Springing to Life 2009
Long time BLESS member Dan Stoker organized and conducted Springing to Life on April 25 and April 26 in 2009. The annual event celebrates the spring migration when birds return to Alberta and Big Lake. Here is Dan's report.
Birds of Big Lake Event April 25th and 26th
Abstract: Birding was good while the weather was not!
The weather was not at all cooperative the two mornings of the 'Springing to Life' event at Big Lake this weekend but the number of species seen was decent even though the human participation was dismal.
On each morning, very early viewing was not bad but by 10:00 am each day the weather had declined markedly with snow fall reducing visibility very much. Noticeably missing were large flights (flocks) of swans, geese or cranes. The only significant movements of migrating ducks were the Northern Pintail and to a lesser degree American Wigeon.
Thanks are extended to Rod Day for his fantastic spotting skills and his presence for the two mornings. Many species would have been missed without his keen 'eagle eyes'.
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Springing to Life Bird Counts
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SPECIES
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2005
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2006
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2006
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2007
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2007
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2008
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2008
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2009
|
2009
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Grand
Totals
|
|
A.16
|
A.15
|
A.22
|
A.14
|
A.21
|
A.19
|
A.27
|
A.25
|
A.26
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common
Loon
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
2
|
|
Red-necked
Grebe
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
35
|
3
|
2
|
40
|
|
Horned
Grebe
|
0
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
7
|
1
|
0
|
10
|
|
Eared
Grebe
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
3
|
0
|
0
|
3
|
|
American
White Pelican
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
7
|
7
|
|
Great
Blue Heron
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
5
|
|
Trumpeter
Swan
|
0
|
4
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
4
|
|
Tundra
Swan
|
460
|
70
|
4
|
91
|
17
|
0
|
82
|
53
|
15
|
792
|
|
Canada
Goose
|
22
|
35
|
14
|
1,840
|
14
|
32
|
174
|
48
|
43
|
2,222
|
|
Greater
White-fronted Goose
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
24
|
0
|
0
|
26
|
|
Mallard
Duck
|
15
|
60
|
18
|
18
|
42
|
38
|
22
|
24
|
41
|
278
|
|
Northern
Pintail
|
0
|
3
|
0
|
42
|
34
|
270
|
35
|
282
|
170
|
836
|
|
Gadwall
|
0
|
4
|
10
|
2
|
0
|
4
|
10
|
6
|
4
|
40
|
|
American
Wigeon
|
6
|
25
|
34
|
1
|
2
|
300
|
280
|
109
|
387
|
1,144
|
|
Eurasion
Wigeon
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
3
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
4
|
|
Northern
Shoveler
|
2
|
7
|
16
|
3
|
1
|
14
|
70
|
67
|
170
|
350
|
|
Blue-winged
Teal
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
5
|
7
|
|
Green-winged
Teal
|
6
|
1
|
6
|
0
|
4
|
20
|
8
|
17
|
96
|
158
|
|
Canvasback
|
8
|
35
|
15
|
16
|
50
|
24
|
18
|
58
|
35
|
259
|
|
Redhead
|
40
|
4
|
21
|
2
|
1
|
2
|
20
|
16
|
12
|
118
|
|
Ring-necked
Duck
|
14
|
4
|
20
|
4
|
0
|
2
|
14
|
13
|
0
|
71
|
|
Lesser
Scaup
|
600
|
25
|
90
|
25
|
160
|
50
|
90
|
80
|
35
|
1,155
|
|
Greater
Scaup
|
0
|
1
|
55
|
0
|
50
|
0
|
5
|
6
|
4
|
121
|
|
Common
Goldeneye
|
500
|
55
|
18
|
36
|
17
|
60
|
130
|
11
|
32
|
859
|
|
Bufflehead
|
5
|
1
|
8
|
2
|
10
|
8
|
76
|
12
|
13
|
135
|
|
Common
Merganser
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
4
|
8
|
8
|
6
|
0
|
0
|
27
|
|
Red-breasted
Merganser
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
4
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
4
|
|
Ruddy
Duck
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
29
|
0
|
2
|
32
|
|
Northern
Harrier
|
0
|
0
|
3
|
4
|
6
|
8
|
5
|
3
|
2
|
31
|
|
Coopers
Hawk
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
2
|
|
Sharp-shinned
Hawk
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
|
Red-tailed
Hawk
|
0
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
3
|
3
|
7
|
3
|
1
|
21
|
|
Rough-legged
Hawk
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
|
Golden
Eagle
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
|
Bald
Eagle
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
3
|
1
|
1
|
11
|
|
Osprey
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
0
|
2
|
2
|
2
|
8
|
|
Gyrfalcon
(?)
