On the Wing #51: Birding Goal Update

So having looked through my bird lists and tabulating my chances for this year, I've concluded that unless a shit-ton (actual word, just ask any Mainer) of rarities show up on the Atlantic Coast this year, my chances of reaching 400 species on my life list are quite unlikely. So instead I'm shooting for 350 species instead. Still impressive and more achievable especially with the potential to see some more southerly warbler species in the warmer months of the year. I'm also excited for spring migration which means shorebirds, neotropical migrants, and the true harbinger of spring, the Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe).

I'll be spending a good chunk of the year in New Jersey which gives me tactical advantage in visiting places like Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge in NY, the Pine Barrens of NJ, and the Chesapeake Bay to the south. Below is a list of the top twenty Mid-Atlantic/Southern species I'd like to see while I'm down there. If you guys have tips for where to find some of these, leave a comment below. If not, I'll just search eBird like any other high tech birder these days.

1. Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus)
2. Least Bittern (Ixobrychus exilis)
3. Clapper Rail (Rallus longirostris)
4. King Rail (R. elegans)
5. Upland Sandpiper (Bartramia longicauda)
6. Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus)
7. Red Knot (Calidris canutus)
8. Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia)
9. Black Tern (Chlidonias niger)
10. Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccoyzus americanus)
11. Black-billed Cuckoo (C. erthyropthalmus)
12. Eastern Whip-poor-will (Antrostomus vociferus)
13. Acadian Flycatcher (Empidonax virescens)
14. White-eyed Vireo (Vireo griseus)
15. Cerulean Warbler (Setophaga cerulea)
16. Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea)
17. Yellow-throated Warbler (Setophaga dominica)
18. Vesper Sparrow (Pooecetes gramineus)
19. Summer Tanager (Piranga rubra)
20. Orchard Oriole (Icterus spurius)

Have a great week and as always, happy birding ^_^.

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