New Rhode Island Personal Best

Species #234 Saltmarsh Sparrow

Before this year, the most species of birds I had seen in Rhode Island was 232, that was last year. This year my goal is 250. Yesterday, I reached another milestone on the way to 250 species. I passed 232.

   My record breaking bird was a a good one too, it was a Kentucky Warbler. Kentucky Warbler is a pretty rare species around here, but a pair has nested at Simmon's Pond in Little Compton the last three years. I, of course, had no clue these birds nested there until recently. A bunch of great birders went there last Saturday and I tagged along. None of us heard it in the middle of the afternoon. There were too many people, loud kids, and dogs off leach for it to be out in the open. I went back first thing on Wednesday morning and heard it around 7:30 am. Not trusting my ears I told my friend Jan where I heard it. She went back with two other people Linda G and Carlos Pedro and they all heard it. The good news was others didn't go on a wild warbler chase and it gave me a bit of "street cred".

I know that most people reading this don't care a hell of a lot that I beat a personal record, especially about birds. So if you are reading this, trust me, I'm not bragging. I'm not even that excited about it because 233 wasn't/isn't my goal. That said, I have worked my ass off to see these birds. Most days off from work I get up around 5 am. I have birded every single day off from work since January 1st except two (snow storm and all day rain). During the last couple of weeks on work days, I have been getting up most days very early and birding at Swan Point for ninety minutes before going in for 8 am. So needless to say, if you spend all that time birding, your going to see a few birds.

I could start to worry about how many species I will see this year. Two hundred and fifty is within view. I think I have a chance at it when I go on the Ocean State Bird Club pelagic on June 8. I would need about nine new species before then, but I still have a few shorebirds that are pretty easy, so it is possible.

Statistics

There have been 266 species seen in Rhode Island so far this year.

The leader Jan StJean is killing it. She has seen 251 species.
The second highest total is 247 (Carlos Pedro) followed by Matt Schenck (238), then me at 236

I have seen 12 lifebirds so far this year
I have seen 35 species so far this year that I did not see last year
Six species were identified by song only and I didn't see them

I will not be adding to my list tomorrow. I am birding up at Plum Island with a friend whom I met last year there and we have kept in touch.