Our chapter birders got a front-row seat to fall migration Saturday, Oct. 12, at our Audrey Carroll Audubon Sanctuary in Mount Airy for the Big Sit. This annual international birding event was founded by the New Haven (Connecticut) Bird Club.

Birders were challenged to see how many birds they could identify while staying within a 17-foot diameter circle. They engaged in a friendly competition with birders from the Frederick Bird Club, who birded in a circle at our Fred Archibald Sanctuary in New Market.

Our ASCM chapter team earned the coveted Golden Falcon trophy, observing a total of 53 species compared to the FBC’s 48. The two groups observed 59 species in all.

In addition to a community science event to gather data on migration, the Big Sit is a fundraiser for our all-volunteer chapter. There is still time to make a tax-deductible contribution in support of our birders (be sure to select “the Big Sit” in the Additional Information field when you check out). Checks payable to ASCM may be sent to PO Box 660, Mount Airy, MD 21771.

Your donation helps us maintain nearly 300 acres of habitat for birds and other wildlife. Thank you for your support!

What Birds Did We See?

The following list includes the 59 species observed by ASCM and Frederick Bird Club birders for the 2024 Big Sit. Species observed at only one sanctuary are denoted with the sanctuary initials (AC for Audrey Carroll and FA for Fred Archibald).

Waterfowl

snow goose (AC)

Canada goose

common merganser (FA)

Pigeons and Doves

mourning dove

Shorebirds

killdeer

Herons

great blue heron

Vultures, Hawks and Allies

black vulture

turkey vulture

osprey (FA)

northern harrier (FA)

sharp-shinned hawk (FA)

Cooper's hawk

bald eagle

red-shouldered hawk

red-tailed hawk

Owls

great horned owl

barred owl (AC)

Woodpeckers

yellow-bellied sapsucker

red-bellied woodpecker

downy woodpecker

hairy woodpecker

pileated woodpecker

northern flicker

Tyrant Flycatchers, Pewees, Kingbirds, and Allies

eastern phoebe

Vireos

blue-headed vireo (FA)

Jays, Magpies, Crows, and Ravens

blue jay

American crow

fish crow (AC)

common raven (AC)

Tits, Chickadees, and Titmice

Carolina chickadee

tufted titmouse

Kinglets

ruby-crowned kinglet (AC)

golden-crowned kinglet

Nuthatches

white-breasted nuthatch

Wrens

Carolina wren

Starlings and Mynas

European starling

Catbirds, Mockingbirds, and Thrushes

gray catbird

brown thrasher (AC)

northern mockingbird

Thrushes

eastern bluebird

hermit thrush

American robin

Waxwings

cedar waxwing

Finches, Euphonias, and Allies

house finch

purple finch (AC)

American goldfinch

New World Sparrows

chipping sparrow

field sparrow (AC)

white-throated sparrow

savannah sparrow (FA)

song sparrow

swamp sparrow

eastern towhee

Blackbirds

red-winged blackbird

brown-headed cowbird

common grackle (AC)

Wood Warblers

yellow-rumped warbler (AC)

Cardinals

northern cardinal

dickcissel (AC)