Region 8 Big Year 2009

I know I tried doing this last year, but real life got in the way.  A lot of that has subsided now, plus Rich Guthrie  and Jory Langner (The Quizmaster at 10,000 Birds) have begun an effort to enlist others into a New York State Kingbird Region 8 Big Year. 

What is NYS Kingbird Region 8?  Well this region comprises of the following Counties in East Central New York:  Albany, Greene, Columbia, Rensselaer, Washington, Warren, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Fulton and Montgomery.  In order to count, the bird must be seen or definitively heard within the boundries of these counties between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2009

Below is a list of target species for me in this quest.  Since this is an odd region, there is no magical number (like 300) that needs to be reached.  So there is no pressure, unless you count beating the best birders in the area!  Its all for fun…  right?

You can follow along with all those doing the big year at the NYS Region 8 Wiki!

Year to Date (7/6/09) Total: 161 (230) 70%

Birds in Blue have been seen, date and location are in parentheses.  Birds in RED are exceptional finds

• 1. Common Loon
• 2. Red-throated Loon
• 3. Pied-billed Grebe
• 4. Horned Grebe
• 5. Red-necked Grebe (6/14/09, Cohoes, Albany County)
• 6. Great Cormorant (3/25/09 Embought Bay, Greene County)
• 7. Double-Crested Cormorant (5/25/09 Vly Creek Reservoir, Albany County)
• 8. American Bittern (4/29/09 Coxsackie Grasslands, Greene County)
• 9. Least Bittern (5/25/09 Black Creek Marsh, Albany County)
• 10. Great Blue Heron (3/25/09 Albany County)
• 11. Great Egret (5/25/09 Black Creek Marsh, Albany County)
• 12. Green Heron (5/3/09 Whitbeck Road, Albany County)
• 13. Black-Crowned Nightheron
• 14. Mute Swan (2/22/09 Four Mile Point, Greene County)
• 15. Snow Goose
• 16. Canada Goose (1/5/09 Coxsackie Boat Launch, Greene County)
• 17. Brant
• 18. Wood Duck (3/16/09 Dutchman’s Landing, Greene County)
• 19. Mallard (1/1/09 Warren County)
• 20. American Black Duck (2/8/09 Cohoes, Albany County)
• 21. Gadwall (4/19/09 Stanton Pond, Albany County)
• 22. Northern Pintail
• 23. American Wigeon
• 24. Northern Shoveler
• 25. Blue-winged Teal
• 26. Green-winged Teal (3/16/09 Stanton Pond, Albany County)
• 27. Canvasback
• 28. Redhead (2/21/09 Stillwater, Saratoga County)
• 29. Lesser Scaup (2/21/09 Stillwater, Saratoga County)
• 30. Ring-necked Duck (2/21/09 Stillwater, Saratoga County)
• 31. Greater Scaup (2/21/09 Stillwater, Saratoga County)
• 32. Long-tailed Duck
• 33. White-winged Scoter (3/16/09 Four Mile Point, Greene County)
• 34. Surf Scoter
• 35. Black Scoter
• 36. Common Goldeneye (2/8/09 Cohoes, Albany County)
• 37. Bufflehead (2/21/09 Stillwater, Saratoga County)
• 38. Hooded Merganser (2/16/09 Stillwater, Saratoga County)
• 39. Common Merganser (1/5/09 Henry Hudson Park, Albany County)
• 40. Ruddy Duck
• 41. Turkey Vulture (3/8/09 New Baltimore, Greene County)
• 42. Osprey (4/28/09 Albany, Albany County)
• 43. American Swallow Tailed Kite (5/17/09 Irving Road, Greenville, Greene County)
• 44. Mississippi Kite (6/28/09, Mapletown Road, Root, Montgomery County)
• 45. Sharp-shinned Hawk (1/16/09, Greene County)
• 46. Cooper’s Hawk (1/10/09 Albany, Albany County)
• 47. Northern Harrier (1/5/09 Coxsackie Grasslands, Greene County)
• 48. Red-Shouldered Hawk (2/18/09 Rt. 32 in Greene County)
• 49. Broad-winged Hawk (5/25/09 Cole Hill State Forest, Albany County)
