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LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON
One day a year, Doug Tate focuses on birds.

Hoary redpolls, similar to this one seen at Doug Tate's bird feeder, were the third most common species spotted during the annual Christmas bird count in Fort Simpson on Jan. 5. - photo courtesy of Doug Tate

For the past 13 years, Tate, an ornithological enthusiast, has been organizing the Christmas bird count in Fort Simpson.

Tate and 11 other volunteers recorded the different types of species and the number of each they saw on Jan. 5.

If you know where to look, a variety of bird species can be found in snowy Fort Simpson. After 13 years, Tate has his bird count routine perfected.

Tate started the day before the sun came up driving to the Martin River Bridge. Along the way he stopped to play owl calls. Although he tries yearly to include an owl on the count, he has yet to have any luck. Tate admits it's not a great time of the year to try and lure an owl out because the breeding season for many species doesn't start for a few months.

The drive did reward him with a flock of spruce grouse.

Farther down the road at the bridge with the sun rising above the horizon, Tate spent an hour snowshoeing. The highlight of the trek was a flock of seven willow ptarmigan which took flight as he approached. A few gray jays were also added to the list.

Up next were three different species of woodpeckers found within 100 yards of each other when Tate, back in his vehicle, made a stop at the road to the woodlot.

Ravens most numerous

Almost every year ravens are the most numerous bird species counted. The black-feathered birds aren't disappointing this year, with 178 spotted. Tate found approximately 135 of those while stopping at the landfill site, their most popular hangout.

"Behind the Northern Store is also a good place," he said.

Despite being first in the count, the raven numbers are down slightly from last year when 243 were spotted. At the dump Tate also added 2 black-billed magpies, a member of the same family as ravens and crows, to his list.

The magpies are interesting because they are fairly common in Alberta and have become increasingly common in the NWT in the last 10 to 20 years, he said. They have now been spotted as far afield as Norman Wells and Tulita.

Returning to town, Tate made a round of the active bird feeders chalking up pine grosbeaks, the second most common species on the count at 62, and hoary redpolls which finished in third place with 60. To round out his day, Tate visited the north end of the island and also walked along a trail near the communications tower by Wild Rose. His nine-year-old twin sons accompanied him on some of the afternoon walks.

Tate said he enjoys sharing his interest in birds with his sons and seeing their reactions to the sightings.

"They are interested," he said.

A total of 17 species were spotted during this year's count. Tate said he was happy to hear that one of the volunteers saw a red breasted nuthatch at a bird feeder in Nogha Heights. Last year was the first year the species had been seen in Fort Simpson during the count.

The gathered data will be sent to Bird Studies Canada and on to the National Audubon Society in the United States, which has been organizing yearly counts for more than 110 years. The counts help assess the health of bird populations in the survey areas.

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