The Annual Beckham Bird Club Picnic
The Annual Beckham Bird Club Picnic will be at CREASEY-MAHAN NATURE PRESERVE on Sunday, June 3 at 4:00 p.m.
Join us for a fun afternoon of food, birding and friend ship. Bring a dish to share, insect repellent, a chair and, of course, your binoculars. Cost is $3.00 per person (includes chicken, drinks, etc.) or $1.00 (no chicken, but covers cost of drinks, etc.) Creasy Mahan Visitor Center, take highway 42 east and left at route 1793, drive about a 1/2 mile to sign on the right. GPS: 38.400384, -85.590180
BBC is going green so we are asking you to bring your own cloth napkin. If you like you may also bring your own utensils, etc. Please make you reservations early and mail to Pat and Jane Bell.
There will be no June meeting
Join us for a fun afternoon of food, birding and friend ship. Bring a dish to share, insect repellent, a chair and, of course, your binoculars. Cost is $3.00 per person (includes chicken, drinks, etc.) or $1.00 (no chicken, but covers cost of drinks, etc.) Creasy Mahan Visitor Center, take highway 42 east and left at route 1793, drive about a 1/2 mile to sign on the right. GPS: 38.400384, -85.590180
BBC is going green so we are asking you to bring your own cloth napkin. If you like you may also bring your own utensils, etc. Please make you reservations early and mail to Pat and Jane Bell.
There will be no June meeting
The Bird Derby!
Global Big Day 2018: The weather was terrible, but the birding was spectacular. A storm front that knocked birds out of the sky and clouds and rain that kept them earthbound made for a record-setting Global Big Day for the Beckham Bird Club. A migrant fallout that several long-time Jefferson County birders described as the best ever contributed to a total of 157 species being recorded on the day. While historic records are a bit murky, that total is likely the highest-ever single day species count for Jefferson County. It topped last year’s Global Big Day tally by 20 species.
At least 29 soggy birders braved the weather to submit 58 complete checklists. Michael Autin and Michael Callan led the way with 104 species each, with James Wheat close behind with 99 species. Andrew Melnykovych submitted the most complete checklists – eight. The best bird of the day was a Harris’s Sparrow found by Karen Bonsell, exactly 60 years and a day after the only other recorded sighting in Jefferson County. The bird was seen later in the day by James Wheat and Andrew Melnykovych, and the next day by several other birders. Other notable birds were a Laughing Gull (Michael Callan), a Willet (Rob Lane) and three Forster’s Terns (Rob Lane), all at the Falls of the Ohio. There were 31 species of warbler (not counting Yellow-breasted Chat), many of them in large numbers. Thrushes also were abundant and 10 species of sparrows were recorded.
Although the weather was generally helpful, heavy rains in the afternoon kept raptors out of sight and made it hard to find water birds on the Ohio River. Notable misses included Osprey, Broad-winged Hawk and Eastern Screech Owl. The weather in Lexington was a bit better, with less rain. That allowed our friendly rivals Fayette County to record an incredible 162 species for the day. Maybe moving Global Big Day to Derby Day wasn’t such a bad idea after all.
At least 29 soggy birders braved the weather to submit 58 complete checklists. Michael Autin and Michael Callan led the way with 104 species each, with James Wheat close behind with 99 species. Andrew Melnykovych submitted the most complete checklists – eight. The best bird of the day was a Harris’s Sparrow found by Karen Bonsell, exactly 60 years and a day after the only other recorded sighting in Jefferson County. The bird was seen later in the day by James Wheat and Andrew Melnykovych, and the next day by several other birders. Other notable birds were a Laughing Gull (Michael Callan), a Willet (Rob Lane) and three Forster’s Terns (Rob Lane), all at the Falls of the Ohio. There were 31 species of warbler (not counting Yellow-breasted Chat), many of them in large numbers. Thrushes also were abundant and 10 species of sparrows were recorded.
Although the weather was generally helpful, heavy rains in the afternoon kept raptors out of sight and made it hard to find water birds on the Ohio River. Notable misses included Osprey, Broad-winged Hawk and Eastern Screech Owl. The weather in Lexington was a bit better, with less rain. That allowed our friendly rivals Fayette County to record an incredible 162 species for the day. Maybe moving Global Big Day to Derby Day wasn’t such a bad idea after all.
Birder's Bucket List for 2018
- Come to a BBC meeting if you have never been to one.
- Join in on a field trip if you have never been to one.
- Make plans to go to the March Dinner Meeting at Big Springs Country Club on Tuesday, March 14.
- Join the Kentucky Ornithological Society (KOS).
- Go to one of the KOS weekends in April or September.
- Plan a trip to Magee Marsh in Ohio around the first two weeks of May.
- Donate to the BBC Birdathon.
- Submit your bird list to ebird. It is so easy.
- Subscribe to birdKY.
10. Take a child birding.
11. Keep your cat indoors and encourage others to as well.
12. Buy bird friendly (certified shade-grown) coffee.
13. Plant native species in your yard.
14. Donate your old/unused binoculars and scopes to nature centers, school groups interested in birding.