Chickadee 60843. Golden-crowned Kinglet 144. White-breasted Nuthatch 6545. Red-breasted Nuthatch 1646. Brown Creeper 247. Carolina Wren 148. European Starling 164749. Brown Thrasher 150. Cedar Waxwing 1151. House Sparrow 1852. Evening Grosbeak 1053. House Finch 4954. Purple Finch 155. Common Redpoll 556. Pine Siskin 1457. American Goldfinch 59058. Snow Bunting 144159. Chipping Sparrow 160. American Tree Sparrow 3061. Dark-eyed Junco 18562. White-crowned Sparrow 163. White-throated Sparrow 164. Song Sparrow 165. Red-winged Blackbird 166. Northern Cardinal 38*