Birding News and Features
New York eBird is the premier online database for recording and exploring bird sightings in New York State. For centuries people have been keeping track of the birds they've seen and where and when they've seen them. Oftentimes those records are kept in a field notebook or another place where they can easily be lost and where they are not available to others. With eBird, this critical information is both secure and immediately available to researchers, educators, conservation biologists, and other birders. If you are interested in keeping track of your personal sightings or you are curious about the locations, migratory timing, or other aspects of birds, eBird is the tool for you.
Watchlist 2007, released by the National Audubon Society and the American Bird Conservancy, identifies 179 US bird species in need of help.
Photo by Jeff Nadler: Cerulean Warbler is one of NY's WatchList species. It suffers from habitat loss and degradation in both its summer and winter range.
Bohemian Waxwings, Pine Grosbeaks & other boreal irruptives on the move!
Although wintry weather is just barely upon us, birders in northern border states from Minnesota to Maine are already enjoying one of the occasional joys of winter birding--an influx of boreal irruptive species like Bohemian Waxwing, Pine Grosbeak, Evening Grosbeak, and Common Redpoll. In New York alone, both Pine Grosbeak and Common Redpoll, usually the two latest species to appear during an irruption year, were reported before the end of October, and Bohemian Waxwing was seen on a record early date. The early arrival of these species, and the numbers in which they are being seen, suggests that we could be in store for a major irruption year, with some boreal species approaching the southern limits of their irruptive ranges. In fact, the early fall months have already seen a sizable irruption of Red-breasted Nuthatches, Purple Finches, and Pine Siskins out of Canada's boreal forest to areas as far south as Georgia. Below we summarize the current status of several boreal irruptive species, and suggest the extent to which they could be found if this winter does prove to be a major irruption event.
New York State Ornithological Association 60th Annual Meeting, October 5-7, 2007
The Buffalo Ornithological Society is hosting the NY State Ornithological Association's 60th Anniversary meeting in Batavia, NY on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, October 5, 6, and 7, 2007. The weekend will feature two outstanding internationally known speakers, excellent birding trips, the NYSOA business meeting, and a research papers session.
ELEVENTH ANNUAL MUCKRACE BRINGS IN BIRDS AND BUCKS
72 birders competed in the eleventh annual Montezuma Muckrace, which took place at the Montezuma Wetlands Complex September 7-8, 2007. The 19 teams, from New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Vermont, tallied 170 species during the 24-hour event. This is one of the lowest totals seen in the history of the event.
Are you reporting all species? ? You should!
When you submit a checklist to eBird you have a choice - report all the species you found or just some. It's far better to report every species you identified. Why? If you only report some species, we don't know why you didn't report other species. Most people probably report all the Blackburnian Warblers they see, but what about more common birds? It may be that you just don't like the European Starling, so you don't want to report any. It may be that you were in a hurry, and didn't have time to enter the starlings into eBird. Or maybe you think starlings are always so common, that they are not worth noting. But it could be that you didn't report starlings because they weren't around. The question on the checklist that asks "Are you reporting all the species you identified?' allows us to get at this difference. The difference between not observing and not reporting a species is is what makes reporting all the species you found very important.
How to Report a Rare Bird in New York State
If you have seen a rare bird in New York State, you have the opportunity to contribute valuable information to the study of bird distribution and vagrancy. Please help the New York State Avian Records Committee (NYSARC) ) by submitting a written report when you see a rare bird.