• 50. Red-tailed Hawk (1/1/09 Albany County)
• 51. Rough-Legged Hawk (1/5/09 Coxsackie Grasslands, Greene County)
• 52. Bald Eagle (1/25/09, Stockport Station, Columbia County)
• 53. American Kestrel (4/29/09 Coxsackie Grasslands, Greene County)
• 54. Merlin (1/2/09 Colonie Center, Albany County)
• 55. Peregrine Falcon (1/1/09 Albany, Albany County)
• 56. Wild Turkey (1/5/09 Coxsackie Grasslands, Greene County)
• 57. Ruffed Grouse (4/19/09 Coeymans Hollow, Albany County)
• 58. Virginia Rail (5/25/09 Black Creek Marsh, Albany County)
• 59. Sora (4/29/09 Coxsackie Grasslands, Greene County)
• 60. Common Moorhen (5/25/09 Black Creek Marsh, Albany County)
• 61. American Coot
• 62. Black-bellied Plover
• 63. American Golden Plover
• 64. Killdeer (3/16/09 Coeymans Hollow, Albany County)
• 65. Semipalmated Plover
• 66. Greater Yellowlegs
• 67. Lesser Yellowlegs
• 68. Solitary Sandpiper (4/29/09 Coxsackie Grasslands, Greene County)
• 69. Spotted Sandpiper (4/29/09 Coxsackie Grasslands, Greene County)
• 70. Upland Sandpiper
• 71. Dunlin
• 72. Pectoral Sandpiper
• 73. Semipalmated Sandpiper
• 74. Least Sandpiper
• 75. Wilson’s Snipe (4/29/09 Coxsackie Grasslands, Greene County)
• 76. American Woodcock (3/23/09 Coxsackie Grasslands, Greene County)
• 77. Bonaparte’s Gull
• 78. Ring-billed Gull (1/5/09 Coeymans Landing, Albany County)
• 79. Herring Gull (1/5/09 Coeymans Landing, Albany County)
• 80. Iceland Gull (2/22/09 Coxsackie Boat Launch, Greene County)
• 81. Glaucous Gull (1/5/09 Coxsackie Boat Launch, Greene County)
• 82. Lesser-Black Backed Gull
• 83. Great-Black Backed Gull (1/5/09 Coxsackie Boat Launch, Greene County)
• 84. Rock Pigeon (1/1/09 Albany, Albany County)
• 85. Mourning Dove (1/5/09 Coxsackie Grasslands, Greene County)
• 86. Black-billed Cuckoo (5/17/09 Irving Road, Greene County)
• 87. Yellow-billed Cuckoo
• 88. Short-Eared Owl (1/17/09 Coxsackie Grasslands, Greene County)
• 89. Long-Eared Owl (3/1/09 Greene County)
• 90. Eastern Screech Owl (1/17/09 Four Mile Point, Greene County)
• 91. Great Horned Owl (4/29/09 Biers Road, Albany County)
• 92. Snowy Owl (1/5/09 Coxsackie Grasslands, Greene County)
• 93. Barred Owl (5/24/09 Stanton Road, Albany County)
• 94. Northern Saw-Whet Owl
• 95. Common Nighthawk (5/23/09 Albany, Albany County)
• 96. Whip-poor-will (4/29/09 Stanton Road, Albany County)
• 97. Chimney Swift (5/5/09 Albany, Albany County)
• 98. Ruby-throated Hummingbird (5/17/09 Irving Road, Greene County)
• 99. Belted Kingfisher (4/19/09 Coeymans Hollow, Albany County)
• 100. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (5/25/09 Bennett Hill Preserve, Albany County)
• 101. Red-bellied Woodpecker (1/16/09, Columbia County)
• 102. Downy Woodpecker (1/5/09 Coxsackie Grasslands, Greene County)
• 103. Hairy Woodpecker (3/23/09 Albany, Albany County)
• 104.Northern Flicker (1/5/09 Coxsackie Grasslands, Greene County)
• 105 Pileated Woodpecker (2/16/09 Ft. Edward, Washington County)
• 106. Olive-sided Flycatcher
• 107. Eastern Wood-Pewee (5/25/09 Black Creek Marsh, Albany County)
• 108. Willow Flycatcher (5/25/09 Black Creek Marsh, Albany County)
• 109. Alder Flycatcher (5/25/09 Black Creek Marsh, Albany County)
• 110. Least Flycatcher (5/25/09 Berne, Albany County)
• 111. Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
• 112. Eastern Phoebe (4/19/09 Coeymans Hollow, Albany County)
• 113. Great Crested Flycatcher (5/13/09 4 Mile Point/Vosburghs Marsh, Greene County)
