May Migration Challenge - Final Recap
May 31, 2025 | 1:24pm
Date: May 31, 2025
Location: Seabrook Town Forest
Start Time: 1:24pm
Duration: 1 hr, 13 min
Daily Highlights:
Total species observed: 39 species
Warbler species observed: 6
Notable species: Red-shouldered Hawk
Merlin’s Bird of the Day: Red-eyed Vireo
Final Challenge Stats:
Seabrook Town Forest Life List:
Start: 135 Species
Finish: 144 Species
Goal: 140 Species COMPLETE
Seabrook Town Forest Species Month Total:
Start: 0 Species
Finish: 111 Species
Goal: 80 Species COMPLETE
Warbler Species Total:
Start: 0 Species
Finish: 24 Species
Goal: 20 Species COMPLETE
Single Checklist Record:
Previous Record: 60 Species (May 13, 2024)
Current Record: 69 Species (May 11, 2025)
Goal: 60+ Species COMPLETE
Vagrant Species Found?:
Lark Sparrow in Seabrook (May 12, 2025)
None at Seabrook Town Forest
Merlin Bird of the Day:
Longest Streak: 8 (May 23-May 31)
Total Days: 17/31 Days
Photo of the Day:
Daily Recap:
I took my last walk of the month with one of my brothers today. We managed to get out of the house just in time to enjoy a stretch of sun before the rain returned.
It was a beautiful walk. Most of the usual birds were around, but I did get one new addition for the month: a Red-shouldered Hawk, bringing my final species total to 111 for May.
We had fantastic views of a loudly singing Baltimore Oriole feeding in the treetop right above us. A Northern Flicker was foraging nearby alongside some blackbirds on the ground, and just a bit farther off, we spotted three baby Groundhogs! Other than that, the pond was fairly quiet, and the usual birds were singing.
What a month it’s been.
Without a doubt, this has been my best month of birding since I started in 2022. I couldn’t have had more fun doing this challenge. Birding in downpours, meeting new people, and sharing this place with my community. This experience truly helped me grow and mature as a birder.
I’m incredibly grateful I took this opportunity and committed to visiting and writing about the Town Forest every single day.
Thank you to everyone who’s been following along from the beginning, and to anyone who joined me at any point this month. I love writing about my experiences and being able to connect with you all through this platform.
And yes, I’m already planning my next challenge!
This fall, I’ll be back with a more structured version, including daily themes, guest appearances, and new challenges. The next one will take place in September, right in the heart of fall migration.
Thank you again to everyone who followed along this month. With the challenge complete, we return to our usual rhythm here in The Field Diary.