Garden Club Bird Spotting Challenge

Garden Club Bird Spotting Challenge

 2015 is the Year of the Bird and as you may have seen in the Minutes, The club has had some programs on that topic since September.

The challenge is to have the club have its own Big Year. A Big Year in the birding world is to note how many different species of birds you see in a year.

In a true Big Year, they also you to recognize the "call of the bird", without sight.  But I am asking that our challenge be only sighting of the bird.  one has to be a true professional to know the call of the bird without sight.  And I'm sure we can recognize the call of mourning dove, blue jays, crows (or could they be grackels??) but this challenge has to be "seen only" specific

The reason I am inviting only you all specifically is that due ot our residences, we cover a great deal of the country and the migrating routes of a huge number of world known birds.

All you need to do is journal bird, date and where bird seen  Examples:  11/13/14  Blue jay, at feeder  Lowell, MA; 11/15/14 Red tail hawk, 5th story ledge  at Boott Mill etc.

Criteria: 

1.  No double entries  (once seen on your personal list, its seen.) 

If Evi, Jeanne and I see a blue jay that is acceptable on the list because  we tracked the migration from the northeast to south central US.  if Abby and Sharon also see a blue jay then we know that blue jays can be seen from Northeast Canada down to South Central US.

 2. Date:  Begin now Nov 2014 to  May 31st 2015  ( this 6 month period will give us winter and  spring summer birds with a migration season)  

3.  each month email me your list so I can keep a overall Results Chart

4. feel free to snap a photo, (but NOT necessary)  and email me.

4.  Garden Club Awards:  our club will submit this data for various appropriate awards given at National, Regional, state and our own garden clubs.  There could be cash awards and for our own club  I am donating  (as a one time award for this specific project) for the most named sighted birds, a pair of photography binoculars!

But regardless of the awards and recognition that I am  pursing on behalf of our garden club,  I hope you will join me for the fun of it.

Please let me know if you want to play sight the birdie!