Tag Archives: competitive birdwatching

Gearing Up For Bird-A-Thon 2018

May might seem like a long way off, but the Conservation Science department is already planning our team’s strategy for bird-a-thon. We’re also trying to build as big a team as possible for fundraising and birding, so consider joining us!

You can join us as a “Bird-a-thon booster” and help fundraise, or join as an official birder by emailing our team captain Margo.

Bird-a-thon is not only a fun birding event, but also a huge help to Mass Audubon. Our team uses donations from Bird-a-thon to support our conservation programs, like Foresters for the Birds and the Bobolink Project.

Last year, we tied for second place in the Hatheway Cup for most money raised— help us win it this year! A subgroup of our team will also attempt a big day on the 11th, and try to beat our team’s species total from last year.

Some of us get very serious about the competitive aspect of Bird-a-thon, much to everyone else’s amusement. Have you ever wanted to watch our program assistant Will try to hold it together after an all-nighter? Is Jeff, the woodland bird conservationist, willing to belly-crawl through tidal mud to glimpse a Least Bittern? Does lead ornithologist Jon Atwood get hangry if he misses a meal over a last-minute Wilson’s Warbler chase?

Of course, other participants are not obliged to go all-out, as some of us do—you can bird at your own pace, or join for just a few hours of the day!

Jeff and Margo scouting sites for our team (photo: Will Freedberg)

 

Last year, the Conservation Science team recorded 179 species. Come out and see if you can help us beat our total.