Chad Witko
@chadwitko.bsky.social
Yup, that’s your chard now.
August 13, 2025 at 9:14 PM
Yup, that’s your chard now.
Six years at Audubon, its National Science team, and the Migratory Bird Initiative. Woot woot.
July 15, 2025 at 6:10 PM
Six years at Audubon, its National Science team, and the Migratory Bird Initiative. Woot woot.
TGIF
It’s Friday and we’re ready to dive into the weekend. Got any birding plans?
📸: Warbling Vireo. Chris Roberts
📸: Warbling Vireo. Chris Roberts
May 16, 2025 at 10:55 PM
TGIF
Back in my CA pelagic days I scanned through every shearwater until my eyes teared up looking for a Streaked. What an incredible find for the Atlantic basin! Yowzas.
On May 11, a Streaked Shearwater (Calonectris leucomelas) was photographed off NJ from the Cape May-Lewes Ferry. Native to the western Pacific, this marks the first known detection in the Atlantic Ocean—a truly extraordinary find.
☑️📋: Hibsch C, Chojnacki J, and Chojnacki C ebird.org/checklist/S2...
☑️📋: Hibsch C, Chojnacki J, and Chojnacki C ebird.org/checklist/S2...
eBird Checklist - 11 May 2025 - Cape May-Lewes Ferry (NJ waters) - 6 species
Submitted by Christy Hibsch.
ebird.org
May 14, 2025 at 2:03 AM
Back in my CA pelagic days I scanned through every shearwater until my eyes teared up looking for a Streaked. What an incredible find for the Atlantic basin! Yowzas.
Happy Mother’s Day!
Today, we celebrate all the incredible mothers who nurture, guide, protect, and persevere with strength and grace. To all the moms—winged, wild, and human—thank you.
📷: Kristina McOmber/Kupu Conservation Leadership Development Program and USFWS
📷: Kristina McOmber/Kupu Conservation Leadership Development Program and USFWS
May 11, 2025 at 9:26 PM
Happy Mother’s Day!
This #WorldMigratoryBirdDay, find out where your local migratory birds may be coming from on their journeys based on band encounter data from the USGS Bird Banding Lab and hundreds of scientists and institutions on the Bird Migration Explorer! explorer.audubon.org
Bird Migration Explorer
The Bird Migration Explorer is your guide to the heroic annual journeys made by over 450 bird species, and the challenges they face along the way.
explorer.audubon.org
May 10, 2025 at 11:44 AM
This #WorldMigratoryBirdDay, find out where your local migratory birds may be coming from on their journeys based on band encounter data from the USGS Bird Banding Lab and hundreds of scientists and institutions on the Bird Migration Explorer! explorer.audubon.org
Quiz: What eBird species account starts with "Wonderful, cartoonish bird?" Fun guesses welcome.
May 7, 2025 at 11:22 PM
Quiz: What eBird species account starts with "Wonderful, cartoonish bird?" Fun guesses welcome.
Came out of our annual retreat with three lifers: Eurasian Tree Sparrow, Harris's Sparrow, and Kentucky Warbler!
May 6, 2025 at 1:11 AM
Came out of our annual retreat with three lifers: Eurasian Tree Sparrow, Harris's Sparrow, and Kentucky Warbler!
I’ll be in St. Louis next week for work and I have two primary bird targets. Any guesses?!!
April 24, 2025 at 1:22 AM
I’ll be in St. Louis next week for work and I have two primary bird targets. Any guesses?!!
Last night, Sibley spoke at a local library. He graciously signed a few books, including this bird-finding guide to NJ. This was my first exposure to his art, long before his field guides. He stared at it as if seeing a long-lost relative. "Wow! I don't think I've ever signed one of these!"
April 16, 2025 at 3:52 PM
Last night, Sibley spoke at a local library. He graciously signed a few books, including this bird-finding guide to NJ. This was my first exposure to his art, long before his field guides. He stared at it as if seeing a long-lost relative. "Wow! I don't think I've ever signed one of these!"
Looking at people's yard lists, what impresses me isn't always the total (but, seriously, look at these!) but also what was last observed. Are there any surprises here? PS: Does anyone know what Keith Hansen's Wildlife Gallery bird list is up to in Bolinas, CA? His website shows it was 230 in '20.
April 8, 2025 at 2:35 PM
Looking at people's yard lists, what impresses me isn't always the total (but, seriously, look at these!) but also what was last observed. Are there any surprises here? PS: Does anyone know what Keith Hansen's Wildlife Gallery bird list is up to in Bolinas, CA? His website shows it was 230 in '20.
Consider supporting our raptorthon team: www.hawkmigration.org/product/gree...
