Back to home page

2007 Bexar County Birding Challenge

Previous years: 2006 :: 2005 :: 2004 :: 2003 :: 2002

DEFINITION

An effort to continue interest and study of our avifauna, their habitat, local and distant hotspots, and birding dialog and communication. Join us in a concerted effort to explore our environment while we improve our skills! Bexar County Bird Challenge (BCBC) is a year-long effort to identify a varied number species of birds within the confines of a specified area between 1 January and 31 December.

Instead of just a set number of birds to be seen within the county, you can participate in a number of ways; simply complete the criteria in any one of the following categories, or better yet, master all of them:

• A Big Day total of 100 or more species within Bexar County within 24 hours (or its adjacent single counties).
  
• A Big Year total of 200 or more species identified within Bexar County or within a single adjacent county: Guadalupe, Wilson, Atascosa, Medina, Bandera, Kendall, or Comal.
• Junior Category: under age 18, a Big Year total of 100 species identified within Bexar County or within a single adjacent county, as above.
  
• A Big Year total of 275 or more species identified within Texas with 150 species seen within Bexar County.
  
• Backyard Category: no benchmark number. A backyard is loosely defined as an area of 150 feet, with all birds seen or heard from within this area as counting (although the bird itself doesn't have to be in the area proper, i.e. flying over, on the neighbor's fence, heard hooting at night at all countable).

RULES

A bird included on an individual’s BCBC list must have been observed in accordance with the following rules:

1. The bird must be observed within the specified boundaries. [With the exception of the backyard category as given above]
2. The species* must be currently accepted by the ABA Checklist Committee.
3. The species must be alive, wild, and unrestrained for a minimum of 24 hours. Sick or injured birds may be counted. Eggs or nests do not count as birds.
4. The bird must be identified by the individual listing the bird (i.e. the individual that adds the species to his/her list must identify the bird either visually or audibly).
5. The bird must be observed under conditions that conform to the ABA code of ethics.
6. If a species origin is questionable, the decision of the contest judge is final.

* A bird identified as one of a species or group (i.e., scaup, either greater or lesser) may be counted as a species if no other bird in that group appears on your list. For example: Dowitcher sp. counts as one bird. Short-billed Dowitcher and Dowitcher sp. still counts as just one species.

JOIN!

You may join the BCBC Challenge at any time throughout the year. Send reports at the end of each month to Mike Fatone, BCBC Coordinator, via e-mail at or mail them to the club's address, ATTN: BCBC Coordinator. Contact Mike with any questions or comments on the BCBC.

2007 Participants and totals:

BY=Backyard, BC=Bexar County, CC=Comal County, MC=Medina County, KC=Kendall County, GC=Guadalupe County, TX=Texas list

2006 Participants and totals:

BY=Backyard, BC=Bexar County, CC=Comal County, MC=Medina County, KC=Kendall County, GC=Guadalupe County, TX=Texas list

2005 Participants and totals:

BC=Bexar County, MC=Medina County, CC=Comal County, BDC=Bandera County, KN=Kendall County, KC=Kerr County, TX=Texas, US=Lower 48.

2004 Participants and totals:

BC=Bexar County, MC=Medina County, CC=Comal County, BDC=Bandera County, KN=Kendall County, KC=Kerr County, TX=Texas, US=Lower 48.

2003 Participants and totals:

BC=Bexar County; AC=Atascosa County; BN=Bandera County; CC=Comal County; GC=Guadalupe County; KC=Kendall County; MC=Medina County; WC=Wilson County; TX=Texas; US=Continental United States

BCBC 2002—The Final Stats

[The goal of the BCBC 2002 was to reach 212 birds within Bexar County.]

A single shrike and 32 various species of shorebirds, those birds combined with 1 waxwing; 2 pipits; 3 kingfishers; 4 rails; 5 grebes; 6 owls; 7 doves; 10 vireos; 16 flycatchers; 17 herons and allies; 22 hawks, falcons, kites and vultures; 23 ducks and geese; and 28 warblers (as well as numerous other birds) equals the sum total of the 2002 Bexar County Bird Challenge.

The grand total of birds seen in the county for the year was 316. (*Notates birds which fall in the category of rare, accidental or hypothetical and were not documented or seen by multiple observers. 14 birds are annotated as such, leaving the county total at 302.)

Our high individual total for the year was 276 found by Dodge Engleman. Dodge was also our first birder to reach 212 (He did so on 5 May). Our last 212 member was Andy Garcia (He hit 212 on 30 Dec). A total of 15 people reached the 212 plateau (8 people found over 225; 4 of which had over 250).

Individual Totals for the Year:
Dodge Engleman—276
Lorna Engleman—273
Mike Creese—267
Helen Rejzek—265
Sheridan Coffey—244
Curt Harwerth—239
Georgina Schwartz—230
Scott Gruwell—228
Malcolm Williams—219
Greg Lisciandro—217
Karen Moulder—217
Linda McMahan—214
Mariann Golden—213
Andy Garcia—212
Kathy Gaudet—212
Tracy Norris—204
Sandy Guerrero—189
Leslie Linehan—179
Fran Campbell—139
Warren Stricker—126

So, what birds were number 212, when and where were they seen?
5 May—Dodge Engleman—Tennessee Warbler—Comanche Lookout Park
9 May—Helen Rejzek—Eastern Wood-Pewee—Comanche Lookout Park
11 May—Mike Creese—Northern Parula—Comanche Lookout Park
11 May—Lorna Engleman—Bay-breasted Warbler—Comanche Lookout Park
14 May—Curt Harwerth—Canada Warbler—Avenue A
31 May—Sheridan Coffey—Brown-crested Flycatcher—Mitchell Lake
25 June—Malcolm Williams—Eurasian Collared-Dove—UC Post Office
27 July—Scott Gruwell—Peregrine Falcon—Loop 1604 & Old Pearsall Road
1 Sep—Georgina Schwartz—Marbled Godwit—Mitchell Lake
2 Sep—Mariann Golden—Willet—Mitchell Lake
11 Nov—Linda McMahan—Ring-billed Gull—Calaveras Lake
19 Nov—Karen Moulder—White-throated Sparrow—Avenue A
1 Dec—Kathy Gaudet—Ring-necked Duck—Live Oak Park
10 Dec—Greg Lisciandro—Virginia Rail—Calaveras Lake
30 Dec—Andy Garcia—Canada Goose—Woodlawn Lake

Most of these locations are listed on this page.

San Antonio Audubon Society, 5150 Broadway #257, San Antonio, TX 78209-5710, (210) 308-6788, E-mail
These pages are Copyright ©2005 San Antonio Audubon Society. Permission is granted to other nonprofit organizations to reprint articles, unless otherwise noted. Reprints must refer to the originating web site or newsletter and give credit to San Antonio Audubon Society and the specific author.

Webmaster e-mail: