MEMORANDUM 
TO 
Participants and near-participants in the “1993” SERC winter bird count 
FROM 
Jim Lynch 
(jy— 
RE 
Results of the count 
DATE 
3 January 1994 
This winter’s count took place between 07:30 and 16:45 hrs on Sunday, 2 January 1994. 
After a week of snow and unseasonably cold temperatures that began on Christmas night, 
Sunday’s weather proved excellent. Rain the previous evening had washed away much of the 
snow deposited by earlier storms, and early morning temperatures were just below freezing 
under partly cloudy skies. Some snow remained on the ground in sheltered areas, but depth was 
generally less than 2 inches. Most waterways were frozen, resulting in unusually low counts 
for ducks. The weather steadily warmed over the course of the count, reaching a high of ca. 50° F 
by mid-afternoon. Cloud cover fluctuated repeatedly from bright sunshine to overcast. 
Volunteer turnout was light this year, with only 10 participants on hand. As in previous 
years, we split into four groups, each of which searched a different section of the lower Rhode 
River watershed (i.e., the area east of Muddy Creek Road between Camp Letts and Ivy Neck, 
including adjacent waterways). The SERC count area encompasses approximately 70 km 2 , about 
5% of the size of “standard” 1,810 km 2 Audubon Christmas count circles. 
Despite the low turnout, the count yielded a near-record 68 species (70 species is the all- 
time record species total, reached last year with 17 people counting). We tallied three species 
that had never turned up on previous SERC winter counts (Hooded Merganser, Loggerhead 
Shrike, Savannah Sparrow), and repeated last year’s records for several species that hadn’t 
[jeen encountered on SERC winter counts since the mid 1980 s (Bald Eagle, Great Horned Owl, 
Gray Catbird). As usual, a few species known to be present in the count area (e.g., Bobwhite, 
Barred Owl) were missed, but overall the coverage this year was surprisingly good. 
Thanks for making this year’s count such a success. I hope to see all of you again for next 
year’s effort! 
Ed Balinksy, Antonia Bava, Maria Coughlin, Liza Hamill, Mark Lynch, Ray Madden, Dan 
Niven, Ana Spector, Kirk Swenson, Greg Ruiz, 
