2009 Final Report and Updates

The final report and summary for the 2009 SalvaNATURA bird-a-thon is now available as a pdf (see right side-bar "Results to Donors 2009"). In fact, we have now posted all of the past reports in easy viewable pdf format. In addition, we have added some new photos from this years count.

As previosly reported, this year we recorded a record 336 species. Nearly all of the seven participating teams recorded over 100 species. A few years ago it was impressive just to break 100 species. Now with better coverage and knowledge of the local avifauna, more experienced observers, and better equipment, teams can easily average 125 species in two days. The record for a single team was set this year, 199 species, led by Nestor Herrera. The next closest team led by Oliver Komar was at 192. Impressive stuff.

This year the bird-a-thon was featured in ABA Winging It (October 2009) and at the 10,000 Birds website. Check it out at: www.10000birds.com/salvanatura-bird-a-thon.htm.

We are still counting on you to support the SalvaNATURA monitoring teams. Please consider making a donation today. Thank you.

2009 Bird-A-Thon sets new high mark!

We are still finishing up the final report, but this year's bird-a-thon was a big success. Our teams recorded 336 species, a new count record! Not only that, we were pleased to have seven teams and 32 participants in the field this year, this our largest turnout of participants since we began in 2003. Many teams covered sites along the coast, an often ignored area in past counts. In keeping with this year's bird-a-thon theme (El Salvador shorebird conservation), we tallied 28 species of shorebirds and 6 new species of pelagic seabirds. In total, teams recorded 23 species new for the bird-a-thon. The majority of these were shorebirds and seabirds. Other highlights included Pomerine Jaeger, Crane Hawk, Belted Flycatcher, and Prothonotary Warbler (see below; photo by Michael Andersen at Barra de Santiago).

The final report should be out in the next few days. Please consider making a donation if you haven't already. Thanks again to all our supporters and participants in 2009.

Pledge Form Available--Just One Month!

Hi everyone.

The pledge form for this year's VII Annual SalvaNATURA Bird-A-Thon is now ready (see right side bar). If you have donated in the past, then you should be receiving an email from us. The pledge form will offer you several methods for making a donation including directly through The Resource Foundation. Directions for doing so are found at the bottom of this blog site. There are several nice supporting gifts available to donors including a t-shirt, 2010 calendar, and a CD of bird sounds from El Salvador. Or you can take the Bird-A-Thon Challenge! Please see the pledge form for more details.

So far we already have 4 teams which includes 13 or so participants. We anticipate this number to increase over the next few weeks.

Thanks again for all your support.

Jesse Fagan
heliomaster76@yahoo.com