Two teams of birding enthusiasts covered the Mower County area May 9 to determine how many migrant birds pass through on their way to breeding grounds in northern North America.

The cool and windy weather threatened to reduce the number of species seen, but 13 birders armed with binoculars and enthusiasm started at 5 a.m. and counted until 7 p.m. May 9 throughout Mower County, according to organizer Terry Dorsey.

“The teams covered from the western marshes to Lake Louise State Park,” Dorsey said. “The 44-degree high and 30-miles-per-hour winds covered up bird songs, but the determined birders tallied 119 species.”

The average for the 15 years of bird counts is 113.4 species.

The Austin Audubon chapter calls the event their “Birdathon,” a big day for birders in the area.

Since 1993, the local chapter of National Audubon Society (NAS) has been counting bird species in Mower County for the International Migratory Bird Day (IMBD) in a nationwide event held the second Saturday of May.

Many other NAS chapters participate in the event and Austin uses this for both participating in the data collection and as a fundraiser for scholarships and projects throughout the year.

“Insect food sources seemed good, but the wind kept the numbers from going very high,” Dorsey said, adding, “Some surprises occurred.”

Bald eagles were seen in good numbers — six — including a pair at a nest south of Austin.

One each were seen of the winter wren, American pipit, wood thrush and Wilson’s phalarope.

“Habitat decline seems to threaten bobolink and eastern meadowlark, (one each),” Dorsey said.

Great numbers of common species still arrive: Canada geese (140), American robin (150), red-winged blackbird (290) and American goldfinch (130).

The windy conditions didn’t keep warbler species down, but only a few were seen of each, Dorsey said.

Warbler numbers (15) were encouraging, compared to 2008 (11).

“These colorful, bouncy birds nest in northern forests and only pass through the area during a few weeks,” he said.  Blackburnian, parula and chestnut-sided warblers were recorded once each.

Area wastewater treatment ponds produced greater numbers of shore birds (nine compared to five in 2008).

However, there were many swallows, including 11 purple martins at East Side Lake in the houses provided by the Izaak Walton League and Austin Audubon.

“Like any day of recognition, IMBD exists to focus attention on a valuable resource: The nearly 350 species of migratory birds that travel between nesting habitats in North America and non-breeding grounds in South and Central America, Mexico, the Caribbean, and the southern U.S.” Dorsey said.

The 1993 creation of IMBD is credited to a Partners In Flight member, the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center, and the principal responsibility for its national coordination currently rests with two other partners, the National Fish Wildlife Foundation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Division of Migratory Bird Management.

For details of the entire Birdathon, contact Dorsey at 433-4483.