2008 “Feathered Frenzy" Results

The eleventh annual mid-February count of bird species in Sullivan County was held on the weekend of February 16-17, 2008.  We welcome the Baldinger team, Scott & Paula, who were the first-ever sixth team in this event.

When our lists were combined, we found that we had found 63 different kinds of birds, tying last year and only 1 fewer than our record 64 species in 2002. We added two new species to the list of birds found over the years: Pine Grosbeak and Gray Catbird, bringing our total to 90 species.

There is always friendly competition, and the top team this year with 50 species was the Sunday team of John Haas, Lance Verderame, and Arlene Borko, who found the only Green-winged Teal, Sharp-shin, and Cowbird. Very close behind was the Davis/Gorton team with 49 species, including the only owls (3 species) and Hermit Thrush. The team of Freer, Collier, Dechon and Lo (sounds like a legal firm) contributed the only Rough-legged Hawk, Gr Black-backed Gulls, and thanks to Patrick, the Catbird. Team Baldinger found Pine Grosbeaks along Sundown Rd, the 4th Sapsucker, a Cooper’s Hawk and a Pileated Woodpecker. The Ruth team (Shursky & McKeon) found a Carolina Wren at Claryville. The Saturday team of Borko, Haas, Sheridan, and Jones found the only Great Blue Heron and Redwing. Most remarkably, every team found all of the usual winter feeder birds plus Cedar Waxwings, Robins, Bluebirds, Mockingbirds, Redpolls, Song Sparrows, White-throated Sparrows, Bald Eagles, Redtails, Turkeys and Ring-billed Gulls. No one found a Purple Finch, Kestrel or a Grackle.            

The “Feathered Frenzy” is an entirely local project, and in spite of our silly name, it has a serious purpose: to increase our knowledge of the birds of Sullivan County in late winter by giving people a reason to do some serious winter birding. Since the first event in 1998 we have added many valuable February records to our database. As a result of this count and others we have faithfully done, we continue to learn about where the birds are in Sullivan County and how their populations are changing.

Valerie Freer
Warblings, April-May 2008