birds

By Jeremy Hatt

The Essex County Field Naturalists’ Club continues its role as the Caretaker for the Lower Detroit River Important Bird Area (IBA), a project of Birdlife International and administered in Canada by Bird Canada. Each year members of ECFNC partake in three waterfowl counts along the Lower Detroit River in January and February covering the area between the Amherstburg Birding and Nature Trail to the north end Fighting Island. This area is labeled as an important bird area for the high numbers of waterfowl that stage here over the winter months, particularly Canvasback which can be seen in the tens of thousands. 2020 was the fourth year ECFNC has participated in this project.

In 2019, three waterfowl counts were conducted on January 26, February 9, and February 23. Once again, Detroit Audubon volunteers participated in the count, counting waterfowl from the Michigan side of the river in areas that are not visible to volunteers in Canada. This helps get a more accurate picture of how many ducks may be using the Lower Detroit River IBA at one time. Total numbers for Canvasback were 12,453 on January 26, 1,816 on February 9, and 10,610 on February 23. Over 1% of the total population of Canvasback was seen on January 26 and February 23 (one of the thresholds for areas to be considered Important Bird Areas).

Volunteer counters in front of the Lower Detroit River IBA. Left to right: Jeremy Hatt, Kory Renaud, Gina Pannunzio

Detroit Audubon volunteers counting waterfowl from the Michigan side of the Detroit River

Detroit Audubon volunteers spotted from the Canadian side of the Detroit River!

In 2020, three waterfowl counts were conducted on January 25, February 8, and February 29. Total numbers for Canvasback were 6,015 on January 25, 4,760 on February 8, and 7,770 on February 29. Over 1% of the global population of Canvasback was seen on February 29 in the Lower Detroit IBA.

The February 29^th count date also doubled as an event put on by Birds Canada and ECFNC in partnership. This event was an open house at King’s Navy Yard Park in Amherstburg. Amanda Bichel of Birds Canada and Jeremy Hatt hosted the event and had an information booth available, a scavenger hunt for kids, a scope set up for duck identification, and light snacks. The event was a great success and about 50 members of the public and members of the Club stopped by, as well as members of the local press and a councilor from Amherstburg out with his family. It was great to see so many people attend despite it being a very cold and windy day!

Highlights from the event included 4,800 Canvasback and 2,750 Redhead visible through scopes and in flight from King’s Navy Yard Park, as well as a Lesser Black-backed Gull floating by on an ice flow. Early visitors to the event were rewarded with a spectacular sight as thousands of Canvasbacks took to the sky, always a highlight along the Detroit River in the winter months.

We were pleased that this event made the Windsor Star with our very own Donny Moore gracing the front page! https://windsorstar.com/news/local-news/volunteers-record-5000-ducks-off-amherstburgs-shore

Jeremy Hatt and Amanda Bichel celebrating a successful event at King’s Navy Yard Park

I want to extend my gratitude to dedicated counters Kory Renaud, Dave Martin, and Linda Wladarski for their continued volunteer efforts throughout this project as well as Gina Pannunzio who was able to help with one of the counts in 2019. Thanks also to Donny Moore for his help during the February 23 event and to Amanda Bichel of Birds Canada for doing the majority of the planning and outreach as well as getting the word out in various local press. Finally, I send a big thank you to all of the volunteers from Detroit Audubon for their enthusiasm in helping with the counts across the border; particularly Ava Landgraf who coordinates volunteers. It’s wonderful to have these waterfowl counts be a binational effort.