Thompson Creek Flood Study Report - City of Peterborough

Thompson Creek Detailed Flood Reduction Study
City of Peterborough
3.3.2.2 Birds
al. 1999): Black Walnut (Juglans nigra), Common Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis),
Holme’s Hawthorn (Crataegus holmesiana), Pringle’s Hawthorn (Crataegus pringlei),
and, Emerson’s Thorn (Crataegus submollis) (Figure 3.3.3). The three species of
hawthorn represent new records for Peterborough County.
A brief description of each vegetation type is included in Appendix E.
The breeding birds within the study area were identified by field survey on 2 June 2006
from 0630 to 1030 hours. The date and time of day were judged to be optimal for the
detection of breeding birds. At this date, the spring migration in southern Ontario is
largely complete and most species are breeding (Cadman et al. 1987). Breeding species
were surveyed using the point-count protocol of the Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas
(2001). In accordance with the protocol, point-counts were conducted for 5 minutes
from fixed locations. Point counts were situated so that all habitat types present were
surveyed (Figure 3.3.4). Incidental observations of birds detected outside of pointcounts
were also recorded. Weather conditions during the survey were ideal with calm
winds, temperatures varying from 15-20 0 C and no precipitation.
Observed bird species were classified in relation to five habitat types: pond, old field
meadow, thickets, mixed swamp, and deciduous forest (Figure 3.3.4). This
classification broadly conforms to the ELC vegetation types described in
Section 3.3.2.1. A listing of the ELC vegetation types in each habitat type is presented
in the “Notes” to Table 3.3.1
The conservation status (local abundance) of observed birds was determined with
reference to the Species at Risk Ontario List (30 June 2006) (OMNR 2006), and, to the
1998 Summary of Peterborough County Birds (Burke 1999).
Forty species of breeding birds were recorded during the survey (Table 3.3.1). None of
the recorded species is a Species at Risk in Ontario or is rare in Peterborough County.
Several species are members of suites of birds that are vulnerable to urban
development: “area-sensitive” birds (Freemark and Collins 1989, Johnson 2001,
Sparrow et al. 2005) and, birds that experienced range-wide population declines during
the period 1966-2004 (Sauer 2005). Area-sensitive birds are species that require
extensive forest or grassland habitat in the surrounding landscape to persist (Freemark
and Collins 1989, Tate 1998, Couturier 1999). The following eleven species of
breeding birds were classified as “Area-Sensitive”: American Crow, American
Redstart, Black-and-white Warbler, Brown Thrasher, Eastern Meadowlark, Field
Sparrow, Pied-billed Grebe, Red-eyed Vireo, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Savannah
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