Congratulations to all birders who participated in our year-long bird count! We hope you had a lot of fun, and met some new birds and birders along the way.
The total number of bird species reported within the city limits was 262. We used the Calgary area check list which has 369 species, so that leaves 107 species that were not reported.
The highest individual count was reported by Michael Harrison, who racked up an amazing 240 species. There were another five participants with a count of over 200.
The committee unanimously picked the Oct 22 sighting of an Anna’s Hummingbird as the Bird of the Year, reported by Katrina Lybbert and family. This is only the sixth or seventh record ever of an Anna’s Hummingbird in Alberta. It was first seen on October 22 by Gilbert Lybbert in their yard in Braeside SW. It was also seen by his mother Katrina that day, and it returned again on October 23. On October 25 and 26 it was again sighted by the Lybberts, and several other Calgary birders also managed to see it at that time. It was observed feeding on a honeysuckle bush in a neighbour’s yard. The final sighting of presumably the same bird wasn’t until three weeks later, on November 16, the day after the first big snowfall of the winter.
The winner of the photography contest was Brian Elder, with his outstanding picture of a Willet in flight.
Second place went to Ken Johnson for his remarkable Red-breasted Nuthatch photo.
Third place went to 13 year old Matthew Sim who captured this stunning Bohemian Waxwing.
Winners in Other Categories:
- Michael Harrison, overall winner and first in Non-motorized Transport (NMT) birding
Advanced:
Michael Harrison – 240 species
Colin Young – 238
Tony Timmons – 222
Intermediate:
Linda Bailey – 204
Cindy & Dan Parliament – 175
Ed Kissinger – 172
Novice:
Susan Konopnicki – 142
- Colin Young, second in Advanced Category and second NMT
Louise Moreau and Michael Geldorp – 120
Vic Urban – 62
Non-motorized Travel
Advanced:
Michael Harrison – 240
Colin Young – 234
Bill Wilson – 209
Intermediate:
Andrew Hart – 95
- Tony Timmons, third place in the Advanced Category
Linda Bailey – 86
Bob Lefebvre – 78
NMT Youths:
Matthew Sim – 107
Jacob Farkas – 37
Youth Categories
Sub-adult:
Katie Donahue – 146
Reggie Lybbert – 85
Fledglings:
- Linda Bailey, first in the Intermediate Category
Matthew Sim – 151
Jacob Farkas – 103
Gilbert Lybbert – 96
Nestlings:
Jarom Lybbert – 72
Lucianna Lybbert – 69
Stephanie Sim – 48
Yard List:
Sim family – 81
- Susan Konopnicki, first in the Novice Category
Linda Bailey – 68
Brian Elder – 64
- David Sim & family, winner of the Yard List Category
- The Lybbert Family, winner of Bird of the Year
- Bill Wilson, a special award for the conception of a Non-motorized Transport Category
