2017 eBird Global Big Day results

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Nikki McArthur
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2017 eBird Global Big Day results

Postby Nikki McArthur » Tue May 23, 2017 5:24 pm

Hi all,

This is a bit of a late posting, but on the 13th May the Cornell Lab of Ornithology ran their annual Global Big Day, a worldwide event aimed at accumulating observations of as many of the world's bird species as possible during a single day of birding.

Participating birders submit their observations via the eBird website, enabling those participating, or those watching from the sidelines to watch observations accumulate in real time as they're reported.

2017 turned out to be another record-breaking year, with over 20,000 birders from 150 countries taking part, submitting around 50,000 checklists containing records for 6,564 species - a new global, one-day record. A very good article summarising the day's efforts has now gone up on the eBird website:

http://ebird.org/content/ebird/news/gbd17results/

This Global Big Day event has a rather low-key following in NZ, probably due to the time of year (not ideal for southern hemisphere participants), and a lack of local promotion. However a few of our local eBird stalwarts usually take part. I've had a crack at it each year over the last three years, but have to admit this year was a total wash-out for me. Despite finding myself on Great Barrier Island on the 13th May, work constraints kept my day's total to a shameful total of eight species: Black petrel, morepork, fantail, tui, kaka, silvereye, tomtit and NI robin. In fact, my day's total has been declining each year I've participated in the GBD - from 60 species in 2015 (Wellington Region; http://www.birdingnz.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=4529&hilit=global+big+day&start=10#p20830), to 41 species in 2016 (Little Barrier Island; http://www.birdingnz.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=5720&p=28273&hilit=mahina#p28273) to just 8 species in 2017 (Great Barrier Island). Hopefully 2018 will be the year that I turn the corner!!

Cheers,
Nikki
Jim Kirker
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Re: 2017 eBird Global Big Day results

Postby Jim Kirker » Tue May 23, 2017 6:47 pm

ebirdnz said it was the 14th May to submit multiple lists to enter a draw, so off I went on a very satisfying day. Found I couldn't tell the Thrush's song from the Blackbird's and that Dunnocks are hard to spot ! Next up is learning to pick Mallards and Grey ducks from Mallard hybrids.
Mike Vincent
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Re: 2017 eBird Global Big Day results

Postby Mike Vincent » Tue May 23, 2017 7:19 pm

I went out to the Pukehina and then spent the rest of the day around Lake Okareka and Whakawerawera. The very strong winds did not help and the bush birds I was after were all hiding. In the end I got about 33 birds which included Falcon, Marsh Sandpiper and White Heron
Joanna10
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Re: 2017 eBird Global Big Day results

Postby Joanna10 » Sat May 27, 2017 7:05 pm

Despite the rather awful weather (with strong, cold winds and squalls of rain, esp around the coast) 5 teams of 2 - plus 3 more birders birding near their homes - set out to cover as much of the WAIRARAPA as possible on the day. It started with a dawn trip to Pukaha Mt Bruce to try and spot kokako and rifleman. Success with kokako but failure with rifleman. We covered coastal, wetland, river and bush habitats, with a bit of urban thrown in.
At the end of the day we had accrued 63 species, so we were very pleased with that!

Notable sightings included bittern, black-billed gull, black-fronted dotterel, pipit, falcon, black-fronted tern. What we were hoping to encounter, but didn't, were ruru, NZ dotterel, rifleman and red-crowned parakeet.
We finished the day meeting up at a pub to share hot chips, a few drinks and to swap stories about our day. We all agreed it was alot of fun and we're looking forward to doing it all again next year :>)
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mark ayre
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Re: 2017 eBird Global Big Day results

Postby mark ayre » Thu Nov 02, 2017 10:32 pm

Hi george,
It would be rely cool if you could finish that page as we could put it in the article going in the forest and bird magazine.

can you send the link to caroline woods cgwoodnz@gmail.com

it neess to be be with early friday please
cheers Mark

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