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URWA's 19th Annual Bird-A-Thon
Every year URWA sends a group of dedicated and enthusiastic birders on a 24 hour statewide tour to discover what bird species are active in the varied habitats across New Jersey. As a team, they note every species they see and hear on their junket and their records provide an interesting snapshot into the health and viability of our state's ecosystems. This year's team will include expert birders Gordon Cameron, Thom Almendinger and URWA Trustee, Alan Willemsen. Birdathon 2010 will take place from dawn till dusk on Saturday, May 22nd.
This important effort helps focus attention on the habitat needs of migrating birds. In each of our watershed communities you can't help but notice the changes in the countryside. Houses, corporate parks and pavement have replaced many of the meadows and forests that made this region so unique. Can you imagine what effect the fragmented and degraded landscape has had on birds and other wildlife?
Modeled after the NJ Audubon Society's World Series of Birding that raises millions of dollars for conservation each year, URWA’s Birdathon birders do more than simply provide us with a list of birds they find across the state. They raise important funds for our efforts in protecting the critical habitat that is vital to the survival of our fine-feathered friends. The Team accepts pledges from people who then make a tax deductible donation to URWA based upon the number of species they document during the Birdathon. We sincerely thank our dedicated birding team and everyone who supports them by making a donation.
Last year Gordon, Thom and Alan had a great day – they recorded 145 species during their trek across the state. A report from them, along with the list of birds they saw and heard, follows below. Please consider donating to this year’s Birdathon! You may do so simply by clicking the “Birdathon Donation” link on this page and submitting a credit card payment via our secure system.
Thank you in advance for your support!
May 22, 2009
Dear Friends,
It was chilly and foggy last Saturday as the URWA Birdathon team reached the Great Swamp about 2:30 a.m. At that hour one doesn’t see birds, but we heard Woodcock, Swamp Sparrow, Sora, Virginia Rail, Marsh Wren, Canada Goose and Song Sparrow. We usually hear an owl or two, but this year we were shut out completely on owls. We then drove north to Stokes State Forest where, at first light, we were greeted with the usual “dawn chorus” of various warblers, a Bluebird, Scarlet Tanager, several vireos, Acadian Flycatcher and others. Our warbler species total for the day was 20, not exceptional but still respectable.
Then it was on to the farmland territory in Sussex County where we found Grasshopper Sparrow, Bobolink and Indigo Bunting, but, for the second year, no Meadowlark. That species is declining in the northeast because of habitat loss. At one of the ponds where we stop to look for Green Heron, Spotted Sandpiper etc. we found a busy Beaver building a house. We were surprised at how many Yellow Bellied Sapsuckers we saw or heard. We usually find one or two, but this year we had at least six.
After several stops for other migrants and warblers we drove to Garrett Mountain Park in West Paterson, another usual migrant trap. This year Garrett was very quiet and we added only a Yellow Billed Cuckoo and a Swainson’s Thrush. We normally want to have at least 100 species when we leave Garrett and head south to the coast, and this year we had exactly 100.
At Tuckerton Marsh we added several herons, egrets, Seaside Sparrow, American Oystercatcher and some shore birds, including Red Knot. It was a bit windy, which kept the birds down and not singing as much as usual. We then drove to Brigantine for terns, gulls, ducks, and more shorebirds like sandpipers and Whimbrel. Again the wind was a negative factor and we missed some of the land birds we usually see or hear there, but at the end of the day the team had identified 145 species of birds.
The birding that day gave us the chance to enjoy many of the open space areas still existing in the state, and impressed on us the important place New Jersey plays in the annual avian spring migration. We should all appreciate and support the conservation work done by many organizations, especially the Upper Raritan Watershed Association in our part of New Jersey. Our team and URWA thank you very much for supporting us.
Sincerely,
Alan Willemsen
URWA Trustee, Birdathon Leader
