Announcing the results of the Spring 2024 Migratory Bird Count
We are excited to share the official tally of bird species encountered during our annual bird count, along with the “running count” that includes birds observed over the past two days. This springs birding event was remarkable, marking our most impressive count yet, with a grand total of 68 species recorded during the count. Adding the additional 8 species spotted in the running count, we reached an impressive total of 76 species! (See list of bird species below.)
Despite the chill, which might have deterred the raptors, we enjoyed a dry day with intermittent sunshine—a beautiful setting for our bird count. It’s no surprise that our most significant sightings occurred in areas rich with native flora. One highlight was the spotting of the Blue Winged Warbler. Remarkably, we hadn’t encountered one since our first watch over a decade ago, and yesterday, we were fortunate to observe three. Truly wonderful!
Bird counts play a pivotal role in understanding and preserving the rich biodiversity of our island. By documenting avian species year after year, we gain invaluable insights into the health of our island’s ecosystems, informing conservation efforts and ensuring a sustainable future for both our feathered friends and our community.
Here’s the list of species we encountered in our Spring 2024 Migratory Bird Count.
Thank you to all who participated.
| Spring 2024 Bird Count |
|---|
| American crow |
| American goldfinch |
| American redstart |
| American robin |
| Baltimore oriole |
| Barn swallow |
| Black-capped chickadee |
| Brown-headed cowbird |
| Brown thrasher |
| Black-throated green warbler |
| Black-and-white warbler |
| Blackburnian warbler* |
| Blue-gray gnatcatcher* |
| Blue jay |
| Blue-winged warbler |
| Canada goose |
| Carolina wren |
| Chipping sparrow |
| Chimney swift |
| Common eider |
| Common grackle |
| Common loon* |
| Common yellowthroat |
| Chestnut-sided warbler |
| Double-crested cormorant |
| Downy woodpecker |
| Eastern kingbird |
| Eastern towhee |
| European starling |
| Fish crow* |
| Greater black-backed gull |
| Great blue heron |
| Great-crested flycatcher |
| Gray catbird |
| Great egret |
| Greater yellowlegs |
| Herring gull |
| House finch |
| Hooded merganser |
| House sparrow |
| House wren |
| Killdeer |
| Laughing gull* |
| Least tern |
| Mallard |
| Magnolia warbler |
| Mourning dove |
| Northern bobwhite |
| Northern cardinal |
| Northern flicker |
| Northern mockingbird |
| Northern parula |
| Orchard oriole |
| Yellow warbler |
| Osprey |
| Ovenbird |
| Pine warbler |
| Red-bellied woodpecker |
| Red-winged blackbird |
| Red-eyed vireo |
| Ring-necked pheasant |
| Ruby-crowned kinglet |
| Ruby-throated hummingbird* |
| Ruddy turnstone |
| Saltmarsh sparrow* |
| Song sparrow |
| Swainson's thrush* |
| Tree swallow |
| Tufted titmouse |
| Veery |
| White-eyed vireo |
| Woodthrush |
| White-throated sparrow |
| Yellow warbler |
| Yellow-bellied sapsucker |
| Yellow-rumped warbler* |
Announcing the results of the Fall 2023 Migratory Bird Count
We are excited to share the official tally of bird species encountered during our annual bird count, along with the “running count” that includes birds observed over the past two days. This fall’s birding event was remarkable, with a grand total of 50 species recorded during the count. Adding the additional 7 species spotted in the running count, we reached an impressive total of 57 species! (See list of bird species below.)
This year brought us some extraordinary birding moments, which we attribute to the recent major storms that grounded much of the bird activity in the days leading up to the count.
With a decade now behind us, we’ve successfully completed our 10th year of the migratory bird count. The data collected during these ten years will serve as a valuable resource for analyzing trends in bird activity on our island.
Here’s the list of species we encountered in our Fall 2023 Migratory Bird Count.
Thank you to all who participated.
| Fall 2023 Bird Count |
|---|
| American crow |
| American goldfinch |
| American kestrel |
| American redstart |
| American robin |
| Belted kingfisher (running) |
| Black-capped chickadee |
| Blue jay |
| Brown thrasher |
| Black & white warbler |
| Bobolink (running and confirmed; congrats Tom!) |
| Carolina wren |
| Cedar waxwing |
| Chimney swift |
| Chipping sparrow (running) |
| Common eider |
| Common grackle |
| Common loon (running) |
| Common yellowthroat |
| Cooper's hawk |
| Double crested cormorant |
| Downy woodpecker |
| Eastern phoebe |
| Eastern towhee |
| European starling |
| Greater black-backed gull |
| Great blue heron |
| Golden-crowned kinglet |
| Gray catbird |
| Great egret |
| Herring gull |
| House finch |
| House sparrow |
| Laughing gull (running) |
| Mallard |
| Merlin |
| Mourning dove |
| Mute swan |
| Northern cardinal |
| Northern flicker |
| Northern harrier |
| Northern mockingbird |
| Red-bellied woodpecker |
| Red-tailed hawk |
| Northern rough-winged swallow |
| Osprey (running) |
| Savannah sparrow |
| Salt marsh sparrow |
| Swamp sparrow (running) |
| Song sparrow |
| Tufted titmouse |
| White-breasted nuthatch |
| White-throated sparrow |
| Yellow-billed cuckoo |
| Yellow warbler |
| Yellow-rumped warbler |
Bird watchers scan the skies looking for birds to include in the biannual migratory bird count on Fishers Island.
Join us for our 2023 Fall Migratory Bird Count alongside our University of Delaware experts, Emily Baisden and Will Almeida.
Event Details:
What: FIConservancy 2023 Fall Migratory Bird Count
When: Sunday, October 1, 2023 @ 8:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Where: Meet at Fishers Island Community Center
Make sure to bring your binoculars!
Following Audubon bird count rules, birders will make 15 five-minute stops from West End to East End. At each timed stop, birders count birds and call out what they see.
The outcomes from these bird counts play a crucial role in assisting scientists and conservation groups in mapping bird populations. Furthermore, they provide valuable insights into the distribution and frequency of various bird species within our local environment.
Plastic in the water, on the land and IN you! Fighting pollution on Fishers Island and Beyond
Event Details:
Date: October 8th
Time: 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Place: In-person at the Museum, 2nd Floor and virtual via Zoom
Category: Illustrated Talk
Plastic pollution is a bad neighbor. As plastic breaks up into microplastics it disperses into the environment. Researchers are finding plastic particles almost everywhere they look, including inside the human body.
What are the impacts of these plastics, and what can we do to stop them?
Join Dr. Megan J. Wolff, MPH, policy director at Beyond Plastics, as she talks about what individuals can do to reduce their consumption and exposure to plastics as well as discuss the exciting legislative initiatives underway in the state of New York aimed at significantly reducing plastic pollution.
Michele Klimczak, our Coastal Debris Coordinator at the Fishers Island Conservancy, will also be presenting an overview of the extensive repercussions of plastic pollution on the island, offering a localized perspective to complement the presentation by Dr. Megan J. Wolff.
*To secure your spot, please reach out to us at 631-788-7239 or send an email to [email protected]. Virtual attendance does not require prior registration.
