Breeding Bird Atlas Thank Yous

by Barbara Butler
Atlas 2000 Coordinator for Dutchess County

After 5 years of Wings articles in which I asked you to volunteer to cover a block or to send in data, this one's for saying Thank You.

Five years of Atlasing.  It seems a long time when we think of the things we've postponed until the Atlas was done.  But so short when thinking of the places we didn't have time to get to — or the birdy habitats we wish we could have lingered in longer.  We've visited lots of places all over the county.  Some places we'd just as soon not return to, but most confirmed what we already knew -- that Dutchess County has many beautiful and interesting places.  Of course the best parts of doing an Atlas are the sights and sounds we enjoy in the field.  The fuzzy baby Great Horned Owl at Sharparoon.  The woodcock display near Green Haven.  The Virginia Rails on the Rail Trail.  Every Atlaser has many such memories.  We all have an increased sense of wonder at the tenacity of the birds we observed working to raise their families.

Thanks especially to those who worked on multiple blocks.  They are the heart of the Dutchess Atlas effort.  Carena Pooth, Ken & Carol Fredericks, Barb & Allan Michelin, Rodney Johnson, Susan Joseph, Dick Gershon, Binnie Chase, David Arner, Sue Infante, Alan Peterson, Peggy Fasciani, David Hayes, Roger Cohn, Will Yandik, John Balint, Bill Drakert.

Those who concentrated on single blocks made valuable contributions also:  Barbara Mansell, Janet Allison, Peggy Rudis, Art Jones, Elaine Andersen, Ruth Greenwood, Misha Fredericks, Jean Green, Liz Martens, Bill Case, Nancy Swanson, Bill Relyea, Steve Oresman

Quite a number of folks joined in block-busting trips or came along with an Atlaser to help cover blocks.  Many of those listed above plus....Kelly Liao, Rosa Corbeels, Dot Fleury, John Ike, Chet Vincent (especially for owling), Tom and Ann Gilbert, Herb Thompson, Terry Palumbo, Evelyn Stevenson, Kateri Kosek, John Winkler, Robert Williams, Tammie Carey, Betsy Carswell, Alicia Lenhart

There were many people who responded to my request for Backyard Atlas reports, either by using the form or just calling me or telling me on a field trip.  Thanks to them, I was able to send in about 100 additional records per year.

Lin Fagan led a trip to Slabsides to help us with the west-of-the-Hudson part of a block.  Bill Wallace and Jim Utter collected considerable data for Putnam County and some for Dutchess, as well.  We especially remember Helen Andrews and Marion Van Wagner who passed away in 2002, but still contributed during the early years.

A special thanks to the landowners and land managers who gave us permission to cover their land and, more importantly, maintained bird-friendly habitat.

Wings Over Dutchess, November 2004

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