2015 Biothon Results – Thank you!

By Marcus Simon

June 16, 2015

The results of the Hitchcock Center’s 16th Annual Biothon are in!

Photo Jaana Cutson

More than 116 people went out to explore the wildlife in our Valley on our Biothon weekends of May 1-3 and 8-10.

16 teams went out from 2 to 24 hours, finding a record 651 different species of birds, plants, trees, insects, mammals, amphibians, reptiles and more. View the list of species here.

More than $19,100 in Biothon support poured in from 243 people. Thank you! Your generous donations spread the Biothon buzz and provide vital funding for all of Hitchcock’s year-round environmental and science education programs.

Congratulations to our prize winners!

Most Overall Species Counted: Aaron Ellison’s team: Grace Barber, Elizabeth Farnsworth, Nancy Goodman, Matt Lau
Photo Elizabeth Farnsworth

found 213 species of plants, invertebrates, birds, mammals, amphibians, and more! Aaron receives a framed John Green original photo of an anhinga taken in the Everglades. Thank you to Penny Beebe for donating this piece to the Biothon. Each team member also receives an illustrated trail or wildlife guide.
Most Bird Species Counted: Team Wood/”Weisbird,” who found 89 species of birds and covered 120 miles by car and 12 miles on foot from 4:30 am to 9 pm. Each team member receives an illustrated trail or wildlife guide: Annie Leonard, Dano Weisbord, Nina Weisbord, and George Wood.
Most Dollars Raised: Janice Gifford and David Spector, who raised over $3,500 from 42 supporters in support of their team’s outing. Janice and David will receive a gift certificate to Hadley Garden Center, thanks to HGC’s generous support.

This year’s highlights:

More participants, more species, more dollars:
Photo Scott Surner

we more than doubled last year’s fundraising, nearly doubled the number of people participating in Biothon, and found 100 more species than last year.
Youth Biothoners: 50 youth participated this year, including Dan Ziomek’s Youth Birding Songsters and two fourth grade classes at Fort River Elementary led by Helen Ann Sephton.

Exciting sightings:

Danielle Barshak’s team encountered three black bears at her bird feeders;
Aaron Ellison’s team found two ant species that are new to Hampshire County;
John Green’s team enjoyed a preening pair of Northern Rough-Winged Swallows, a pair of Baltimore Orioles gathering nesting material, and a pair of Bald Eagles soaring over the open water at the Quabbin reservoir;
Katie Koerten’s team spotted an American woodcock mother and three babies crossing the road at the bike path — the mother did a broken wing display to lead them away from her babies;
Photo Scott Surner
David Spector’s team witnessed a Peregrine Falcon in flight feather molt;
Scott Surner’s team found a Horned Grebe in breeding plumage at the UMass Campus Pond.

Thank you to everyone who joined in the Biothon – and of course to our Biothon committee chair, Elizabeth Farnsworth, and committee members Danielle Barshak and Dan Ziomek.

Have a Biothon story to share? Use #Biothon on Facebook and Instagram.

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