The Green Big Day

150 birds, 2 sore dudes

Scott Smithson — Thu, 10 May 2012 03:54:08 +0000

Since last Saturday, I have barely been able to hold chopsticks with enough strength in my hand to keep sushi from falling back to the plate. Folks, I have learned for the 2nd and hopefully last time…that it is wise to train for a 16-hour day of birding by bike! I should have listened to Josiah Clark who trains for these green big days every year.

Anyway, Alex Rinkert and I managed to break the previous Santa Cruz County GBD record of 130 with an exhausting effort that began with a Great-horned Owl and ended with a Barn Owl. After recounting (making sure there were no hanging chads), Alex Rinkert emailed me with excitement to tell me we had logged 150 species on the day!

I’ll be posting everyone’s stories soon, keep ‘em coming. You have until the end of May to do a Green Big Day in your neighborhood, no matter where you live…enjoy!

GBD Map is updated!

Scott Smithson — Thu, 03 May 2012 03:58:53 +0000

All entries are up to date, good luck to all of you and be safe out there!

159 by bike, 121 on foot, what’s next?

Scott Smithson — Wed, 02 May 2012 05:14:01 +0000

Some great biking and walking birding efforts took place in April, including a record-breaking epic ride in Marin County. Stories, lists and birder names will be posted soon! Thank you all for joining the fun and letting us in on your experiences. At least here in coastal CA, the upcoming first weekend of May is the last good weekend to get out there before most of the straggling winter residents have taken flight. For others, the rest of May is the best convergence of avian biodiversity, so sign up and go birding without your car!

New Greenbirding Europe blog

Scott Smithson — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 05:15:38 +0000

Check out this new blog from the UK’s “biking birder” Gary Prescott, who has been promoting the Green Big Day in Europe:

http://www.surfbirds.com/community-blogs/greenbirdingeurope/

Go green, go big, for one day!

Scott Smithson — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 03:54:20 +0000

Hi birders, the GBD window has been open since April 14th, and I have heard from the northern US states that they would love to be able to do their green big days later in May. So it’s simple…you have until the end of May to walk, bike or kayak your way into the local birding record books!

Beat your own score from last year, or set a brand new greenbirding record in your home county. Just leave your car at home for one full day of birding and enjoy the patch near your own home.

I wish you all the best birding and safety for your effort. I will be walking a big day in Santa Cruz County, CA on April 21, along with several other SCZ birders.

Green Big Day 2012!

Scott Smithson — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 01:08:41 +0000

Spring is just around the corner, and April 14 to May 31 will be the reporting period for the Green Big Day event this spring! Time to gear up and beat your own green big day record from last year. I will update website and blog in the days to come…please contact me if you would like to coordinate your region.:)

New greenbirding website from BIGBY creators!

Scott Smithson — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 05:52:23 +0000

Hey, I encourage you to go to www.greenbirding.ca and register to become a part of their online greenbirding community! These are the visionary folks who brought us the BIGBY idea in 2008 and who were supportive of the Green Big … Continue reading →

Greenbirding as Fundraising

Scott Smithson — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 19:28:55 +0000

I want to encourage you to consider using your BIGBY (Big Green Birding Year) or your personal “green big days” for fundraising to support your local bird-friendly non-profit organizations. Gary Prescott and some of his friends have been doing this in the UK for years – check out “The Biking Birder’s” blog here: http://bikingbirder2010.blogspot.com/.

Also, look at the Urban Ecology Center’s May 14 “Greenbirding Challenge” for ideas about how to organize your local birding community into a green fundraising force for good – http://urbanecologycenter.org/greenbirdingchallenge/index.html.

Yes, I’m still working on posting all those lists and results…!

We’re all winners! (but see below for who saw the most birds)

Scott Smithson — Thu, 26 May 2011 04:25:50 +0000

I am pleased to announce the winners of the first ever Green Big Day competition! There are biking and walking categories, as well as inland and coastal for US teams. Of 29 teams reporting, 2 hailed from Australia, 6 were from the UK, and 21 from the US.

Over the next week or so, I will be posting everyone’s results in the drop down menus. Please continue sending me your stories. Congratulations to you all, and thank you for your time and effort! I hope you had as much fun as I did.

Australia

43 spp biking: Team PAL (Martin B) – Palerang, AU
62 spp walking: Team CAN (Peter C) - Canberra, AU

United Kingdom

144 spp biking: Team NOR (Chris M & Nick M) – Norfolk, UK
93 spp walking: Team LOT (Jim N) – East Lothian, UK

USA – Coastal

145 spp biking: Team MAR (Josiah C & Andy K) – Marin, CA
82 spp walking: Team SLO (Jim R & Mike S) – San Luis Obispo, CA

USA – Inland

97 spp biking: Team FLO (Kay & Bob K) – Florence, WI
53 spp walking: Team LAF (Nick L) – Lafayette, MI

Birders, check the scores!

Scott Smithson — Tue, 24 May 2011 00:09:21 +0000

Hello there,

In the friendly spirit of competition, I urge you to check the Map & Scores tab to make sure your effort has been represented. If it has gotten lost in the shuffle, please let me know. Or if you haven’t sent me your bird list yet, please do so today! I will announce final winners Wednesday of this week.

Keep sending me stories of your green big day experience, and they will find their way to this website & blog.