I agree that Mecklenburg should be able to top 200, sometime. Maybe
Halifax, too? I wonder how many VA counties could reach 200.
I dream of seeing every VA county with a legit big year total, but don't
know when that will ever happen.
Mike
On Thu, Jan 12, 2017 at 4:03 PM, Paul Glass <pag@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
These aren't actual big year attempts, rather just totals from Ebird, but
I had 187 in Mecklenburg in 2015 and Jeff Blalock had 173 in Halifax in
2016. Those are the highest totals that I see for my 2 home counties. 200
should be pretty doable in Mecklenburg if you were able to spend enough
time birding around Kerr Lake. I might try both if I live long enough to
retire:)
Paul
-----Original Message-----
*From:* C. Michael Stinson [mailto:myrmecocichla@xxxxxxxxx]
*Sent:* Thursday, January 12, 2017 3:46 PM
*To:* heartofvabirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
*Subject:* [heartofvabirds] Re: 2016 Heart of Virginia Birds in Review
So...
In 2014 I tried to do a county "big year" and got 181 in Prince Edward
County, but took a few months off in the middle of the year. In 2016 Evan
got 189, based on the 196 - 9 the he mentions (or at least 187?, which is
what eBird says?). So Prince Edward now has two nice solid numbers to serve
as a baseline for what's possible in a big year in a county in this part of
Virginia. I don't think any nearby counties have two big year totals like
that -- in fact, as far as I know very few single-county big years have
been done in any Virginia counties. I do know that Roberta Kellum is doing
a Northampton County big year this year. Anyone know of any others, past or
present?
Mike
On Thu, Jan 12, 2017 at 9:09 AM, Evan Spears <e3spears@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I tried to see them all but missed seven of the 196.
*Mike's*: Common Merganser, Veery, Black-billed Cuckoo, & Mississippi
Kite
*Warren's*: Cackling Goose & Semipalmated Sandpiper
*Amanda & Julian's*: Bay-breasted Warbler
I also submitted around 800 complete checklists for the county last year.
I may take a break this year...
On Sun, Jan 8, 2017 at 1:26 PM, C. Michael Stinson <
myrmecocichla@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I think Evan is being modest. Ask him how many birds HE saw in Prince
Edward County last year....
Hint -- I think it's more than I saw there in 2014.
Mike
On Sat, Jan 7, 2017 at 9:27 PM, Evan Spears <e3spears@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
We had an amazing year of birding in the central Piedmont in 2016. We
submitted many eBird records that filled the gaps in our previous knowledge
but also expanded our understanding of bird distribution in a few places as
well. Here are some of the wonderful stats and highlights:
*County Stats*
*Prince Edward*: 196 species (so close to 200!) ~1840 checklists (~42%
of the total county checklists!)
*Buckingham:* 159 species ~220 checklists
*Appomattox:* 143 species ~340 checklists
*Charlotte:* 129 species ~100 checklists
*Cumberland:* 126 species ~170 checklists
*Amelia:* 114 species ~80 checklists
*Lunenburg:* 106 species ~60 checklists
*Nottoway:* 87 species ~40 checklists
A total of ~2850 checklists for central VA!
*Highlight Species*
*Prince Edward:*
Tundra Swans at Sandy River Reservoir, Jan. 24
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S27098477
Vesper Sparrows at Pine Ridge Farm, Jan. 27 (and a flock again Nov. 4)
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S27157099
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S32370204
Cackling Goose at Wilck's Lake, Feb. 9
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S27394755
Red-necked Grebe at Wilck's Lake, Mar. 25
http://ebird.org/ebird/atlasva/view/checklist/S28538561
Pacific Loon at Sandy River Reservoir, May 9
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S29516231
http://ebird.org/ebird/atlasva/view/checklist/S29579260
Mississippi Kite seen SW of Farmville, July 3
http://ebird.org/ebird/atlasva/view/checklist/S30055481
Little Blue Herons at Little Creek Lake, July 19
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S30767449
Peregrine Falcons at High Bridge Trail, Sep. 28
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S31801174
Cave Swallows at Sandy River Reservoir, Nov. 22
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S32665857
Loggerhead Shrike along County Line Road, Dec. 21
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S33140418
*Buckingham:*
Black Scoters at Holliday Lake State Park, Nov. 18
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S32610842
*Appomattox:*
Forster's Tern at Holliday Lake State Park, Aug. 14
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S31089360
Black Tern at Holliday Lake State Park, Aug. 20
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S31168901
Gray-cheeked Thrush at Holliday Lake State Park, Oct. 3
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S31873071
Vesper Sparrow in Appomattox-Buckingham State Forest, Oct. 31
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S32318018
Black Scoters at Holliday Lake State Park, Nov. 18
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S32610773
*Charlotte:*
Least Bittern at Greenfield, July 6
http://ebird.org/ebird/atlasva/view/checklist/S30584886
Blackburnian Warbler at Greenfield, Oct. 11
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S32026954
Sandhill Cranes at US 360 & VA 47, Dec. 19
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S33107147
Loggerhead Shrike along County Line Road, Dec. 23
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S33178489
*Cumberland:*
Tundra Swan at Bear Creek Lake State Park, Jan. 21
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S27036085
Loggerhead Shrike along Cartersville Road, Apr. 9
http://ebird.org/ebird/atlasva/view/checklist/S28831477
Snow Goose at Farmville Airport, Apr. 30
http://ebird.org/ebird/atlasva/view/checklist/S29315049
Loggerhead Shrike along Sports Lake Road, May 5
http://ebird.org/ebird/atlasva/view/checklist/S29424638
*Amelia:*
Swallow-tailed Kites along US 360, Aug. 14
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S31089676
White Ibis at Amelia WMA, Aug. 22
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S31212712
*Lunenburg:*
Lesser Black-backed Gull at County Landfill, Jan. 7
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S26764164
*Missed Species* (seen in 2015 but not 2016)
Mute Swan
Surf Scoter
Short-eared Owl
Dickcissel
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Bank Swallow
Lapland Longspur
Long-tailed Duck
Trumpeter Swan
Let's shoot for 200 species in Prince Edward this year!
What did I leave out? There were many more I wanted to add but the list
would go on and on. Please feel free to give your take on the year.
Evan Spears
Farmville, VA
--
C. Michael Stinson
Dillwyn, VA
--
C. Michael Stinson
Dillwyn, VA
