For those of you following the great Birding Smackdown of 2014, we're happy to present you with the final results of our FIRST annual birding competition that pitted Bartram's Garden against The Woodlands during spring migration (April 26 - May 4, 2014).
After nine days of birding, a little trashtalking, and quite a few pairs of eagle eyes, the results are in, and the winning site of the 2014 Birding Smackdown is Bartram's Garden! They get bragging rights until next year's smackdown, and the satisfaction of publically shaming The Woodlands on social media for a week or two (don't worry, we're taking it in stride--we'll get 'em next year!).
Ready for some numbers? Here are the results for bird sightings at both sites!
Bartram's Garden
Total number of birds reported: 718
Total number of species sighted: 93
Rarities: Black Vulture, Black Crowned Night Heron, Red-necked Grebe, and Blue-headed Vireo (all images from The Cornell Lab of Ornithology)
Black Vulture
Black Crowned Nigh Heron
Red-necked Grebe
Blue-headed Vireo
The Woodlands
Total number of birds reported: 469
Total number of species sighted: 64
Rarities: Orchard Oriole, Wood Thrush, Prairie Warbler, Purple Finch, and Blue Grosbeak (all images from The Cornell Lab of Ornithology)
Orchard Oriole
Wood Thrush
Prairie Warbler
Purple Finch
Blue Grosbeak
Each site will be contacting their winning teams and individuals with information on their prizes. (Shout out to the Academy of Natural Sciences at Drexel University for providing us with tickets to their new exhibit Birds of Paradise!) The results from all of our participants will be invaluable to each site as we continue to track migration patterns and species diversity.
Check out some more photos below of students from Penn Alexander on a bird-watching visit (taken by Marlene Gawarkiewicz)!
