Century Run

 

When birders seek, either in teams or individually, to find 100 species of birds...or more...within a 24 hour period within a predesignated area.

Our team started at 4:22 last Saturday, after Ralph kindly got up to take me to the bottom of the driveway to meet George Steele, leader for the day, and his friend, TA, who joined us for the day. First bird was a Killdeer George heard. We finished at 7:26 with a House Finch in the parking lot at St. Mary's

Between those times we looped all over Fulton and Montgomery Counties ending up with 101 species, fewer than many of the big teams found, but quite satisfying, at least to me.

Highlights for me were finally finding the first Indigo Bunting of the year...I think they have been hiding from me...a Mourning Warbler, singing beautifully at Schoharie Crossing, a Common Loon that obligingly showed itself at the same spot, five of the traditional woodpecker 6-pack, both cuckoos, both waterthrushes...and both in odd places...and a FOY Blackpoll Warbler.

I think you can view the list here, as I made it public.

It was quite a day and I look forward to the next time. Thanks to George for driving all those miles and planning the whole affair, and to Tom for good company and fascinating stories of rare birds in far-flung places. I believe a good time was had by all.

This mama Common Merganser and the kids were
in a stream right in the city of Amsterdam