Over the weekend I was fortunate enough to participate in the Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center’s Birding Cup.The 24 hour competition raises money for the center. The Nemesis Birders consisted of Drew Weber, Alex Lamoreaux, Josh Lefever, Ian Gardner, and myself. We pulled into Shaver’s Creek, exhausted, with 151 species. This was the 2nd highest count in the history of the Birding Cup and helped us to win the Birding Cup this year.
While photos were few and far between due to the frantic pace at which we birded, good looks could still be had. Highlights were a Peregrine Falcon and American Bittern in Clinton Co., a Long-eared Owl and Henslow’s Sparrow in Clinton Co., and several FOY warbler species in Huntingdon and Centre counties. I made my first trip to Lower Trail in Huntingdon county, where I heard Cerulean Warblers, Yellow-throated Warblers, and Yellow-throated Vireos. This competition was absolutely incredible. We saw lots of birds, raised lots of money, and had a ton of fun. I strongly recommend this event to birders of any level. I’ll surely be there next year and hopefully years to come.
