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THIS WEEK at HILTON POND
22-30 December 2023

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33rd ANNUAL YORK/ROCK HILL SC
CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT RESULTS
(TWO NEW SPECIES); PLUS LATE DECEMBER BANDINGS

All text, maps, charts & photos © Hilton Pond Center

Each winter--in cooperation with the National Audubon Society--Hilton Pond Center implements and compiles a Christmas Bird Count (CBC) for York/Rock Hill in York County, South Carolina (see map above). Christmas Bird Counts--perhaps the first big organized "citizen science" effort--originated 123 years ago as an alternative to traditional holiday bird hunts when folks young and old used newly gifted guns to see who could bring down the most birds. For that first "counter-measure" CBC in 1900, ornithologist Frank Chapman organized 25 counts of live birds from Toronto to Pacific Grove CA and involved 27 participants who tallied 89 combined species. That's a far cry from 2020 when 2,621 CBCs in the United States, Canada, Latin America , and Pacific Islands involved 76,880 participants who tallied nearly 43 million birds, with 672 species in the U.S. alone!

All text, maps, charts & photos © Hilton Pond Center

Revised Map of the York/Rock Hill Christmas Bird Count Circle
Click on new map above to open a larger, more legible version

Hilton Pond Center started the York/Rock Hill count in 1991 to help provide a snapshot of numbers and species of early-winter birds present in east and central York County--in the heart of the Carolina Piedmont Region. Beginning before sunrise and finishing at dusk, participants identify and tally birds seen and/or heard in assigned sectors of an area inscribed by a standard circle 15 miles in diameter (see aerial map above). The circle is centered where Tools Fork Creek flows beneath the new bridge on SC Hwy 5 (West Main Street) just west of Northwestern High School. (Count-center coordinates are 34° 57' 23.57" N, 81º 06' 24.64" W; in decimal degrees that's N34.956547, W81.106844.)

Our 33rd annual York/Rock Hill count on 30 December 2023 began under cloudy skies with slight northerly wind and a temperature of 50°. High temperature was an unseasonably warm 69°, with slight rainfall of 0.08" during the day.

This year's field observers included seven stalwarts: Count compiler Bill Hilton Jr. (33-year veteran), Bob Olson (26 years), Tom Anderson (ten years), fourth-year participant Cindy Stacy and second-timer John Henry, plus newcomers Dennis Kent and Greg Hayes. Neighborhood and feeder watchers included Susan B. Hilton, among others. Incidentally, through the years 73 different people have participated in the field on a York/Rock Hill Count.

In 2023 participants spotted no one but TWO new species in the history of the count: Two unexpected Soras (a secretive freshwater marsh dweller) and two Orange-crowned Warblers (that we have anticipated for many years). Cindy Stacy got a definitive photo (below) of one of the warblers.

All text, maps, charts & photos © Hilton Pond Center

As detailed on Table 1 below, the 2023 count yielded 77 of 128 species reasonably possible in this part of the Carolina Piedmont, although a few are unlikely. This species tally--our third-best-ever--was getting close to our all-time high of 80 from 2000 and was well above our 33-year average of 64. In all, observers tallied 3,691 individual birds, below our long-time average of 4,211 but only a quarter of the record high of 12,945 set in 1994. (The tally for each of the first ten years of the count--1991-2000--exceeded this year's total, which ranked 10th out of all 33 counts.) Over the course of 33 years observers have tallied 138,975 birds in the 15-mile-diameter count circle.

We set new records for Double-crested Cormorants with 170 (up from 151 in 2021) and for House Wren with two (up from one in several preceding years).

Cindy Stacy, her camera ever-ready when in the field, also documented the following three species in 2023. We appreciate her sharing her photos.

All text, maps, charts & photos © Hilton Pond Center

Palm Warbler, with its distinctive brownish cap and pale yellow rump. Seen on ?? counts.

All text, maps, charts & photos © Hilton Pond Center

A pair of Black Ducks and a Canada Goose. These ducks--the male is the darker of the two--are closely related to Mallards but have been observed on only six counts.

All text, maps, charts & photos © Hilton Pond Center

This Field Sparrow shows its distinctive pink bill and legs and rusty cap. It has a gray face and lacks the eye lines of the Chipping Sparrow with which it is sometimes confused.

