Ralph
T. Waterman Bird Club
Christmas Bird Count
December 21, 2002
by
Bill Case
| Total Species: |
65. The lowest since 1997.
Last year 74 species. This year we had 17,448 birds compared
to 14,043 in 2001. For a detailed species report, see our
CBC page. |
| Weather: |
Partly sunny, to whiteout - snow storm. Temperature
20’s to 30’s. It had been cold enough to
freeze most of the area ponds and lakes. |
| Participants: |
7 Groups including 41 Field Observers. 8 Feeder Watchers |
| Time/Distance: |
26.1 Hours by Foot, 45.5 Hours by Auto
22 Miles by Foot, 419.2 Miles by Auto |
| Highlights: |
The number of birds observed was quite high and was
mostly driven by the high numbers of European Starlings,
an all time high and about 3 times the recent counts.
Other species with a new high count are the Sharp-shinned
Hawks and Red-bellied Woodpeckers. The American Goldfinch
was at its highest count since 1972. Two species
that haven’t been seen in a long time were Horned
Grebe, last seen in 1973, and the Greater White-fronted
Goose,e
last seen in 1985. A Peregrine Falcon and a Fish Crow
were found during our count week. |
A big Thank You to
Elaine Andersen for her hospitality as she has done in years
past making for a fantastic finish
to our CBC. Click on these links for some potluck dinner fun!
Groups / Participants:
|
AREA
|
LEADER
|
TEAM
MEMBERS
|
TOTAL
SPECIES
|
Moores Mills
Baird Park |
John Balint |
Barry Haydasz, Krista Morris, Maryann
Pitts, Fritz Waterman
|
38
|
Rockefeller Fld Station,
Verbank, Tymor, Clove Valley |
Barbara Butler |
Dot Fleury, Misha Fredericks,
Ruth Greenwood, Carena Pooth, Herb Thompson |
42
|
Town of
East Fishkill,
Town of Wappinger
|
Peggy Fasciani
|
Elaine Andersen, Rosa Corbeels, Rory
Solan
|
32
|
Vassar College & Farm
|
Ken & Carol Fredericks |
Pat
Gabel, Sue Gyscek, Sue & Bob Infante, Kay Sisson
|
35
|
Sylvan Lake, South Poughkeepsie,
Wappingers Falls
|
Barbara Michelin |
Betsy Carswell, Bill Case,
Binnie Chase, Bud & Bonnie Fair, Arielle & Mellissa Fischer, Steve
Golladay, Allan Michelin, Terry Palumbo, Evelyn Stevenson |
51
|
Salt Point
|
Liz Martens |
Barbara Mansell
|
35
|
Pleasant Valley, LaGrange
|
Chet Vincent |
Art Jones, Howard Slocum, Debbie
Titone, Bert Vincent |
42
|
| Feeder Watchers |
Judy Atwood, Jeff Daley, Trudy
Grundon, Jean Hicks, Karen Jaquith, Mary Key,
John & Alice Kirn, Eleanor Pink |
Wings
Over Dutchess, January
2003
Read Other
Stories |