Green Mountain Soaring Skies Raptorthon – Hawk Migration Association
www.hawkmigration.org
April 1, 2025 at 12:20 AM
Consider supporting our raptorthon team: www.hawkmigration.org/product/gree...
Proud to receive the GEM Award at the National Audubon Society—a great way to start the week here in rainy Vermont!
March 31, 2025 at 9:01 PM
Proud to receive the GEM Award at the National Audubon Society—a great way to start the week here in rainy Vermont!
Well, it looks like I’ll be heading up to Quebec this weekend for some birding—arriving around midnight tomorrow (Friday) night after a five-hour drive and ready for a full day Saturday and some of Sunday. The plan? Try to find some Gray Partridge, Willow Ptarmigan, and irruptive owls. 🤞
March 6, 2025 at 2:47 PM
Well, it looks like I’ll be heading up to Quebec this weekend for some birding—arriving around midnight tomorrow (Friday) night after a five-hour drive and ready for a full day Saturday and some of Sunday. The plan? Try to find some Gray Partridge, Willow Ptarmigan, and irruptive owls. 🤞
Anyone have experience birding in Quebec this winter? I might be going with a friend in a few weeks (TBD) to look for owls and Willow Ptarmigan. I welcome any tips!
February 19, 2025 at 7:24 PM
Anyone have experience birding in Quebec this winter? I might be going with a friend in a few weeks (TBD) to look for owls and Willow Ptarmigan. I welcome any tips!
A Boreal Owl was just found in VT: ebird.org/checklist/S2.... Opposite end of the state from me, but man oh man.
eBird Checklist - 15 Feb 2025 - Old North End - 5 species
Submitted by Lee Toomey.
ebird.org
February 15, 2025 at 11:39 PM
A Boreal Owl was just found in VT: ebird.org/checklist/S2.... Opposite end of the state from me, but man oh man.
Literally still dreaming about this experience: www.audubon.org/news/unforge...
An Unforgettable Experience off the Coast of Newfoundland
A group of researchers, educators, photographers, and Indigenous youth climb aboard the Polar Prince.
www.audubon.org
February 14, 2025 at 9:22 PM
Literally still dreaming about this experience: www.audubon.org/news/unforge...
I might be traveling to Rochester, NY, in a few weeks. I figured I'd see what birds were even considered possible ABA lifers during that time frame (living in NY for 30 years or so, I had a good sense). Here's the top baker's dozen (per eBird). Woof! Maybe a vagrant bird will show up before then.
February 12, 2025 at 10:10 PM
I might be traveling to Rochester, NY, in a few weeks. I figured I'd see what birds were even considered possible ABA lifers during that time frame (living in NY for 30 years or so, I had a good sense). Here's the top baker's dozen (per eBird). Woof! Maybe a vagrant bird will show up before then.
Reposted by Chad Witko
Love this Galbatross crew! Amazing stuff that will hopefully open people's eyes to female birds a bit more. Congrats friends!
January 31, 2025 at 2:25 AM
Love this Galbatross crew! Amazing stuff that will hopefully open people's eyes to female birds a bit more. Congrats friends!
Some recent lifers, all coming from NY and New England: Taiga Bean-Goose, Tundra Bean-Goose, and Northern Lapwing.
January 29, 2025 at 1:00 AM
Some recent lifers, all coming from NY and New England: Taiga Bean-Goose, Tundra Bean-Goose, and Northern Lapwing.
Is anyone else having dreams of finding ptarmigan lately? Or is it just me?
January 28, 2025 at 11:52 PM
Is anyone else having dreams of finding ptarmigan lately? Or is it just me?
Love a good success story!
13/ It was, in truth, a short drive, and @chadwitko.bsky.social had helpfully posted a map of exactly where the bird was, so within forty minutes we were at Fort Rodman and scrambling up a grassy hill to peer into the facility. Enrico got there first and immediately gave me the thumbs up! 👉
January 28, 2025 at 11:51 PM
Love a good success story!
Reposted by Chad Witko
13/ It was, in truth, a short drive, and @chadwitko.bsky.social had helpfully posted a map of exactly where the bird was, so within forty minutes we were at Fort Rodman and scrambling up a grassy hill to peer into the facility. Enrico got there first and immediately gave me the thumbs up! 👉
January 27, 2025 at 3:35 PM
13/ It was, in truth, a short drive, and @chadwitko.bsky.social had helpfully posted a map of exactly where the bird was, so within forty minutes we were at Fort Rodman and scrambling up a grassy hill to peer into the facility. Enrico got there first and immediately gave me the thumbs up! 👉
