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2014 Birdathon/Bloomathon Results
The 2014 Birdathon took place on May 16 and although they did not break any records this year, they ended the day with a very respectable total of 120 species.
Here's a short re-cap from one of the participants, Ned Beecher:
"At 4:15, I was on Cleveland Hill Road in central Tamworth to see if I could hear a Whip-poor-will recently heard there. Nothing. And that would be the first of several species we've had in recent years that would not be included on the 2014 list. But a Barred Owl called (one of a few heard by the team that day), and, visiting White Lake, I heard my first-of-year Wood Pewee. I visited the reliable Great Blue Heron rookery south of Route 25 in Ossipee, where there was also a Northern Mockingbird and a Veery at Constitution Park. The Fish Crow was checking the dumpsters in West Ossipee, as usual.
Meanwhile, Bob was scouting in his neighborhood by Thompson Preserve, getting the Wilson's Snipe, American Bittern, Virginia Rail, Marsh Wren, Lincoln's Sparrow, Tennessee and Mourning Warblers, and a Yellow-throated Vireo. At the large Ambrose gravel pit, kestrels are nesting again in boxes he erected a couple of years back, and the Vesper Sparrow is in residence too. There was a Brown Thrasher, but there were none of the shorebirds that sometimes stop by. The potential for approaching last year's B/B record of 127 species was slipping away.
Ken, new to the team this year, was all over Sandwich picking up a loon, Ruffed Grouse and turkey, Great-Crested Flycatcher, Double-crested Cormorant, and, at Mead Base, a Savannah Sparrow and Bobolink. He and Tony saw a Peregrine Falcon near Tony's house, as well as a Hooded Merganser and an Olive-sided Flycatcher (at Chick's Corner). Tony had the Wood Duck , the Red-bellied Woodpecker, a Purple Finch, and a Warbling Vireo. Jane, who had to work at the Moultonborough Library, saw a now-rare House Finch there (and she had a bittern and other overlapping species too).
It was now 9:00 am, and Bob was driving Tony, Ken, and myself to hear the Prairie Warbler and towhee in the pine barrens on the east edge of Tamworth. We then went north, past Chocorua Lake, to the Paugus Brook - James Pond area. The forest is of mixed age, with some recent cuts. Not far in was a flock of warblers the likes of which we have not had on B/B day in many years: 16 species in 10 minutes! When Tony had a Blackpoll later on, the day's warbler total reached 23.
In the afternoon, I hiked up into the clouds on the Brook Trail on Chocorua, getting a Northern Harrier (on the road in), Gold-crowned Kinglet, junco, and Boreal Chickadee (but no montane thrushes). And Tiffany was on Squam Lake, as usual, seeing the resident Bald Eagle, an Osprey, Herring Gull, and White-winged Scoters."
On the bloom side of things on May 17:
"The blooms were behind this year, especially after the long winter and cool spring. Early-blooming species such as Trailing Arbutus and Columbine were easier to find. John had Nodding Trillium, Dwarf Raspberry, Leatherleaf, and Bog Rosemary. Tony confirmed the Early Saxifrage near his house. But, once again, Chris saw most of the day's total of 69, just as B/B founder Betty Steele used to do, single-handedly, in years past."
Thanks to the entire B/B team: Tony Vazzano, Bob Ridgely, Ken Klapper, Ned Beecher, Jane Rice, Tiffany Grade, John Cooley, Juno Lamb and Chris Clyne, for their efforts to raise money for loon conservation in NH. Click here for the full list of birds and here for the complete list of blooms.
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If you are visiting the Lakes Region this summer, make sure to stop by The Loon Center to say hello. Our front porch is adorned with beautiful hanging baskets donated by Moulton Farm. Each year we float a nesting raft 
