The Big Sit was a success even with the overcast weather and the occasional drizzle. By 9AM we already had 30+ birds. The goal I set for the day was 50 and I didn't think it would happen with much trouble. Some of the volunteers that I had lined up to help out bailed at the last moment so I knew it would be a little more difficult but I was optimistic.
We focused on the alligator hole area for passerines. I knew that warblers and vireos liked that patch and I was hoping it would pay off. We did squeak out a Downy Woodpecker to my surprise and with a long day's effort we saw Yellow-rumped Warbler and Palm Warbler.
With the showers approaching, I was worried about the 50 goal. We were sitting on 49, when across the open water we spotted a tern heading in our direction. Sure enough, it was a Royal Tern. High fives and cheering rang out from the crowd. We had hit our mark! And shortly thereafter I called the count due to the weather and the fact that I needed to close up the park. It was a great day and I hope to host another Big Sit at the wetlands soon. If you haven't done a Big Sit I highly recommend finding one or hosting your own.
We ended the 8 hour Big Sit with 50 species and 2 additional heard only species. Highlights included watching a Sharp-shinned Hawk chase a Cooper's Hawk, Caspian Terns flying by, Hooded Merganser fly-overs, and the nice people that stopped by to help out with the count or just learn something new about the wildlife of Green Cay.
2 comments:
I had fun. It was a great experience and hopefully I can make the next one.
Glad you could make it. Thanks for being a great volunteer and friend.
Post a Comment