PRATT, Kan. -(Ammoland.com)- Kathy Carroll, Bonner Springs, identified 334 unique species of birds in the Sunflower State last year while participating in the fifth annual Kansas Birding Big Year contest that ended on Dec. 31, 2017.
Her efforts won 1st place in the intermediate category and was the overall high among all entrants.
The Kansas Birding Big Year contest is an annual competition among birders in Kansas to see who can spot the most species in a calendar year.
Winners of the 2017 contest listed below competed against 62 total entrants.
Adult Advanced
- 1st – Malcolm Gold, Overland Park, 332 species
- 2nd – Andrew Burnett, Erie, 307
- 3rd – Sue Newland, Wakarusa, 305
- 4th – Robert Penner, Ellinwood, 302
- 5th – Kevin Groeneweg, Wichita, 296
Adult Intermediate
- 1st – Kathy Carroll, Bonner Springs, 334 (High Overall)
- 2nd – Mickey Louis, Overland Park, 304
- 3rd – Jennifer Hammett, Shawnee, 294
- 4th – Kelli Egbert, Spring Hill, 286
- 5th – Linda Zempel, Topeka, 259
Adult Novice
- 1st – Allison Godek, Prairie Village, 297
- 2nd – David Kirsch, Overland Park, 270
- 3rd – Michael Bader, Great Bend, 234
- 4th – Suntesha Wustrack, Augusta, 221
- 5th – Walt Cochran, Gardner, 220
Youth
- 1st – Andrew Miller, Partridge, 272
- 2nd – Will Kirsch, Overland Park, 257
- 3rd – Sam Schermerhorn, Wamego, 232
- 4th – Lynnea Nelson, Carbondale, 208
- 5th – Michaela Gold, Overland Park, 193
- 6th – Ella Burnett, Erie, 162
Senior
- 1st – Dan Larson, Berryton, 255
- 2nd – Doris Burnett, Manhattan, 223
- 3rd – John Row, Manhattan, 191
Birds are counted from January 1 to December 31 of each year and entered through the website, www.ebird.org, a reporting program housed at Cornell University.
Apart from bragging rights, winners receive prizes from the KDWPT Education Section, and Acorn Naturalists of Tustin, CA, a supplier of resources for the trail and classroom.
The winners of each of the three age classifications (and skill levels in the adult classification) will also receive matted and framed original drawings of native Kansas shorebirds, drawn and donated by Dr. Robert Penner. Dr. Penner is the land steward and avian projects coordinator for The Nature Conservancy at Cheyenne Bottoms.
To sign up for the 2018 contest, visit their website and get counting.