• 114. Eastern Kingbird (5/13/09 4 Mile Point/Vosburghs Marsh, Greene County)
• 115. Northern Shrike (2/8/09 Slingerlands, Albany County)
• 116. Warbling Vireo (5/25/09 Black Creek Marsh, Albany County)
• 117. Philadelphia Vireo
• 118. Red-eyed Vireo (5/17/09 Waterboard Road, Albany County)
• 119. Yellow-throated Vireo (6/27/09 Tracy Road Swamp, Albany County)
• 120. Blue-headed Vireo (5/25/09 Cole Hill State Forest, Albany County)
• 121. Blue Jay (1/1/09 Saratoga County)
• 122. American Crow (1/1/09 Albany County)
• 123. Fish Crow (1/21/09 Albany, Albany County)
• 124. Common Raven (1/16/09 Columbia County)
• 125. Horned Lark (2/8/09 Charlton, Saratoga County)
• 126. Barn Swallow (4/19/09 Stanton Pond, Albany County)
• 127. Cliff Swallow (5/21/09 East Durham, Greene County)
• 128. Northern Rough-winged Swallow (4/29/09 Coxsackie Grasslands, Greene County)
• 129. Bank Swallow (4/29/09 Coxsackie Grasslands, Greene County)
• 130. Tree Swallow (4/19/09 Coeymans Hollow, Albany County)
• 131. Purple Martin
• 132. Black-capped Chickadee (1/5/09 Coxsackie Grasslands, Greene County)
• 133. Brown Creeper (1/16/09 Columbia County)
• 134. Tufted Titmouse (1/5/09 Coxsackie Grasslands, Greene County)
• 135. White-breasted Nuthatch (1/10/09 Albany, Albany County)
• 136. Red-breasted Nuthatch (1/17/09 Albany County)
• 137. Marsh Wren (5/25/09 Black Creek Marsh, Albany County)
• 138. Carolina Wren (2/8/09 Albany, Albany County)
• 139. House Wren (5/17/09 Greene County)
• 140. Winter Wren (5/3/09 Whitbeck Road, Albany County)
• 141. Golden-Crowned Kinglet (3/16/09 Coeymans Hollow, Albany County)
• 142.Ruby-Crowned Kinglet (4/19/09 Coeymans Hollow, Albany County)
• 143. Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher (5/25/09 Black Creek Marsh, Albany County)
• 144. Eastern Bluebird (1/5/09 Coxsackie Grasslands, Greene County)
• 145. Swainson’s Thrush
• 146. Veery (5/25/09 Black Creek Marsh, Albany County)
• 147. Bicknell’s Thrush
• 148. Gray-Cheeked Thrush
• 149. Hermit Thrush (4/19/09 Coeymans Hollow, Albany County)
• 150. Wood Thrush (5/13/09 4 Mile Point/Vosburghs Marsh, Greene County)
• 151. American Robin (1/5/09 Coxsackie Grasslands, Greene County)
• 152. Gray Catbird (5/3/09 Whitbeck Road, Albany County)
• 153. Northern Mockingbird (1/5/09 Coxsackie Grasslands, Greene County)
• 154. Brown Thrasher (6/28/09 Root, Montgomery County)
• 155. American Pipit
• 156. Cedar Waxwing (2/9/09 Albany, Albany County)
• 157. European Starling (1/1/09 Albany County)
• 158. Tennessee Warbler
• 159. Nashville Warbler (5/25/09 Partridge Run, Albany County)
• 160. Blue-winged Warbler (5/13/09 4 mile point/Vosburghs Marsh, Greene County)
• 161. Golden-winged Warbler
• 162. Northern Parula
• 163. Yellow Warbler (4/29/09 Coxsackie Grasslands, Greene County)
• 164. Chestnut Sided Warbler (5/17/09 Waterboard Road, Albany County)
• 165. Magnolia Warbler
• 166. Blackburnian Warbler (5/25/09 Partridge Run, Albany County)
• 167. Black-throated Blue Warbler
• 168. Cerulean Warbler (5/13/09 4 mile point/Vosburghs Marsh, Greene County)
• 169. Black-throated Green Warbler (5/17/09 Lindskoog Road, Albany County)
• 170. Yellow-rumped Warbler (4/19/09 Coeymans Hollow, Albany County)
• 171. Palm Warbler
• 172. Pine Warbler
• 173. Prairie Warbler (5/17/09 Echo Vale Road, Albany County)
• 174. Blackpoll Warbler
• 175. Black and White Warbler (5/25/09 Berne, Albany County)
