Date: 11/3/24 5:53 pm From: Pam Hunt <biodiva...> Subject: [NHBirds] Concord November Challange finds 89 species
Greetings all (and apologies for any double posts),
22 birders, with cameos by a couple of others, scoured the Capital City this weekend in the 17th annual Concord November Challenge. Collectively we managed to find 89 species, slightly above the predicted number for this date, but well below the record of 96 set on Nov 7-8, 2020 (did this have something to do with COVID?!). Highlights included:
First CNC records of Eastern Screech-Owl and Cackling Goose
3rd or 4th records of Virginia Rail, American Coot, Brown Thrasher, and Marsh Wren
6th or 7th records of Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Northern Saw-whet Owl, Eastern Phoebe, and Eastern Towhee
Big misses included Northern Harrier, Common Goldenneye (not really this far south yet this fall), and Gray Catbird, all of which have been recorded at least ten previous times. We *almost* missed American Tree Sparrow, perhaps because they - like goldeneyes - have yet to make it this far south in numbers. And despite multiple searches, no one was able to relocate the Baltimore Oriole, Pine Warbler, or Nashville Warbler found in the day or two before the event. At least the first two of these were on November 1, thus counting towards Merrimack's total for the month.
