The 5th annual Mega Bowl of Birding, held on Saturday, February 6th, 2021, was a great success. Due to the pandemic, we modified the format of the Mega Bowl such that birders could go birding alone or in a small group and in whatever county they wanted. And, we replaced the compilation dinner with a Zoom meeting, held the following day. Sixty CT birders participated in the event. 13 of the 34 teams and 27 of the 60 participants were in New Haven County. The top scorers in the 7 counties for which there were participants (nobody signed up for Windham County) were: Karin Dionne in Tolland, Maggie and Jack Peretto in Hartford, Andy Gullberg and Lou Carpino in Litchfield, Kathy Bishop in New London, Jannie Shapiro in Middlesex, Asher, Eli and Kyle Holton in New Haven, and Aiden Kiley, James Leone, Nicolas Main, and Will Schenck in Fairfield.
There were nine teams that scored 100 or more points. Three birded in Fairfield County: The CYBC Darth Waders with 93 species and 230 points, the GoGo Birds with 69 species and 158 points and Team Grogan with 69 species and 149 points. Six teams did their birding in New Haven County: The Great Horned Holtons with 79 species and 162 points, the Snowy Owlkins with 72 species and 138 points, the Masked Ducks with 72 species and 133 points, the Winter Wrenegades with 68 species and 125 points, the So long and thanks for the pish with 62 species and 118 points, and Solo Vireo with 59 species and 100 points.
Rare birds sighted on the day included: Tundra Swan, King Eider, Tufted Duck, Black-crowned Night-heron, Clapper Rail, Wilson’s Snipe, Greater Yellowlegs, American Pipit, Boat-tailed Grackle, Baltimore Oriole, Tennessee Warbler, and Cape May Warbler.
99 Species were seen in Fairfield County, 101 species were found in New Haven County, and a total of 130 species were found in the state overall. An impressive collective effort!
All of the top scorers from each county received prizes. Most received 8” x 10” framed photos of some amazing birds. Additional prizes went to the following birders, picked via a random drawing: Cody Limber received the 1-point bird prize (for seeing a Canada Goose!), Severin Uebbing received the 2-point bird prize (for seeing a Common Merganser), Jim Sherwonit received the 3-point bird prize (for seeing an Iceland Gull), and Shane Grogan received the 4-point bird prize (for seeing a Ruddy Duck). The 5/7-point bird prize went to David Woolery. In addition, Jo Fasciolo, Dewitt Allen, and Judy Moore received prizes.
The top scorers from each county and the top scoring team overall selected the CT-based conservation organizations that are to receive donations from COA on behalf of the Mega Bowl event. $300 is going to A Place Called Hope, $300 is going to the CT Audubon Society Coastal Center at Milford Point, $100 to the Audubon CT Bent of the River Sanctuary, $100 to the Boyd Woods Bird Sanctuary in Litchfield, $100 to Wickham Park in Manchester and $100 to the Kellogg Environmental Center in Derby.
Thanks and accolades go to all of the 60 hardy CT birders who braved the cold, wind and snow to participate in this year’s Mega Bowl. We hope to see more people out there with us next year!
Chris Loscalzo,
Mega Bowl Coordinator
February 15, 2021