Audubon Magazine's blog, The Perch, has been posting updates about a nifty birding challenge: Several birders nationwide, including NJMC Naturalist Mike Newhouse and Meadowlands ace birder Chris Takacs, have been trying to see a different bird species a day for as many days as they can, beginning on Jan. 1.
For your own amusement, you could start your own bird-a-day list now and see how long you can keep going. It sounds simple at first, but involves some strategizing — you don't want to "use" a common bird for the bird o' the day unless you are desperate.
The link to Audubon Magazine's blog post by Rene Ebersole (Mike Newhouse is her hubby) explaining all about the contest is here. Her latest post, detailing birds seen so far, is here.
A link to The Perch's main page is here.
Mike Newhouse's list to date follows — most of them are from the Meadowlands.
Date Species
1/1/2011 Common Redpoll
1/2/2011 Rough-legged Hawk
1/3/2011 Dark-eyed Junco
1/4/2011 Orange-crowned Warbler
1/5/2011 Greater Scaup
1/6/2011 Snow Bunting
1/7/2011 Red-breasted Merganser
1/8/2011 Red-bellied Woodpecker
1/9/2011 Bald Eagle
1/10/2011 Canvasback
1/11/2011 Horned Lark
1/12/2011 Lesser Scaup
1/13/2011 Common Moorhen
1/14/2011 Hooded Merganser
1/15/2011 Purple Sandpiper
1/16/2011 Red-throated Loon
1/17/2011 Brown Creeper
1/18/2011 Common Merganser
1/19/2011 Downy Woodpecker
1/20/2011 Northern Harrier
1/21/2011 American Coot
1/22/2011 Long-tailed Duck
1/23/2011 Great Cormorant
1/24/2011 Ring-necked Pheasant
1/25/2011 Short-eared Owl
1/26/2011 American Tree Sparrow
1/27/2011 Hairy Woodpecker
1/28/2011 White-crowned Sparrow
1/29/2011 Ring-necked Duck
1/30/2011 Winter Wren
1/31/2011 Peregrine Falcon
2/1/2011 House Finch
2/2/2011 Carolina Wren
2/3/2011 Great Black-backed Gull
2/4/2011 Black Vulture
2/5/2011 Blue Jay
2/6/2011 Horned Grebe
2/7/2011 Red-headed Woodpecker
2/8/2011 Pine Siskin
2/9/2011 Northern Pintail
2/10/2011 Common Goldeneye
2/11/2011 TBD