Birding Competition 2009

This is a list of the birds my boys and their teammates identified in the birding competition last weekend. I have marked each bird as to whether it was identified by sight (S), sound (H), or both (B). As you read the list, notice how many birds were identified by sound. Learning bird calls/songs has made bird "watching" more enjoyable for my boys. Finding birds in tree tops is really difficult; however, birds love to sing and can be heard and recognized much more easily. Also, Orville is amblioptic and wears progressive bifocals. Using binoculars is difficult for him. Birding by ear is a nice accommodation for his special need.

Each bird was identified by at least two members of the team. I have marked them according to how they were given credit. Occasionally, two boys would hear and identify a bird, be given credit, and then see and identify the bird later in the day. They could only be given credit once. Similarly, some birds were identified by sight by one boy and confirmed by a second who heard it and recognized the sound, leading to a "both" situation.

I have listed the birds in the order they were identified.

Purple Martin B
Canada Goose S
Barn Swallow S
American Crow H
Mallard S
Great Blue Heron S
Double Crested Cormorant S
Tree Swallow S
Red-winged Blackbird B
Killdeer B
Prothonotary Warbler H
Mourning Dove B
Pine Warbler B
Northern Cardinal B
Eastern Meadowlark H
Carolina Chickadee H
Red-bellied Woodpecker H
Blue Jay H
Red-eyed Vireo H
Tufted Titmouse H
Northern Parula H
American Goldfinch S
White-breasted Nuthatch B
Brown-headed Nuthatch B
Catbird H
Bank Swallow S
Palm Warbler H
Yellow Warbler H
Blue-winged Warbler H
Easter Towhee H
Brown Thrasher H
Chestnut-sided Warbler H
Black-crown Night Heron H
Eastern Screech Owl H
Carolina Wren H
Common Grackle B
Eastern Kingbird S
Chimney Swift S
Belted Kingfisher H
White-eyed Vireo S
Indigo Bunting H
Eastern Phoebe H
Pileated Woodpecker H
Scarlet Tanager B
Cedar Waxwing H
Prairie Warbler H
Cape May Warbler H
Downy Woodpecker H
Chipping Sparrow S
Wild Turkey S
Turkey Vulture S
Black Vulture S
Field Sparrow H
Norther Mockingbird S
American Robin H
House Finch H
American Redstart H
Black-throated Green Warbler H
Common Yellowthroat H
Great-crested Flycatcher H
Red-cockaded Woodpecker H
Northern Rough-winged Swallow S
Black and White Warbler H
Eastern-wood Pewee H
Blackburnian Warbler H
Bay-breasted Warbler H
Orange-crowned Warbler H
Cerulean Warbler H
Black-throated Blue Warbler H
Worm-eating Warbler H
Tennessee Warbler H
Pine Siskin H