All text, maps, charts & photos © Hilton Pond Center

TABLE 1:
2023 YORK/ROCK HILL SC
CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT TOTALS
(30 December 2023)
BURGUNDY = New species (2)
RED = New record high (2 species, plus 2 new)
GREEN = Ties record high (2 species)
At or above average (44 species)
Common
Name
2023
Count
33-year
Avg.
33-year
High
Number of
Counts
[Blackbird, Brewer's]
.
--
--
--
Blackbird, Red-winged
6
257
5,580
27
Blackbird, Rusty
.
1
30
7
Blackbird sp.
.
133
2,156
(9)
Bluebird, Eastern
50
81
216
33
Bobwhite, Northern
.
1
13
3
Bufflehead
.
2
11
11
Bunting, Snow
.
<1
1
1
Buteo sp.
.
<1
1
(1)
Canvasback
.
<1
8
1
Cardinal, Northern
45
71
169
33
Catbird, Gray
.
<1
1
1
Chickadee, Carolina
34
40
159
33
Coot, American
1
16
79
28
Cormorant, Double-crested
170
48
170
27
Cowbird, Brown-headed
.
25
245
14
Creeper, Brown
2
1
4
14
Crow, American
72
80
191
33
Crow, Fish
.
<1
10
3
Dove, Mourning
52
89
266
33
Dove, Rock (Pigeon)
37
35
185
29
Duck, American Black
2
<1
4
6
Duck, Ring-necked
.
4
50
9
Duck, Ruddy
3
3
19
12
Duck, Wood
.
1
10
9
[Dunlin]
.
--
--
--
Eagle, Southern Bald
1
1
5
16
Egret, Great
2
<1
2
4
[Falcon, Peregrine]
.
--
--
--
Finch, House

34
41
193
33
Finch, Purple
1
3
30
14
Flicker, Northern
6
8
33
30
Gadwall
.
<1
3
3
[Gnatcatcher,
Blue-gray]
.
--
--
--
Goldeneye, Common
.
<1
1
1
Goldfinch, American
19
23
70
32
Goose, Canada
227
156
300
33
[Goose, Snow]
.
--
--
--
Grackle, Common
400
463
3,901
25
Grebe, Horned
3
2
11
16
Grebe, Pied-billed
2
6
24
31
Grebe, Western
.
--
--
--
[Grosbeak, Evening]
.
--
--
--

Gull, Bonaparte's

250
164
1,200
33
Gull, Herring
.
1
7
5
Gull, Laughing
.
<1
1
1
Gull, Ring-billed
88
632
3,708
33
Harrier, Northern
1
1
6
20
Hawk, Cooper's
2
1
2
19
Hawk, Red-shouldered
4
4
10
33
Hawk, Red-tailed
5
10
23
33
Hawk, Sharp-shinned
.
1
4
14
Heron, Great Blue
18
17
39
33
Heron, Green
.
<1
1
1
Hummingbird, Rufous
.
<1
1
7
Jay, Blue
12
62
247
33
Junco, Dark-eyed
17
68
404
32
Kestrel, American
2
3
10
29
Killdeer
60
30
119
33
Kingfisher, Belted
4
4
14
30
Kinglet, Golden-crowned
17
6
38
24
Kinglet, Ruby-crowned
38
14
48
33
Lark, Prairie Horned
.
1
24
3
Loon, Common
2
2
6
24
Mallard
33
39
141
31
Meadowlark, Eastern
15
26
114
30
[Merganser, Common]
.
--
--
--
Merganser, Hooded
2
6
38
21
Merganser, Red-breasted
.
<1
5
3
[Merlin]
.
--
--
--
Mockingbird, Northern
18
34
99
33
Nuthatch, Brown-headed
13
4
18
31
Nuthatch, Red-breasted
.
<1
1
6
Nuthatch, White-breasted
5
1
7
15
Oriole, Baltimore
.
<1
1
2
Osprey
1
<1
3
3
Owl, Barred
.
<1
3
9
Owl, E. Screech-
.
<1
1
3
Owl, Great Horned
2
<1
3
8
[Owl, Northern Saw-whet]
.
--
--
--
Phoebe, Eastern
10
6
16
32
[Pintail, Northern]
.
--
--
--
Pipit, American
.
20
403
14
[Redhead]
.
--
--
--
Robin, American
289
479
7,705
33
Sapsucker, Yellow-bellied
8
5
12
32
Scaup, Greater
.
<1
4
1
Scaup, Lesser
.
3
70
6
[Shoveler, Northern]
.
--
--
--
Shrike, Loggerhead
1
1
5
16
Siskin, Pine
.
2
25
2
Snipe, Wilson's
.
<1
4
5
Sparrow sp.
.
8
112
(7)
Sora
2
<1
2
1
Sparrow, Chipping
34
31
136
28
Sparrow, Field
4
10
58
26
Sparrow, Fox
1
<1
4
9
Sparrow, House
16
10
48
26
[Sparrow, Lincoln's]
.
--
--
--
Sparrow, Savannah
6
2
27
13
Sparrow, Song
16
26
91
33
Sparrow, Swamp
5
2
15
16
Sparrow, Vesper
.
1
34
3
Sparrow, White-crowned
.
<1
7
1
Sparrow, White-throated
36
45
179
33
Starling, European
1,210
507
3,063
33
Teal, Green-winged
.
1
15
3
[Teal, Blue-winged]
.
--
--
--
[Tern, Forster's]
.
--
--
--
Thrasher, Brown
2
3
14
28
Thrush, Hermit
8
3
15
27
Titmouse, Tufted
28
21
44
33
Towhee, Eastern
12
19
59
32
Turkey, Wild
.
6
53
8
Vireo, Blue-headed
.
<1
3
4
Vulture, Black
32
40
222
33
Vulture, Turkey
15
55
264
32
Warbler, Black-and-white
.
<1
1
1
Warbler, Orange-crowned
2
<1
2
1
Warbler, Palm (Yellow)
4
<1
3
3
Warbler, Pine
8
4
13
30
Warbler, Yellow-rumped
67
31
196
30
Waxwing, Cedar
36
94
1,322
29
[Wigeon, American]
.
--
--
--
Woodcock, American
2
<1
3
5
Woodpecker, Downy
14
7
17
33
Woodpecker, Hairy
.
1
3
12
Woodpecker, Pileated
1
1
7
11
Woodpecker, Red-bellied
17
16
41
33
Woodpecker, Red-headed
6
2
13
20
Wren, Carolina
13
25
74
33

