Allen Bird Club May Count

2026 May Count Summary

There were 16 teams and 28 observers out in Hampden County territories for the count held on May 15–16. The weather was calm and cool (upper 50s) on Friday evening. Saturday morning was calm, with temperatures just below 50 degrees, but they reached the 80s by afternoon, with winds increasing to 10–15 mph and gusting to 20 mph. Skies were fair in the early morning and late afternoon but mostly cloudy otherwise. Water levels were high in rivers and streams.

Together, the teams recorded 140 species, three more than last year and four more than the average counted over the past ten years. At 8,679 individuals, we were 721 birds below the ten-year average.

Many species had higher counts than their ten-year averages, with several setting all-time highs in the 64-year history of the count. In parentheses are the totals for 2026, followed by the ten-year average: Bald Eagle, all-time high count (22–13); Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, all-time high count (17–11); Pileated Woodpecker, all-time high count (27–17); Great Crested Flycatcher, all-time high count (101–65); Yellow-throated Vireo, all-time high count (20–12); Fish Crow, all-time high count (43–12); Barn Swallow (152–86); Wood Thrush (200–146); and Common Yellowthroat, highest count since 1999 (179–133). The Tennessee Warbler (38–15) had its second-highest count of the past ten years and is one of several migrant warblers whose numbers vary dramatically, with some years producing high counts while others yield very few.

We did not add any new species to the May Count this year, but we did record a few species that have been counted only infrequently during the past ten years. Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, Horned Lark, Gray-cheeked Thrush, and Purple Finch were recorded only two other times. Alder Flycatcher was counted just one other time in the past ten years. Mourning Warbler was last counted in 2019, and prior to that had not been recorded since 2010.

Several species had notably low counts this year. In parentheses are the totals for 2026, followed by the ten-year average: Common Merganser, same as last year (2–11); Wild Turkey, lowest count since 1998 (3–13); and Belted Kingfisher, lowest count since 1985 (5–11). This year had the lowest count of Canada Warbler (1–7) in the 64-year history of the count, with the exception of 1968, when the species was not recorded at all.

Notable misses this year included Hooded Merganser, only the second miss in the past ten years, and Great Horned Owl and Grasshopper Sparrow, each missed for only the third time during that period. Ruffed Grouse was missed again this year, as has become customary. It was last recorded in 2015, though more interestingly, it was recorded every year from 1963 through 2012.

Thanks to everyone who spent many hours in the field, especially Steve and Andre, who birded for 15.5 hours and finished with the third-highest species total, at 85. The variety of habitats within certain territories lends itself to finding unusual species, and some teams managed to record one or more species that no other team identified during the count. Janice heard two Eastern Screech-Owls in the early morning hours, and later she and Gail added an American Kestrel and an Alder Flycatcher. April and Bambi found two Barred Owls, Bill recorded a Common Loon, and Steve and Andre found a Mourning Warbler.

The count would not be the same without our heaviest hitters. Craig contributed a Yellow-billed Cuckoo, two Upland Sandpipers, two Lesser Yellowlegs, a Horned Lark, a Purple Finch, and two Eastern Meadowlarks. Dave and Kim added American Black Duck, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, Winter Wren, Marsh Wren, Brown Thrasher, Gray-cheeked Thrush, and Worm-eating and Canada Warblers.

Several species were found by only two teams, including Common Merganser (Tom; Steve and Andre), Black-billed Cuckoo (Joanne and Al; Bill), Ring-billed Gull (Terri; Bill), Black Vulture (Steve and Andre; April and Bambi), Cooper’s Hawk (George and Jean; Dave and Kim), Broad-winged Hawk (April and Bambi; Dave and Kim), Willow Flycatcher (Janice and Gail; Kathy and Myles), Least Flycatcher (Al and Lois; Craig), Dark-eyed Junco (Steve and Andre; Dave and Kim), and Blackpoll Warbler (Kathy and Myles; Dave and Kim).

While these teams contributed many hard-to-find species, every participating team played an important role in surveying Hampden County, and all contributions are greatly appreciated.

Click below to view or download complete count results.

2026 May Count Results