• 176. American Redstart (5/13/09 4 Mile Point/Vosburghs Marsh, Greene County)
• 177. Worm-eating Warbler
• 178. Common Yellowthroat (5/17/09 Waterboard Road, Albany County)
• 179. Mourning Warbler
• 180. Northern Waterthrush
• 181. Louisiana Waterthrush (5/25/09 Vly Creek Reservoir, Albany County)
• 182. Ovenbird (5/17/09 Waterboard Road, Albany County)
• 183. Canada Warbler
• 184. Hooded Warbler
• 185. Wilson’s Warbler
• 186. Scarlet Tanager (5/3/09 Whitbeck Road, Albany County)
• 187. Rose-breasted Grosbeak (5/3/09 Whitbeck Road, Albany County)
• 188. Indigo Bunting (5/25/09 Bennett Hill Preserve, Albany County)
• 189. Northern Cardinal (1/5/09 Coxsackie Grasslands, Greene County)
• 190. Eastern Towhee (5/17/09 Echo Vale Road, Albany County)
• 191. Chipping Sparrow (4/21/09 Westland Hills Park, Albany, Albany County)
• 192. Field Sparrow (5/25/09 Black Creek Marsh, Albany County)
• 193. American Tree Sparrow (1/5/09 Coxsackie Grasslands, Greene County)
• 194. Vesper Sparrow (6/14/09 Holt Preserve, Albany County)
• 195. Grasshopper Sparrow (6/28/09 Ames, Montgomery County)
• 196. Henslow’s Sparrow
• 197. Savannah Sparrow (4/29/09 Coxsackie Grasslands, Greene County)
• 198. Song Sparrow (1/16/09 Coxsackie Grasslands, Greene County)
• 199. Lincoln’s Sparrow
• 200. Swamp Sparrow (5/25/09 Black Creek Marsh, Albany County)
• 201. Fox Sparrow (4/19/09 Coeymans Hollow, Albany County)
• 202.White-Crowned Sparrow
• 203.White-throated Sparrow (1/5/09 Coxsackie Grasslands, Greene County)
• 204 Dark-eyed Junco (1/5/09 Coxsackie Grasslands, Greene County)
• 205. Lapland Longspur
• 206. Snow Bunting
• 207. Baltimore Oriole (5/3/09 Whitbeck Road, Albany County)
• 208. Orchard Oriole
• 209. BULLOCK’S ORIOLE (1/16/09 Columbia County)
• 210. Eastern Meadowlark (1/5/09 Coxsackie Grasslands)
• 211. Bobolink (4/29/09 Coxsackie Grasslands, Greene County)
• 212. Red-winged Blackbird (Coxsackie, Greene County)
• 213. Rusty Blackbird
• 214. Common Grackle (2/21/09 Coxsackie Greene County)
• 215. Brown-headed Cowbird (3/8/09 Coxsackie, Greene County)
• 216. House Sparrow (1/5/09 Coxsackie Grasslands, Greene County)
• 217. Evening Grosbeak
• 218. American Goldfinch (1/16/09 Coxsackie Grasslands, Greene County)
• 219. Pine Siskin (1/16/09 Columbia County)
• 220. Common Redpoll
• 221. House Finch (1/16/09 Columbia County)
• 222. Purple Finch (1/16/09 Columbia County)
• 223. White-winged Crossbill (2/20/09 Menands, Albany County)
• 224.  Red Crossbill

The following 36 Species are rare to unusual in the region, but at least a few are found each year (although not all).

Glossy Ibis, Tundra Swan, Eurasian Wigeon, Tufted Duck, Barrow’s Goldeneye, Red-breasted Merganser, Black Vulture, Northern Goshawk, Golden Eagle, Ring-necked Pheasant, Sandhill Crane, Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Ruddy Turnstone, Sanderling, White-rumped Sandpiper, Baird’s Sandpiper, Western Sandpiper, Stilt Sandpiper, Short-billed Dowitcher, Wilson’s Pharlarope, Black Tern, Caspian Tern, Common Tern, White-Eared Vireo, Sedge Wren, Boreal Chickadee, Gray Jay, Black-backed Woodpecker, Bohemian Waxwing, Orange-Crowned Warbler, Cape May Warbler, Bay-breasted Warbler, Connecticut Warbler, Dickcissel, Clay-colored Sparrow, Pine Grosbeak.

With all that in mind, I’m setting a goal of 230 species for myself in Region 8.  At a minimum I’m shooting for 200.

So check the blog for updates and check this page for updates on where I stand.  Wish me Luck!