In 2020, a team of Friends and longtime volunteers who routinely help with bird surveys on the refuge got together virtually to update the Refuge’s 2007 published bird list. It was a big project.
How this varies from the previous list: The revision team has a long history of bird listing on the refuge and extensive records to back up their knowledge. We started with the old list and updated the species splits, name changes, and taxonomic order using the American Ornithological Society’s most recent listing. The old, huge Canada Goose complex is now split into Canada Goose and Cackling Goose as an example. We changed the season designation to better match known migration times here and updated the frequency listings. Due to weather shifts, habitat development, and just more people birding there was a lot to update. The final step was to use Cornell’s e-bird records to collaborate with our proposed changes. All additions and modifications were verified through good records of descriptions, photographs and known birder expertise. E-bird sightings for the Refuge go back as far as 1994, but the data became more robust about 2006. Most new findings are easier to track now with all the photographic documentation. With the help of e-bird and the continued support of those who participate in refuge surveys, we hope to update the list annually.
How to Use this new list: The list is formatted to be printed on legal paper in two pages or one front and back. The definitions for common, uncommon, rare, and accidental have been refined and apply across a three-month season. Keep in mind, for example, a migrant listed as Occasional in spring (March to May) may not arrive until April. Habitats do vary considerably on the refuge and the listing is for the entire refuge. You are more likely to see those wintering Varied Thrushes on the Carty Oaks to Wetlands Trail than on the River ‘S’ Auto Tour. There were very few listings exclusive to closed sections of the refuge; you never know when they might show up on our open trails. We have added a box to check off your sightings as you tour the refuge if you like paper records.
Good Birding all.
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