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
|
Peregrine
Falcon
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
|
American
Coot
|
9
|
6
|
46
|
20
|
22
|
46
|
330
|
20
|
22
|
521
|
|
Killdeer
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
|
American
Avocet
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
3
|
0
|
0
|
3
|
|
Greater
Yellowlegs
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
23
|
1
|
1
|
25
|
|
Franklin's
Gull
|
7
|
3
|
34
|
1
|
30
|
16
|
5
|
6
|
3
|
105
|
|
Ring-billed
Gull
|
15
|
50
|
200
|
50
|
1200
|
600
|
100
|
48
|
10
|
2273
|
|
California
Gull
|
45
|
0
|
5
|
0
|
50
|
4
|
110
|
0
|
0
|
214
|
|
Herring
Gull
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
15
|
0
|
0
|
16
|
|
Glaucous
Gull
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
|
Belted
Kingfisher
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
|
Downy
Woodpecker
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
2
|
|
Pileated
Woodpecker
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
2
|
|
Northern
Shrike
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
|
Black-billed
Magpie
|
3
|
2
|
0
|
2
|
0
|
4
|
3
|
3
|
0
|
17
|
|
Common
Raven
|
6
|
1
|
0
|
2
|
0
|
2
|
12
|
2
|
2
|
27
|
|
American
Crow
|
10
|
8
|
14
|
14
|
5
|
8
|
14
|
6
|
9
|
88
|
|
Tree
Swallow
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
6
|
33
|
41
|
|
American
Robin
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
12
|
0
|
2
|
0
|
14
|
|
American
Pipit
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
|
Bohemian
Waxwing
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
220
|
0
|
0
|
220
|
|
Song
Sparrow
|
3
|
5
|
10
|
0
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
3
|
2
|
27
|
|
American
Tree Sparrow
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
10
|
0
|
2
|
10
|
4
|
27
|
|
Snow
Bunting
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
|
Junco
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
8
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
8
|
|
Yellow-headed
Blackbird
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
|
Red-winged
Blackbird
|
7
|
6
|
13
|
0
|
5
|
0
|
2
|
12
|
36
|
81
|
|
Brewer's
Blackbird
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
|
Common
Grackle
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
5
|
5
|
|
Unidentified
Geese
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
255
|
0
|
0
|
255
|
|
Unidentified
Ducks
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
80
|
120
|
1,200
|
400
|
320
|
500
|
2,620
|
|
Unidentified
Gulls
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
0
|
0
|
2,000
|
1,500
|
0
|
55
|
3,555
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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Total
Numbers
|
1,786
|
424
|
661
|
2,264
|
1,880
|
4,748
|
4,156
|
1,261
|
1,764
|
18,944
|
|
Number
of Species
|
24
|
31
|
28
|
25
|
29
|
32
|
45
|
38
|
36
|
|
|
People
Participants
|
32
|
38
|
21
|
21
|
35
|
12
|
54
|
19
|
9
|
241
|
|
Beaver
|
2
|
1
|
0
|
2
|
1
|
0
|
-
|
1
|
1
|
|
|
Coyote
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
1
|
0
|
|
|
Mink
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
|
|
Moose
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
|
|
Deer
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
8
|
0
|
|
|
Muskrat
|
4
|
0
|
1
|
5
|
6
|
0
|
-
|
2
|
0
|
|
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Grand
Total of bird species seen for the Springing to Life Event over last five
years: 66 Species
a dash -
indicates information not recorded
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Contact BLESS
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