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Trailday February 24, 2024

"Pickerelweed - Pontederia cordata"
photo: Sandra Groeneveld at the Florida Scrub-Jay Trail

Clermont Christmas Bird Count Results

Clermont Bird Count Coordinator John Thomton
thanks all who came out and birded!

A special shout-out goes to Bruce and Cathy Brown at the Scrub-Jay Trail
for being such gracious, generous, and fun hosts!

We couldn’t do it without you!

The final applause goes to Carrabba's in Clermont for their generous sponsorship in support of this important event. The wonderful dinner they provide wraps up our count for the day and makes everything so warm and comfortable. What a wonderful ending to a long day!

Photo by Melissa Lynch

The Clermont Christmas Bird Count was held on Monday, January 1, 2024. It was the twelfth annual count hosted at The Florida Scrub-Jay Trail.

The 15-mile diameter count circle is centered on the north shore of Lake Minnehaha and extends outward 7.5 miles in every direction from that point. The circle is split into ten zones, and this year 50 birders were divided among the zones to count and identify as many birds as possible. They were very successful

CLERMONT CBC 2023-2024 STATS

A total of 120 species, plus six other taxa were recorded. An impressive 11,507 individual birds were counted. There were no Count Week species. In total over the twelve years, 179 species have been found on a Clermont CBC.

No new species were recorded this year. However, we had several count highlights:

Northern Pintail (2 - Zones 2 and 6, the third CBC appearance and a high count tie)
Redhead (1 - Zone 2, the second CBC appearance and a high count tie)
Bufflehead (1 - Zone 3, the third CBC appearance, first appearance in seven years)
Snail Kite (1 - Zone 7, the third CBC appearance and a high count tie, first appearance in five years)
Laughing Gull (2 - Zone 3, the second CBC appearance and a new high count)
Vermillion Flycatcher (1 - Zone 2, the third CBC appearance and a high count tie)
Great Crested Flycatcher (1 - Zone 7, the second CBC appearance and a high count tie, first appearance since the very first Clermont CBC 12 years ago)
American Redstart (1 - Zone 2, the fifth CBC appearance and a high count tie)
White-throated Sparrow (4 - Zones 3 and 4, the third CBC appearance, first appearance in nine years)

A few species achieved new high counts this year:

Fish Crow (883)
Tree Swallow (3589)
Black-and-White Warbler (27)
House Finch (27)

Two annual species were unrecorded for the very first time:

Wild Turkey
Florida Scrub-Jay (not gonna lie, this one hurts)

Several annual species had their lowest numbers ever recorded on a Clermont CBC:

Hooded Merganser (4)
Great Egret (36)
Tricolored Heron (7)
American Coot (2)
Sandhill Crane (307)
Killdeer (83)
Forster's Tern (8)
Belted Kingfisher (6)
Eastern Phoebe (101)
White-eyed Vireo (7)
Brown Thrasher (3)
Palm Warbler (493)
Chipping Sparrow (107)
American Goldfinch (17)

Traveling with Marc Minno!

June 2023 Cuba Trip video: many thanks to Steve Burkholder, who attended the TREE Institute International trip to western Cuba in June 2023 for filming, editing, and producing a short video (16 minutes) about our research on butterflies in Cuba.

Here is a link to the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UX9okwUumv4

Experience a birding trip like no other in Ecuador, and some of the richest ecosystems on earth in Cuba on these 2024 trips led by
Dr. Marc Minno and sponsored by The TREE Institute International.

Magical Birding and
Nature of Ecuador Journey
with Dr. Marc Minno

May 18-27, 2024
$3,750 per person
double occupancy,
$4000 per single person,
airfare is NOT included.

More Information

Flora, Fauna, and Ecosystems
of Central Cuba
with Dr. Marc Minno

July 2 to 15, 2024
$3,900 per person double occupancy,
$4300 per single person,
airfare is NOT included.

Sign up soon - the deposit will be non-refundable as of March 1.

More Information

Your support of The Florida Scrub-Jay Trail through membership or donations helps continue our efforts to maintain the scrub habitat and protect the Florida Scrub-Jay from extinction.

Join or Donate Here

Free guided tours of The Florida Scrub-Jay Trail

are offered the first Saturday of each month (October through March)
8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m

For further information or to reserve your spot,
please call 352-429-5566 or e-mail info@scrubjaytrail.org.

If you've been wondering what we're all about,
this is a great first step and introduction to our organization.

The Florida Scrub-Jay Trail is open to the public
Saturday through Wednesday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

You are always invited to come see this Garden Spot of Lake County.

Physical Address:
11490 Montevista Road, Clermont, FL 34711

The Florida Scrub-Jay Trail is a not for profit 501(c) (3) corporation.

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