For a number of years, a friend, Rich Anderson, and I have wanted to try a springtime 24-hour bird count at the Bashakill.  We’ve enjoyed many countywide counts, but what about a bird count that was limited to just the Bashakill?   Could we “break a hundred?”  It sounded like a good challenge.  So on the weekend of May 4th, 2002, we set out for the Bashakill with binoculars and spotting scopes in hand.

Our count started on Saturday afternoon at 4 pm and lasted for the next 24 hours.  Skies were clear, the air was still and temperatures hovered near a very comfortable 70 degrees – perfect birding weather.  We spent our time on the first day scouring the north side of “the Kill” and found 60 species on our list by nightfall.  Included were five species of woodpeckers and a few late-season Rusty Blackbirds.  A respectable start, especially since we know we were undoubtedly missing out on certain migrants which had yet to arrive on this early count date.

Much of Sunday morning was spent with a great group of Sullivan County birders who had come to the Bashakill to participate in a field trip that I led.  The keen eyes and ears of our birding friends helped add several more species to the ever growing list.  Birds of note included a Bonaparte’s Gull, male Northern Harrier, Least Sandpiper, and a very unexpected Dunlin.  What a start to a field trip!

By 2:00 on Sunday afternoon Rich and I had found our 99th species, a Cerulean Warbler.  But now we were immersed in a dry spell as the midday sun kept things quiet.  Finally, a welcomed Red-tailed Hawk flew overhead; we had now reached our goal of 100 different species.  Two hours later we concluded our count with a Broad-winged Hawk and an elusive Field Sparrow.  We had finished our birding odyssey with 102 total species (the exact number Rich had earlier predicted we would reach).

We were now all tuned up for next week’s big “Break-a-Hundred” count and already had our eyes set on next year’s Bashakill 100.  Can’t wait!