2014 Big Sit! Recap

On Sunday, October 12, 2014, Frank Gallo and the Surf Scopers had an absolutely amazing day for the Big Sit! The weather set up perfectly – a front cleared on Saturday afternoon bringing north/northeast winds overnight and through the morning. Birds moved Saturday night and there was a great pre-dawn and dawn flight of migrants. Thrushes flew overhead, calling before first light, and songbirds and raptors streamed through all morning. The winds shifted to the east then south/southwest in the afternoon and there was a nice push of ducks, loons, and grebes in the late afternoon. The tide was low in the morning and high at 3 p.m., so there was great shorebird and wader movement in and out of the marsh during the day.

The grand total for the Connecticut Audubon Society’s Surf Scopers was an astonishing 117 species!

This eclipses their previous high of 107 set in 2010 and is only the third time the team has crested 100 species in their 21-year history. To put things in perspective, their 20-year average is 78 species and the average for the last 10 years is 89 species. They added a remarkable seven new species to the cumulative list. Their 21-year cumulative species total is now 184. It is truly amazing that they’ve seen that many species while standing in one place. The Surf Scopers finished in second place in the U.S. and third in the overall competition behind a team from Mexico.

Thanks go to Frank Gallo, Associate Director of the Coastal Center, and all of his teammates, Jim and Patrick Dugan, Nick Bonomo, Jake Musser, Tom Murray, and all the folks who lent a hand. Michael Carpenter kept the team fueled with a well-timed and well-appreciated coffee and donut delivery. Tom left for a bit, only to return with a hot pizza mid-afternoon! Keith Thomas and Carol Cantrell, Daniel Field, Jackie Eaton and the gang, stopped by to say hi and lend a hand, too! Big thank you to George as well! Two of the teammates, Tina Green and Frank Mantlik, were away this year, but they were out on the platform in spirit and share this victory.

Highlights included:

A mid-sized owl (Long or Short-eared) that flew by the tower just before dawn.
An American Bittern late in the day, and Pine Siskins and Common Ravens calling before dawn.
The count’s first Veery, plus Gray-cheeked, Swainson’s and Hermit Thrushes.
The team’s first Brown Thrasher, White-crowned, Chipping, Field, Lincoln’s and more than 40 Nelson’s Sparrows.
Blue-headed Vireo and first Red-eyed Vireo, along with Pectoral and White-rumped Sandpipers.
A Bonaparte’s gull, early Horned and Red-necked Grebes, both new for the count… and the list goes on!
One of the first birds they saw at dawn was a Bald Eagle flying across the marsh!
Their last new birds were an early Red-necked Grebe migrating west, and a pair of Black Scoters flying east late in the day.

According to Frank Gallo, it was truly a remarkable experience. He said, “It’s also fun to think about what we missed – no American Golden Plover or Ruddy Turnstone, Least Sandpiper or Fish Crow. But, the most perplexing miss was Purple Finch. Hundreds were seen statewide that day. Huh!”

We want to thank you all for supporting the Coastal Center and the team. We cannot carry out our mission without your help.

Well done everyone and thanks again!!!

The Crew:

From left to right, Jim Dugan, Nick Bonomo, Frank Gallo, Tom Murray, and Patrick Dugan

Jake Musser