Black Swamp Bird Observatory presents The Local Patch Birding Blitz An event created by student members of BSBO's Ohio Young Birders Club!
Black Swamp Bird Observatory and BSBO's Ohio Young Birders Club are hosting a Local Patch Birding Blitz on World Migratory Bird Day Saturday, May 9, 2020. This will be a united effort to celebrate World Migratory Bird Day from our home areas, tallying as many birds as possible. We may not be able to be together, but in the spirit of World Migratory Bird Day, we can still go birding alongside each other, virtually!
Black Swamp Bird Observatory and BSBO's Ohio Young Birders Club hope you will join them in this Local Patch Birding Blitz to help celebrate World Migratory Bird Day and to stand in solidarity with other birders, virtually, when we would all normally be celebrating spring songbird migration together at The Biggest Week In American Birding.
As Ohio is still under the Governor's stay at home order through May 29, and keeping the safety of all birders and their families in mind, we ask for strict adherence to the following guidelines:
TEAMS Each family unit is encouraged to be a team. Each Ohio Young Birders Chapter (OYBC) will also be hosting teams composed of OYBC chapter members and advisors that wish to participate.
PLAYING FIELD Birding must be done from the birders' local patch. Areas allowed will also include the home neighborhood or adjacent area not to exceed five miles away from home. Foot or bike are the recommended forms of travel.
TIME FRAME The Local Patch Birding Blitz will take place from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. Birders can participate for the entirety or a portion of the event - whichever works best for you and your team.
LIST KEEPING CountDay.org - cumulative list for the event eBird.org - personal list and citizen science contribution
CountDay.org: For this event, we will be using CountDay.org to keep a cumulative list. Using CountDay.org will allow each participant to add to the event total while also keeping their personal list for the day. BSBO will be listed as the leader for the count. Below are instructions for using CountDay.org and a link for the iOS app. Note, there is no longer an Android version of the app, but it works just as well in a web browser. If you already have the app installed on your Android device, the previous version should continue to operate. Otherwise, those using an Android device will need to enter their list at the CountDay.org website. CLICK HERE for the CountDay app in the Apple app store.
Instructions for using CountDay.org:
Visit CountDay.org or download the CountDay app through the Apple Store. Android users will visit CountDay.org.
Under the Login page, click Sign Up and create your account (including either a personal or group name).
On the All Counts page, click the count name/location you wish to count for (STATEWIDE LIST BSBO Local Patch Blitz) and then select Request to be a Counter.
On the day of the count: login, select the count from the main page or under My Counts, and select Add Birds to begin adding sightings.
A full list of possible species will appear. Enter the number of a species you’d like to add (eg. Northern Cardinal 2, European Starling 7). This can be done minute-by-minute or all at once at the end of the count. Once you’re done adding birds, select Add Birds or Go to save your sightings.
Every time you add birds, simply enter the number of additional birds and CountDay will automatically tally them for you.
When you add birds, your sightings will contribute to the main tally and will be tracked under your name or team's name. You can view the main tally or select counters to see what others in the count have reported. At the end of the day, the tally will be completed, and additional birds can no longer be added.
eBird.org: Birders are also encouraged to submit their bird sightings on eBird in accordance with eBird protocol. May 9 is also eBird's Global Big Day, so enterting your sightings in eBird will contribute to a global count and the data will be available for scientific needs in the future.
CLICK HERE to sign up for the eBird Essentials Bird Academy online course. This short intro lesson module will help with navigating eBird.
RESULTS Join us at 7 p.m. for a Facebook Live on the BSBO Facebook page for some highlights of the day's events and the super exciting drawing for the $6400 optics package!!