Two Maryland Bird Counts kicked off today!
It's go time! MBP and our sponsors Maryland Ornithological Society (MOS) and SAFI are kicking off two - yes, TWO (!!!) - Maryland bird counts today!
Turkey Point (2022)
https://www.marylandbiodiversity.com/project/turkeypoint/
Dans Rock (2022)
https://www.marylandbiodiversity.com/project/dansrock/
Building on the success of the Turkey Point Bird Count last year, we are kicking off the second year at Turkey Point and adding the first Dans Rock Bird Count in Allegany County. For the first time ever, there will be three concurrent Mid-Atlantic morning flight counts: on the Atlantic coastal plain (Cape May, New Jersey), at Turkey Point at the top of the Chesapeake Bay, and now in the Appalachian region at Dans Rock in Allegany County.
Last year's count yielded invaluable data that is loaded with insights about East Coast migration. With each successive year of these counts, the value will compound and teach us more about bird migration, bird populations, and how birds respond to all the dynamic variables that affect them along the way. Birds are arguably our clearest window into ecosystem health. We are excited to continue increasing our understanding of their amazing migrations.
A big welcome to Jonathan and Carl! Jonathan Irons is leading the Turkey Point Bird Count and Carl Engstrom is leading the new Dans Rock Bird Count. Thanks in advance to Daniel Irons, Jerald Reb, Jim Stasz, Jim Brighton, Dan Small, and others ensuring a smooth kickoff.
We'll be posting updates regularly on the MBP blog and on social media. The live data for both counts on Trektellen is already streaming today and daily reports will be available in eBird. Thanks to MBP developer Jacqueline Palacios for beautiful work on these special project pages and to MBP editor Zoë Adams for work on the MBP blog.
Here's to an awesome 2022 season!
Photo of Dans Rock courtesy of © Leo Boudreau.
Bill and the MBP team
