The second annual Mega Bowl of Birding in New Haven County was held on February 3, 2018 (the Saturday before the NFL Super Bowl). Twenty eight birders participated in the event and everyone had a great time. Birders teamed up in groups of 3-5 people and went to birding locations throughout the county, from Southbury to New Haven and from Milford to Madison.
They saw an impressive total of 102 species (nearly identical to last year’s total). There were seven teams that participated in the event. Teams returning from last year (with some changes in personnel) were the Avianophiles, the CT Young Birders’ Club Darth Waders, Winging It, and the Winter Wrenegades. New teams included the Greylags, the Lost Birders, and the Snowy Owlkins. Just like last year, the CYBC Darth Waders came up with the most species and earned the most points of any team. Their team’s name will be inscribed on the Mega Bowl Trophy for the second year in a row. They saw a total of 72 species and amassed 147 points. At the end of the day, the participants met at the Kellogg Environmental Center in Derby to enjoy a delicious dinner (expertly prepared by my wife, thank you Marianne!), share stories, and receive awards and prizes. By a wide margin, Ayla Elkins won the award for being the youngest participant (she’s only six years old!) and Judy Moore won the award for being the most senior participant (although she looks much younger than her stated age). Prizes were given to every participant through the generosity of the proprietors of The Fat Robin in Hamden and The Audubon Shop in Madison. A number of rare and uncommon birds were seen during the day, including: Barrow’s Goldeneye, Black-bellied Plover, Iceland Gull, Snowy Owl, Lapland Longspur, White-crowned Sparrow, Rusty Blackbird, Harlequin Duck, and Ross’ Goose. The Ross’ Goose was worth seven points to each team that went to see it, as it had never been recorded in New Haven County before in early February. Last year, an Eared Grebe staked that claim. We can’t help but wonder what rarity will show up next year to earn that distinction.
I made a few minor changes to the event from last year to this year and the changes resulted in an even better time for all participants. I plan on making a few more changes for next year’s event in order to make it even more fun for everyone. Thank you to all of the birders who participated this year. I hope that you will participate again next year. And, if you haven’t come out for this event yet, please consider doing so next year. You’ll be glad you did!
Chris Loscalzo
Mega Bowl Coordinator