Wren, House

2
<1

2

5
Wren, Winter
1
1
3
17
Yellowthroat, Common
.
<1
1
2

2023 Individuals

3,691
33-yr avg
4,211
33-yr total
138,975
33-yr Max
12,945

2023 Species

77
33-yr avg
63.6
33-yr Max
80
21 spp. seen every year
[Bracketed] species are possible/probable for the area but have not yet been observed on count day for an official York/Rock Hill CBC.

114 species have been observed at least once over the 33-year history of the count; our local CBC record is 80 species in 2000. Record number of individuals for our local CBC is 12,945 in 1994. Average number of observers in the field is six.

CW = Species seen this year during count week (three days before or three after) but not on count day

All text, maps, charts & photos © Hilton Pond Center

IMPORTANT NOTE

Now that Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History has moved operations from York SC to Hilton Pond North in upper Ashe County NC, we no longer are leading or compiling the York/Rock Hill (SC) Christmas Bird Count. You should be able to find information about a new compiler and the date for the next count on the Web site for the Carolina Bird Club

The female Northern Flicker (below) captured this week was just the 37th banded at Hilton Pond Center since 1982. Note the lack of a black "mustache" that is typical of a male.

All text, maps, charts & photos © Hilton Pond Center

All text, maps, charts & photos © Hilton Pond Center

Don't forget to scroll down for lists of Hilton Pond supporters and of all birds banded and recaptured during the period.

Photoshop image post-processing for this page employs
DeNoise AI, Sharpen AI, and other Topaz Labs tools.

"This Week at Hilton Pond" is written and photographed by Dr. Bill Hilton Jr., executive director of Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History

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Thanks to the following fine folks for recent gifts in support of Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History and/or Operation RubyThroat: The Hummingbird Project. Your tax-deductible contributions allow us, among other things, to continue writing, photographing, and sharing "This Week at Hilton Pond" with students, teachers, fellow scientists, and the general public. Please scroll below to the blue section if you'd like to make a gift of your own.

We're pleased folks are thinking about the work of the Center and making donations. Those listed below made contributions received during the period. Please join them if you can in coming weeks.

Gifts can be made via PayPal/Vimeo (funding@hiltonpond.org); credit card via Network for Good (see link below); or personal check (c/o Hilton Pond Center, 1432 DeVinney Road, York SC 29745). You can also donate through our Facebook fundraising page.

The following donors made direct contributions to Hilton Pond Center during the period 22-30 December 2023.

  • None this week
  • The friends below contributed via the "Donate" button on one of the Center's Facebook postings or fundraisers; some are repeat contributors. Several have set up through Facebook to make a recurring monthly donation to benefit the Center. Many are much-appreciated long-time and/or repeat donors.
    --None this week
    * = Past participant in Operation RubyThroat Neotropical Hummingbird expedition
 
If you enjoy "This Week at Hilton Pond," please help support
Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History.
It's painless, and YOU can make a difference!

