BBC Global Big Day Count Follow Up

On May 10 the BBC sponsored a club-wide Global Big Day Count. While the weather was tough that day with off and on rain, raw wind, and cool temps, many club members still managed to get out in the field. All in all, approximately 40 members submitted lists with 186 species. The first bird reported was a Barred Owl at Hammond Pond in Newton at 2:20 AM and the last was a Whip-poor-will at Wachusett Reservoir at 8.45 PM. You can find a map below with all locations for which we received eBird lists.

If you did not get a chance to participate on May 10 we hope to have another opportunity coming up this fall. We are looking at planning a follow up event for the BBC that would the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology next Big Day planned for October 11.

Here are some highlights from this spring’s event:

• Acadian Flycatcher – Herb Hadfield Conservation Area, Westport
• Black Guillemot – Manomet Point
• Clapper Rail – Winsegansett Ave Marsh and Egypt Lane Ponds, Fairhaven
• Cliff Swallow – Topsfield Fairgrounds
• Common Murre – Gap Cove, Rockport
• Eastern Whip-poor-will – Pine Hill Grasslands and Wachusett Reservoir
• Glaucous Gull – Lieutenant Island Causeway, Wellfleet
• Grasshopper Sparrow – Pine Hill Grasslands and Crane WMA
• Sandhill Crane – Burrage Pond, Hanson
• Snow Goose – Bolton Flats and Topsfield Fairground
• Sooty Shearwater – Nauset Light Beach, Eastham
• Tricolored Heron – Wellfleet Bay Audubon
• White-eyed Vireo – Mosher Pond/Brook, Westport
• Wilson’s Storm-Petrel – Nauset Light Beach, Eastham

Top species reported by number of checklists:

1. Song Sparrow
2. Red-winged Blackbird
3. American Robin
4. Gray Catbird
5. Northern Cardinal
6. Common Grackle
7. Blue Jay
8. American Goldfinch
9. Black-capped Chickadee
10. Yellow Warbler, Baltimore Oriole

Most numerous – more fun because it’s highly arbitrary!:

1. Double-crested Cormorant – 1092 (600 MacMillan Wharf, Provincetown)
2. Red-winged Blackbird – 666
3. Northern Gannet – 480 (200 Marconi Station)
4. Common Grackle – 463
5. American Robin – 406
6. Herring Gull – 396
7. Canada Goose – 317
8. Chimney Swift – 314
9. Gray Catbird – 307
10. Laughing Gull – 303

Locations reporting most species:

1. Parker River NWR – 71
2. Bolton Flats WMA – 49
3. Herb Hadfield, Westport – 48
4. Ipswich River Audubon – 46
5. High Ridge WMA – 44
6. Pine Hill Road Grasslands – 42
7. Great Meadows, Concord – 41
8. High Head, Pilgrim Heights – 41
9. Mt Auburn Cemetery – 40
10. Shifting Lots Preserve, Ellisville – 39