In 2024, CTBirds ListServ Moderator and COA Associate, Chuck Imbergamo challenged birders in Connecticut to visit their local community gardens and see what birds might pop up. We had all of our “common” fall birds plus a couple “standouts” including a Connecticut Warbler at the Harris Reserve and Municipal Area (East Haddam).
In the words of COA Board Member Dan Rottino, “I was participating in this Harvest project for fun not really expecting any rarities but now it reminds me of a rarity roundup“. The adage of “you won’t see anything if you don’t get out and try” is true indeed!
We are now in our second season and are excited to see what individuals might turn up! Chuck will be posting the weekly tallies on the the CTBirds ListServ and we’ll include the current totals below. For more rules and the 2025 message, please check out our News Post.
Fine print: You must use eBird and the hotspot to record your birds. The birds can be seen anywhere within the confines of your hotspot and do NOT need to be seen in the gardens themselves. Birds must be accepted by our eBird reviewers to count. Follow all local rules, regulations and the ABA code of ethics, as always. The challenge is open to all, but is limited to community gardens within Connecticut.
If your garden is not represented, please reach out to us by emailing contact@ctbirding.org. Happy Birding!
Participating Garden eBird Hotspots
The 2024 Champion was the Allen’s Meadows Park with 103 total species followed closely by Bauer Farm (98). To view all the 2024 park totals, visit our 2024 Community Garden Harvest Challenge post.