Relatively mild temperatures combined with cloudy skies and light snow showers on Saturday, December 19, 2009, as teams of Kane County Audubon volunteers embarked on a survey of all the birds that could be identified in a section of Kane County designated as "Area 8 of the Fermi Lab circle." (Area 8 is basically comprised of the territory west of the Fox River that falls within a 15-mile diameter circle centered on Fermi Lab.) The Christmas Bird Count, a program of the National Audubon Society, is in its 110^th year. The purpose of the survey is to collect data that scientists can use to determine the viability of bird populations across North America.

This year's Kane County survey showed an increase in species counted, from 49 to 55. The total number of birds counted more than doubled, from 5,311 to 11,511. The Canada Goose at 7,917 was the most counted bird, by far. It accounted for almost 69% of the total birds counted. Like last year, the European Starling was ranked the second-most populous bird. Mallard, Mourning Dove, and Dark-eyed Junco round out the top five. Thirty-one of the fifty-five species counted this year experienced increases. Five species counts remained the same. Twelve species not found last year were added to this year's list: Snow Goose, Cackling Goose, American Black Duck, Great Blue Heron, Bald Eagle, Wilson's Snipe, Great Horned Owl, Brown Thrasher, Palm Warbler, Fox Sparrow, Lapland Longspur, and Red-winged Blackbird. Six species were counted last year but not spotted this: Common Merganser, Short-eared Owl, Northern Flicker, Winter Wren, Savannah Sparrow, and Pine Siskin.

Presented below is a summary of Kane County Audubon's Christmas Bird Count results for the last four years.

SPECIES

2009

TOTAL COUNT

11,512

6,387

TOTAL SPECIES