Future Bird Counts
HRBC 2025 Spring Bird Count
​Saturday, May 3, 2025
Leader: Bill Boeh
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The HRBC has been conducting the Spring Bird Count (SBC) since 1995. Please join us in being part of this citizen science effort to support bird conservation. It’s great fun and a great way to help conserve the birds--and for new members, a great way to be introduced to some of the best birding sites in our region.
The count will be conducted in the same manner as the Christmas Bird Count, within the Newport News circle. The circle is divided into 13 sectors on the lower Peninsula; each sector will have its own team of observers.
The typical count spans most of the day, but some counts only go for a few hours. Don’t hesitate to participate because you don’t feel you’re proficient enough at identifying birds--sector counts are led by our more experienced birders. You can contribute by adding more eyes and ears to help detect the birds for identification (and counting). You’ll be building your identification skills as well. If you can’t participate in a field count, feeder-watching is another way you can support this effort.
Note: after 16 years Betsy Garrett is stepping down, from 16 years as a Poquoson Sector participant and 9 years as leader. We should all be thankful for the years Betsy has served for spring and Christmas counts! But that means we need a new sector leader for Poquoson. Please consider volunteering to fill this role, even if for just this year’s counts. Betsy will be staying on the Poquoson team so she will be available to advise and assist the new leader.
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Please let me know if you are interested in participating by email at phrogdolph@gmail.com.​​
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Previous Bird Counts
Fall Big Day of Birding
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Thanks to all who participated in the big day count. As a group we tallied 96 separate species! It was an excellent day for birding, and hope all had a good time birding wherever you chose to do so.
No surprise what the top species were:
1st - Carolina Wren, Eastern Bluebird, House Finch
2nd - Blue Jay, Carolina Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse
3rd - Red-bellied Woodpecker, American Crow, Northern Mockingbird
Dave Youkerd
HRBC 2024 Spring Bird Count
Click here for results summary
2023 Winter Sector Bird Count in Newport News Park
Results pending
2023 Christmas Bird Count
Click here for results summary
Fall Big Day of Birding
Results pending
HRBC 2023 Spring Bird Count
Click here for results summary
2022 Winter Sector Bird Count in Newport News Park
Click here for results summary
2022 Christmas Bird Count
Click Here for results summary.
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HRBC 2022 Spring Bird Count
Click Here for results summary
2021 Audubon Christmas Bird Count
Click Here for Audubon’s comprehensive Count Summary Report
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Click Here for the Bill Boeh’s summary and comments
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2021 Spring Big Day for Virginia Results
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I believe I have all the checklists for those that participated in the May 15th Spring Big Day of birding. It was a gorgeous day for being out birding. We had 11 participants, and our total species count was 132. No surprise, the most common birds found were Northern Mockingbird and Northern Cardinal...found by virtually everyone. However, 40 species were found by only one person/team, and these species represented the full range of nocturnal birds, shorebirds, gulls, and passerines.
Hope all participants had fun, and look forward to our next birding adventure.
Dave Youker
2021 HRBC Spring Bird Count Results - Click Here
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2021 Winter Bird Count in Newport News Park Results - Click Here
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2020 Audubon Christmas Bird Count
Click here for Summary results
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Fall 2020 "Virtual" Virginia Big Day Results
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Leader: Dave Youker
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The results are in for our first, virtual Big Day held on 7 Nov. If you haven't submitted your list, you can still forward it to me. I was impressed with the number of checklists, the diversity of species, and the resolve of some members to put in some long days birding. Birds from backyards to seagoing to every habitat in between were identified. Here are the results:
The weather for the Big Day was very pleasant, except many members had to contend with a heavy fog. Still, we had an impressive total of 36 club members participate! A total of 24 checklists were submitted, and the consolidated species list stands at 136! If anyone is interested in the overall list, I'd be happy to forward it.
Thanks to all the members that participated in this club activity. The feedback has been very positive, so maybe we can do it again next year.
Best,
Dave Youker
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Results of 2019 Audubon Christmas Bird Count - Click Here
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Results of 2019 HRBC Spring Bird Count - Click Here
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​Results of 2018 Audubon Christmas Bird Count - Click Here
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Results of 2018 HRBC Spring Count - Click Here
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Results of 2017 HRBC Spring Count - Click Here
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Results of 2017 HRBC Winter Newport News Count - Click Here
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Results of the 2016 Christmas Bird Count - Click Here
The efforts of 48 observers (the vast majority of which were HRBC members) resulted in the observation of 18,568 birds comprised of 123 species.