by Bob Yukich
The annual High Park Christmas Bird Count was held on Sunday, Dec. 18, 2022, a mild but windy day with almost no snow-cover. Our route recorded a total of 49 species and 2,988 individuals.
Our best bird was a Red-shouldered Hawk seen flying west at treetop level over Grenadier Pond, a first ever for the High Park count since at least 1990 (there were 3 other reports of this species on the Toronto CBC this year). Other notable sightings were a Bald Eagle over Grenadier Pond, a Merlin on the east side of the park, and a Hermit Thrush along Dacre Crescent.
Based on preliminary results, High Park had 3 species not recorded in any other Toronto count sector: Northern Shoveler (40), Great Horned Owl (2) and Pine Siskin (6). We also had record high counts for High Park (since 1990) for 3 species: Wood Duck (6), American Robin (228) and Northern Cardinal (74).
See High Park Christmas Bird Count 2022 and previous years’ results (Excel, 50 Kb).
The High Park count area includes High Park and vicinity. The boundaries are Parkside Drive-Keele St. on the east, Eglinton Ave. on the north, South Kingsway-Jane St. on the west, and Lake Ontario on the south. The count is coordinated through the Toronto Ornithological Club and Birds Canada.
Find a Christmas Count group near you:
- In Ontario, on Ontario Nature.
- In Canada, on Birds Canada
