Tag: year in review

2024 eBird Year in Review

Birding is one of my favorite hobbies, and I try to squeeze in as much as I can. With my work schedule and life schedule, I’ve had minimal time birding until this past Fall. I learned about eBird this summer, and I’ve been growing my life list ever since. I’ve observed 43 species this year, and lucky enough to make memories at the same time.

First was when I went birding at Fisherman’s Paradise with the State College Bird Club. Observing the Great Blue Herons interacting with the Bald Eagles was new and exciting for me. I blogged about the trip on September 29th on Birding at Fisherman’s Paradise.

My second memorable trip was birding at Soaring Eagle Wetland (SEW). While the birds I saw there were not new to me, exploring the area was exciting. SEW has many active projects, and when I visit again, it will still feel like a brand-new place. I blogged about the trip on November 3rd on Early Fall at Soaring Eagle Wetland.

Another recent memory- I was birding with friends at Bald Eagle State Park will go in the books as a highlight. We were chatting on the beach area when one of my friends spotted an unusual bird out on the water. I focused my binoculars and discovered a Common Loon in winter plumage. It was my first-ever Common Loon, and having spotted it with friends felt extra special.

There’s still plenty of time to bird this winter. I’m participating in Project Feederwatch until it finishes in April. I’ve had a blast spending weekend mornings observing my backyard. There is a Downy Woodpecker that visits every day at 11:00am, rain or shine. Plus, Tufted Titmice are a daily treat, bringing joy to every morning. Visiting a winter raptor survey is on my to-do list, something I’ll share here when the trip concludes.

2024 was a successful year for birding. Despite not birding 24/7 all year, I’ve been able to make memories, add to my life list, and take part in fun projects. The rest of this winter and next year look to be even better. I’ve developed my identification skills and am working on becoming a better photographer. I can’t wait to share with you what comes next!

2024 Bird Species

  • Turkey Vulture
  • Eastern Bluebird
  • Common Merganser
  • European Starling
  • American Robin
  • Red-tailed Hawk
  • Mourning Dove
  • Red-Bellied Woodpecker
  • American Crow
  • House Finch
  • Dark-eyed Junco
  • Red-winged Blackbird
  • Northern Cardinal
  • Black Vulture
  • American Goldfinch
  • Field Sparrow
  • Common Grackle
  • Common Nighthawk
  • Great Blue Heron
  • Bald Eagle
  • Ring-billed Gull
  • Black-capped Chickadee
  • Eastern Phoebe
  • Tree Swallow
  • Cedar Waxwing
  • Double-crested Cormorant
  • Osprey
  • Killdeer
  • Blue Jay
  • Chipping Sparrow
  • Tufted Titmouse
  • Wood Duck
  • Mallard
  • Grey Catbird
  • Downy Woodpecker
  • Pileated Woodpecker
  • White-breasted Nuthatch
  • Carolina Wren
  • White-throated Sparrow
  • House Sparrow
  • Song Sparrow
  • Canada Goose
  • Common Loon

2024 iNaturalist Year in Review

2024 is my first year of using iNaturalist to note new and familiar species in the field. I focus on identifying plants and fungi using iNaturalist. I try to identify the genus in the field, then the species after some reflection and research. This year, I made a total of 68 observations spread over 59 species.

44.12% of my observations were of plants. I have a ton of favorite observations, but there are a handful of very memorable ones…

Witchhazel
Common Jewelweed
Wood Aster

27.94% of my observations were of fungi. My favorite observation was of Trametes versicolor, the Turkey-Tail Mushroom, which grew on a stump in my yard.

Trametes versicolor (Turkey-Tail Mushroom)

A small number were of insects, which were hard to photograph clearly. My favorite observation of the year was of Atteva aurea, the Alianthus Webworm Moth. This picture turned out so beautifully… it’s a shame it’s only on iNaturalist!

Atteva aurea (Alianthus Webworm Moth)

Most of by observations are for August through October. I was outside much more this fall than I was in the spring or summer. With my Master Naturalist class, I was able to be outside one evening every week and almost every weekend. We had a dedicated class for iNaturalist, which is where I identified most of the insects from the year.

The most important part of iNaturalist is the online naturalist community. I relied on the help of others to identify and affirm my identifications. 3 users helped me the most: mabrybiggs, tz_nh, and chia. I am indebted to them for helping me learn about new-to-me species. I’ve been able to help with a few identifications for others, but not as many as they helped me with!

I can’t let any year-in-review go without a goal for the next year… in 2025, my goal is to make at least 150 observations… and to write about them on TKN. I let my iNaturalist activities lie at the wayside this year, and I would like to highlight them more.

Food for thought… do you use iNaturalist? If so, how many species did you identify this year?