Upcoming: 5

Big Sit! birding events are scheduled for October 7 at Huntley Meadows Park, sponsored by the Northern Virginia Bird Club (see the August edition of the newsletter for details), and for October 14 at the National Wildlife Visitor Center at Patuxent Research Refuge in Laurel, Md (more info at the Refuge’s events page). In contrast to more active birding events,

Some people have called it a “tailgate party for birders….” The simplicity of the concept makes The Big Sit! so appealing. Find a good spot for bird watching—preferably one with good views of a variety of habitats and lots of birds. Next you create a real or imaginary circle 17 feet in diameter and sit inside the circle for 24 hours, counting all the bird species you see or hear. That’s it. Find a spot, sit in it, have fun.

THE BIG SIT! is like a Big Day, or a bird-a-thon in that the object is to tally as many bird species as can be seen or heard within 24 hours. The difference lies in the area limitation from which you can observe. THIS FREE EVENT is OPEN to every person and club in any country!