(Just CLICK on a logo below or send a check if you like; see Support for address.)
Make credit card donations
on-line via
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If you like shopping on-line please become a member of iGive, through which 2,000+ on-line stores from Ace Hardware to Zappo's Shoes and even L.L. Bean donate a percentage of your purchase price to support Hilton Pond Center. ..Every new member who registers with iGive and makes a purchase through them earns an ADDITIONAL $5 for the Center. You can even do Web searches through iGive and earn a penny per search for the cause! Please enroll by going to the iGive Web site. There's even an iGive app for your phone or tablet. It's a painless, important way for YOU to support our on-going work in conservation, education, and research. Register Operation RubyThroat: The Hummingbird Project as your preferred charity to make it even easier to help Hilton Pond Center when you shop.

The Piedmont Naturalist--Vol. 1--1986 (Hilton Pond Press)
is an award-winning collection of timeless newspaper columns that first appeared in The Herald in Rock Hill SC. Optimized for tablets such as iPad and Kindle, electronic downloads of the now out-of-print paperback volume are available by clicking on the links below. The digital version includes pen-and-ink drawings from the original print edition--plus lots of new color photos.
All sales go to support the work of Hilton Pond Center.
 

BIRDS BANDED THIS WEEK at
HILTON POND CENTER
22-30 December 2023

SPECIES BANDED THIS PERIOD:
Ruby-crowned Kinglet--1
Golden-crowned Kinglet--2
Yellow-rumped Warbler--43
American Goldfinch--13
Pine Warbler--1
Eastern Phoebe--1
Northern Cardinal--4
House Finch--24
Cedar Waxwing--5
Purple Finch--2
Eastern Bluebird--2
American Robin--11
Northern Flicker--1*

* = new banded species for 2023

PERIOD BANDING TOTAL:
 13 species
110 individuals

2023 BANDING TOTAL:
77 species (42-yr. avg. = 66.3)
2,068 individuals (42-yr. avg. =
1,884.2)
321 Ruby-throated Hummingbirds

42-YEAR BANDING GRAND TOTAL:
(Banding began 28 June 1982; since then 173 species have been observed on or over the property.)
128 species banded
79,135 individuals banded
7,511 Ruby-throated Hummingbirds banded since 1984

NOTABLE RECAPTURES THIS WEEK:
(with original banding date, verified sex, and current age):
Ruby-crowned Kinglet ()
11/04/22--after 2nd year male

Carolina Chickadee (1)
04/02/22--after 2nd year male

House Finch (1)
04/03/22--after 2nd year male

Downy Woodpecker (1)
03/22/14--11th year male***

Tufted Titmouse (1)
07/27/18--6th year male

** Notable local longevity for species
*** Longevity record for Hilton Pond

OTHER NATURE NOTES:
--A second-year male Downy Woodpecker caught in a tube feeder trap baited with black sunflower seed on 22 Mar 2014 was mist netted on 29 Dec 2023 at the ripe old age of 11 years six months. He is by far the oldest woodpecker encountered at Hilton Pond Center and is among our oldest half dozen birds of any species.

--As of 30 Dec Hilton Pond's 2023 Yard List stood at 100--about 58% of 173 avian species encountered locally since 1982. Our record for one calendar year is 111, reached in 2020 & 2021. (Incidentally, all species so far this year have been observed from windows, porches, or the yard around our old farmhouse!) If you're not keeping a Yard List for your own property we encourage you to do so, and to report your sightings via eBird, where you, too, can be a "citizen scientist!") New species observed locally during the period 22-30 Dec 2023: None.

--Our immediate past installment of "This Week at Hilton Pond" was about our 79,000th banded bird and two returning "butterbutts". It's archived and always available on our Web site as Installment #817.

All text & photos © Hilton Pond Center


Oct 15 to Mar 15:
East of the Rockies please report
your sightings of
Vagrant & Winter Hummingbirds

(immature male Rufous Hummingbird at right)

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Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History is a non-profit research, conservation & education organization in York, South Carolina USA; phone (803) 684-5852. Directed by Dr. Bill Hilton Jr., aka "The Piedmont Naturalist," it is parent organization for Operation RubyThroat. Web site contents--including text and photos--may NOT be duplicated, modified, or used in any way except with express written permission of Hilton Pond Center. All rights reserved worldwide. To request permission for use or for further assistance, please contact Webmaster.