65th Long Point Christmas Bird Count

Photo, above: Orange-Crowned Warbler, taken by Stu Mackenzie

Story by Stu Mackenzie

The 65th Long Point Christmas Bird Count (CBC) was held on Saturday, December 20, 2025, incorporating both the Long Point Family Winter Bird Count and the traditional formalized CBC. The count covers a ~24-kilometre diameter circle centred on the lighthouse south of St. Williams. Over 100 participants surveyed sixteen territories, contributing approximately 120 hours in the field, travelling 400 km by car and more than 110 km on foot. In total 27,710 birds were observed of 108 species.

Highlights and Low-lights:

Green-winged Teal – First time missed on the count since 2016.

Virginia Rail – Tracks of a rail were found on fresh snow from the night before which was determined to be a Virginia Rail. This was the 17th for the count and the first since 1997.

American Woodcock – This was the 4th ever observed on the count.

Northern Harrier (photo by James Lees)

Raptors – Conditions were favorable for a little raptor migration with observers noting good numbers of Red-tailed Hawks (51) and Northern Harriers (37).

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker – Highest count ever with 14 for this more fair-weather woodpecker. Previous high was 4 in 2010.

Red-bellied Woodpecker – Fourth highest count with 77 observed.

Northern Flicker – 2nd highest count with 89 since 1983 when 96 were observed.

Eastern Phoebe – Tied highest count with 2 observed; one was observed along Big Creek and another near Backus Mills.

Tufted Titmouse – Big miss. First time not observed on the count since 2009.

Carolina Wren – 2nd highest total with 49 observed.

Gray Catbird – Two were observed on the count.

Brown Thrasher – One was observed at the Port Rowan Wetlands for the 2nd year in a row.

Evening Grosbeak – One was observed at Turkey Point.

Lapland Longspur – 2nd highest count with 26 observed with a large flock of Horned Lark.

Field Sparrow – Notable number of 9 observed across the count area.

White-crowned Sparrow – Record high with 29 observed. Highest since 26 were observed in 2007.

White-throated Sparrow – 3rd highest total with 219.

Orange-crowned Warbler – 2nd on the count since the first was found in 2014. The Long Point CBC Bird of the Day was awarded to Nicole Richardson for finding this beauty.

Yellow-rumped Warbler – Far from any record, but 17 were observed, all in the Turkey Point lowlands.

A summary of the 65th Long Point Christmas Bird Count is up on the Long Point Bird Observatory Sightings Board can be found here.

A very special thank you to all the participants, volunteers, and landowners and caretakers that allowed access to their properties for the count.