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A Beginner's Guide to "Big Day" Birding

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2021 starts a new year. And with it, a new year list. If you haven’t picked up on it by now, birders love keeping lists. A life list, year lists, county lists, patch lists, yard lists, and more. But on January 1 … many of those checklists roll back to zero and the bird sightings begin anew.

In birding culture, there’s something of a tradition of doing a “Big Day” in early January to see how many species you can find in one day. It's a fun and rewarding challenge—it tests your birding skills and knowledge of local habitat and gets you outside for a fun winter adventure. If you've ever been curious about challenging yourself to a Big Day, this week's Entryway to Birding blog is for you. Read on for tips to make your outing a successful one.

Madison-area CBC: 2020 Results

Madison-area CBC: 2020 Results

We thought there would be low volunteer turn out because of COVID-19, and therefore less of an ability to cover a wide area in search of birds. And yet, bird-lovers persevered and the count was completed successfully and safely, and we saw LOTS of birds! Nearly 175 volunteers helped scour the Madison-area for birds, and an incredible 97 species were documented, plus an additional 4 species in the 3 days before or after (a period called Count Week). Many of the area captains noted they saw the greatest diversity of birds this year than ever before, and that 97 species total ties the record for diversity in Madison, set in 2017.

Photo by by Aaron Maizlish

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Happy New Year (unless you're a backyard rabbit...)

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Winter is a tough time in my neighborhood, in part because of me. Several times a night my neighbors see my backyard light go on, hear my backdoor banging, and, in a few moments, my pleading with Philly and Peggy, my two noble dogs, to please come back in and LEAVE IT. IT is the real source of the problem, one of my backyard rabbits. The light and noise are to warn the rabbits that the dogs are being let out. The pleading is to stop the dogs from chasing the rabbits.

Paintings by Sally Probasco

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A Birder's Resolutions

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As 2020 creeps to a close, it’s a good time to think about your relationship to birding and how it may evolve in the new year. How will you challenge yourself? What will you strive to learn? How will birding continue to expand your world? This week’s Entryway to Birding blog is here to help you brainstorm ideas for New Year’s resolutions you might make as you bird your way into 2021.

Photo by Caitlyn Schuchhardt

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, Happy Holidays

Meantime, some Christmas gifts have arrived. Please see this DNR story, Holiday Birding Report, Dec. 18, 2020, for the news that many, many bright little birds are visiting Wisconsin this winter. They'd love to welcome you outside for a reminder of how lovely and bountiful nature can be and maybe as a symbol of how life can take unexpected turns for the better. At any rate, they're gorgeous and will lift your spirits. One of the DNR links offers good advice for providing our winter visitors proper nutrition, Ten Tips for Winter Bird Feeding.

Photo by Ryan Brady

 
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