Second Annual City Birding Challenge

Once again spring is upon us and birds have begun flying their annual gaulet northward, to their summer breeding grounds. The Second Annual City Birding Challenge will also be arriving - to be specific, on May 12th. Last year our team, "The Wandering Talliers", tracked down 140 species of birds within the 5 boroughs. Unfortunately, that was one species shy of tying the first place team.

This is an opportunity for the Audubon Society to raise awareness about the need to protect, not only wild habitats, but even urban wildlife. Winning the cup would be nice but we'd really like to be able to generate some much needed funds for a very good cause. If you would like to make a pledge for me or the entire team, I've set-up a webpage with information here:

The Wandering Talliers team page

We are trying to meet a very reasonable goal of $1,000.

Any support would be greatly appreciated by my little friend


Below is our list from last year.

2006 City Birding Challenge, team "Wandering Talliers" final tally

Long Pond, Blue Heron Pond, High Rock Park, River Road, Mt. Loretto, Goethals Pond, Prospect Park, Four Sparrow Marsh, Floyd Bennett Field, Fort Tilden, Breezy Pt., Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, 5/13/2006
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Common Loon
Northern Gannet
Double-crested Cormorant
Least Bittern
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Snowy Egret
Tricolored Heron
Green Heron
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
Glossy Ibis
Brant
Mute Swan
Wood Duck
Gadwall
Northern Shoveler
Scoter spp.
Red-breasted Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Osprey
Red-tailed Hawk
American Kestrel
Ring-necked Pheasant
Clapper Rail
Virginia Rail
American Coot
Black-bellied Plover
Semipalmated Plover
Killdeer
American Oystercatcher
Greater Yellowlegs
Solitary Sandpiper
Willet
Spotted Sandpiper
Ruddy Turnstone
Red Knot
Sanderling
Least Sandpiper
Dunlin
Dowitcher spp.
American Woodcock
Laughing Gull
Bonaparte's Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Common Tern
Forster's Tern
Least Tern
Black Skimmer
Monk Parakeet
Eastern Screech-Owl
Chuck-will's-widow
Chimney Swift
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Northern Flicker
Willow Flycatcher
Least Flycatcher
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
White-eyed Vireo
Yellow-throated Vireo
Blue-headed Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Fish Crow
Purple Martin
Tree Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Bank Swallow
Barn Swallow
White-breasted Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
House Wren
Marsh Wren
Veery
Wood Thrush
Gray Catbird
Brown Thrasher
Cedar Waxwing
Blue-winged Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Northern Parula
Yellow Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Cape May Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Bay-breasted Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
American Redstart
Ovenbird
Northern Waterthrush
Common Yellowthroat
Hooded Warbler
Wilson's Warbler
Canada Warbler
Scarlet Tanager
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting
Eastern Towhee
Field Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow
Seaside Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Bobolink
Common Grackle
Boat-tailed Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Orchard Oriole
Baltimore Oriole
American Goldfinch

Other common species seen (or heard):
Canada Goose, American Black Duck, Mallard, Herring Gull, Rock Pigeon, Mourning Dove, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Blue Jay, American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, American Robin, Northern Mockingbird, European Starling, Northern Cardinal, Song Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, House Finch, House Sparrow