13th Annual Big Sit!
Sunday, October 9, 2005

The 13th annual Big Sit! will take place on Sunday, October 9, 2005, and now it is easier than ever for bird clubs to use the event for fundraising.

The Big Sit! is an annual, international, noncompetitive birding event hosted by Bird Watcher's Digest. It was founded by the New Haven (CT) Bird Club.

Hundreds of teams from around the world participate in The Big Sit! every year. The event is free, it is fun, and it helps promote conservation and the "sport" of bird watching. The Big Sit! is like a bird-a-thon or a Big Day in that the object is to tally as many bird species as can be seen or heard within a 24-hour period. But the unique thing about The Big Sit! is that teams must count birds from within a 17-foot-diameter circle!

Anyone can play at the Big Sit! Get a gaggle of fellow bird watchers or go it alone - your results will help improve your state's (or country's) total species count! Participating teams must register prior to October 9, 2005, by visiting the Bird Watcher's Digest website.

Although fun and conservation trumps competition in this friendly event, your birding team can win "braggin' rights" for the Best Overall Count or Best State Count. Additionally, Swarovski Optik has offered $500 to the circle that finds "The Golden Bird." The winning team can use its $500 prize money to support the conservation cause of its choice, such as the preservation of ivory-billed woodpecker habitat or to support a local bird census. (Bird Watcher's Digest will make a donation to the New Haven Bird Club in Connecticut, which founded the event.)

This year, BWD introduces a new twist. "Fundraising is important to bird clubs everywhere," says Bill Thompson, III, BWD editor and a longtime Big Sitter.  "We encourage bird clubs to use The Big Sit! as a fundraiser by organizing a Big Sit team and collecting pledges for each species they see. Imagine if 20 club members pledged just $0.20 per species and your team tallied 50 species during The Big Sit! That means your team would generate $200 for a special club project." Thompson suggests that clubs register their teams and organize their pledge drive soon, because, "Big Sit! day, October 9, 2005, will be here before you know it." A Big Sit! pledge form is available for downloading from the Big Sit! website.

Your Big Sit! team will generate BIG! attention for your cause when you deck yourselves out in specially designed Big Sit! T-shirts and hats (browse Big Sit gear in our online nature shop).

For more information, to register, and to view past Big Sit results, visit the Bird Watcher's Digest website and look for the blue and orange Big Sit logo.

Special thanks to our Big Sit! sponsors: Swarovski Optik NA and Eagle Optics.

REGISTER NOW!
Then forward this email to your birding buddies!
Good birding! And happy sitting!
Bill Thompson, III (Editor) Bird Watcher's Digest

The Big Sit! is hosted by: BWD and NHBC