…is the number of species of bird that was seen on the Queens Big Day on Thursday. I am still exhausted and have lots of family stuff going on this weekend so I can’t do a full report yet but I will say that the number of birds was more than expected and included some amazing highlights like Little Gull, Bicknell’s Thrush, Roseate Tern, White-faced Ibis, Summer Tanager, Black Tern, Merlin, and 20 species of wood-warbler.
Stay tuned to 10,000 Birds for an eventual very long trip report (you know, if you are into that kind of thing).
Corey is a New Yorker who lived most of his life in upstate New York but has lived in Queens since 2008. He's only been birding since 2005 but has garnered a respectable life list by birding whenever he wasn't working as a union representative or spending time with his family. He lives in Forest Hills with Daisy and Desmond Shearwater. His bird photographs have appeared on the Today Show, in Birding, Living Bird Magazine, Bird Watcher's Digest, and many other fine publications. He is also the author of the American Birding Association Field Guide to the Birds of New York.
Wow! How does that compare to previous Queens big days?
My best (and only) previous attempt was two years ago when I went by foot and mass transit and had 120. I am sure others have had more than that, but I have no specifics. So, I guess so far as I am concerned and until proven otherwise, Doug, Heydi, and I have the all-time Queens Big Day record.
CONGRATULATIONS!! And people think that NYC is a birders wasteland, completely devoid of “good” birds. Nonsense. I got my start in Queens. Bill