There's the Big Year, the Big Day... I know people who do Big Sits... And now, introducing the Big Yard.
After finding out over the past few days, just by paying much closer attention, that my own yard can yield almost fifty species in a single day (and counting!!), I'm inaugurating a new game in the vein of staycations, small carbon footprints, making do, and discovering what's right under your nose: The Big Yard, May 7-31, 2014. Anyone can participate (so go ahead and forward this to anyone not on this list who might want to play). The rules are: 1) all birds counted must be visible and/or audible from your property 2) day tallies must be made within one day (12:00am to 11:59pm), with a new tally starting on the next or any subsequent day. At the end of the month, you submit to me, via email, your biggest day's species total, with street address, approximate property size, and any notes you want to include. 3) you can borrow a friend's yard if you don't have one of your own, but no one can combine two yards for any one day. 4) no calling Sapsucker Woods your yard! The idea is to stay more or less where you are. 5) you may recruit helpers (kids, partners, friends welcome), and your efforts may be combined for the same Yard. Be wary, though, of the enthusiast who lets her imagination create Little Blue Herons at her feeder. Winners may occur in the following categories, plus any others that seem necessary: Most Species in a Single Day, Most Species of the Game (5/7-5/31 species total) Best Behavioral Observation, Best Reporting Style, Most Yard Lists Submitted to eBird, and A "Bird Poker" Award (full house of woodpeckers? Royal flush of sparrows?)-- in other words, most birds from one family group. Prizes are TBA, but in the spirit of the game, they'll likely be no-marginal-cost and/or imaginary, and will include having your newly-won title announced formally to the venerable Cayugabirds list-serve, with highlights from your daring feats of observation. I'll be the judge, will not be allowed to win anything, and will consult experts as needed. I encourage you to submit all of your tallies to eBird!! Who says only the hotspots are hot spots?? Let's populate eBird with new heavily-birded locations! Reply off-list if you want to say you're participating or if you have questions. I look forward to hearing what you find. You can do this game even if you can only bird your yard once or twice between now and the end of the month. Think you have only House Sparrows and an occasional American Goldfinch? I dare you to look/listen again. And again... Caroline Manring West Hill, Ithaca Sent from my iPhone -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
