USC Citizens for Land Stewardship
Conservation and stewardship of land and natural resources in Upper St. Clair





The International Audubon Migratory Bird Count

May 12, 2001

Boyce Mayview Park, Upper St. Clair, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania

Again this year, USC Citizens for Land Stewardship sponsored the Spring Migratory Bird Count on the Boyce Mayview Park property. There were three teams of observers who participated in the count. The weather was wet and rainy in the morning and much of the count was delayed until the weather broke. In spite of this, the count was successful. Sixty-seven species were counted on the property, and a total of 959 individual birds were counted. Our count had the only kestrel (seen near the Mayview barns) and the only wood ducks in Allegheny County. Chimney swifts were in great profusion. Tree swallows were competing with bluebirds for the bluebird boxes. Five species of warblers were counted. Indigo buntings, scarlet tanagers and Baltimore orioles all added a nice touch of color and some excitement to the day.

The results of this migratory bird count have been forwarded to the National Audubon Society and will be included in their international spring migration count. This information is useful in helping determine bird population changes, geographic shifts and changes of migratory patterns of species.

Special thanks to CLS members, Vicky and Bill Judd, who coordinated and compiled this count.

Watch this web site for information about the Pittsburgh South Hills Bird Circle Christmas Bird Count, coming in December. If you are interested in learning more about birds and how to identify them, watch for news of our birding classes or join us on a birding hike.

Species Number
Great Blue Heron 7
Green Heron 1
Turkey Vulture 5
Canada Goose 68
Wood Duck 16
Mallard 55
Cooper's Hawk 2
Red-shouldered Hawk 1
Red-tailed Hawk 9
American Kestrel 1
Wild Turkey 9
Killdeer 3
Solitary Sandpiper 4
Rock Dove 4
Mourning Dove 13
Chimney Swift 53
Belted Kingfisher 3
Red-bellied Woodpecker 8
Downy Woodpecker 2
Hairy Woodpecker 3
Northern Flicker 8
Pileated Woodpecker 3
Eastern Phoebe 1
Eastern Kingbird 3
Red-eyed Vireo 15
Blue Jay 18
American Crow 62
Tree Swallow 12
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 14
Barn Swallow 10
Carolina Chickadee 13
Tufted Titmouse 9
White-breasted Nuthatch 2
Carolina Wren 9

Species Number
House Wren 3
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 2
Eastern Bluebird 9
Wood Thrush 3
American Robin 73
Gray Catbird 5
Northern Mockingbird 2
Brown Thrasher 2
Cedar Waxwing 4
European Starling 31
Yellow Warbler 23
Magnolia Warbler 1
Black-throated Green Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 2
Hooded Warbler 3
Yellow-breasted Chat 1
Scarlet Tanager 2
Northern Cardinal 40
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 8
Indigo Bunting 22
Eastern Towhee 21
Chipping Sparrow 10
Field Sparrow 6
Song Sparrow 32
Red-winged Blackbird 87
Eastern Meadowlark 2
Common Grackle 55
Brown-headed Cowbird 12
Orchard Oriole 2
Baltimore Oriole 21
House Finch 1
American Goldfinch 23
House Sparrow 4

959 total birds reported count day
67 species reported count day