Local version of The Big Sit reveals 80 different species of birds
- Michelle Wood: SWCD
- October 10, 2011
- 388
On Sunday, Oct. 9, Bird Watchers Digest sponsored the annual Big Sit. This event, originally conceived by the New Haven Connecticut Bird Club, now attracts teams from all across the country and beyond. The rules are simple. Just find the best birding area around and pick an imaginary circle with a diameter of 17 feet, and compile as long a list as possible of birds within the 24 hour period. Birds need to be seen or heard by at least two birders while in the circle.
Since many of the birders in this area choose to attend church on Sunday morning, a local version was started, with the appropriate name: The Non-Sunday Big Sit. The event is sponsored by Robert Hershberger and his Time and Optics business. It is held on the Saturday before the national event so this year teams were out there on Oct. 8. As you probably remember, that was a warm, sunny day. In fact it was quite hot, especially for those teams whose choice of a circle did not include any shade.
This was the first year that I have had an opportunity to join one of the local teams and it was a unique experience. As it turned out, the weather was just a little too hot and the birds not as plentiful as we had hoped. Our group chose a spot overlooking Wright Marsh in the Killbuck Marsh Wildlife Area. We arrived an hour before dawn and were treated to the calls of Barred and Great Horned Owls, plus the flight calls of Swainsons and Gray-cheeked Thrushes.
As the sun came up, there were the calls of woodpeckers and the expected local resident birds, plus a late Wood Thrush and a lone Eastern Phoebe. The marsh held a variety of ducks and waterbirds, but not as much variety as we had hoped for. By late morning with our list in the mid 50s, we decided to explore some of the other local birding areas rather than sitting in the sun with little action.
Meanwhile, other teams were more diligent, birding from their circles at such hot spots as the Funk Bottoms Wildlife Area (two teams), Beach City Backwaters, and Force Road in the Killbuck Marsh Wildlife Area. Other groups birded from locations in Wayne, Holmes and surrounding counties.
Although the reports are not all in yet, the results were not too surprising. Every year the team that birds from the Force Road site has been at or near the top. This year they managed to reach the excellent total of 80 different species, although they confided to me that the day got long and it was really hot at their shadeless site. Close behind them at 79 species was a team from the Apple Creek area that found a great location at Funk. Their best bird was a Nelsons Sparrow. Third, at 69, was the Beach City group, who surprised everyone last year by holding the top spot with more than 80 species. A number of other teams reached totals in the 60s.
The movie, The Big Year, is now showing. This comedy is based on the birding book of the same name. Greg Miller, from the Berlin/Sugarcreek area, is one of the three birders featured in the book. Greg reached the amazing total of 715 birds in one year, amassing endless experiences and stories along the way.
Good birding!