Ruth Ann Dean Memorial Birdathon

Join us for the 2020 Birdathon! In response to Covid-19 and our local ‘stay-at-home’ orders, PVAS is instituting a revised (but still fun!) Ruth Ann Dean Memorial Birdathon. This year’s Birdathon will consist of two separate events: PVAS Top Birder 2020 (a fundraiser) and a Community Collaborative Big Day (a FREE community activity).

PVAS Top Birder 2020:

This fundraising portion of Birdathon will feature a fun and friendly competition between Bob Dean, Matt Orsie, and Wil Hershberger for the title of PVAS Top Birder 2020!

Wil, Bob and Matt will conduct individual Big Sits at their personal, ‘stay-at-home’ space.  During their Big Sits, the three birders are tasked with counting as many bird species as possible in one defined area, during a 24-hour period, anytime between May 10 and May 23.  Whoever identifies the most bird species will be crowned PVAS Top Birder 2020.

But they need the community’s support to earn the use of birding privileges to help them perform at their best.  You get to decide which birder you favor for the Top Birder crown and sponsor that birder’s efforts.  Your contribution, of any amount, will combine with other donors, allowing them access to the following birding privileges.

If the birder raises X dollars, then they earn Y privilege, as follows:

• $100 – the birder may use binoculars
• $200 – may use binoculars and have an assistant birder (quarantine companion)
• $300 – binoculars, an assistant, and they may count birds heard in addition to birds seen
• $400 – binoculars, an assistant, ability to count birds by ear, and they may use a spotting scope
• $500 – binoculars, an assistant, ability to count birds by ear, spotting scope and they may count birds at a feeder

All funds raised will support PVAS’s Habitat Stewardship Programs (Grassland Birds Initiative, Protected Pollinator Patch and Wildlife Habitat), which seek to educate landowners on the best management practices for sustaining habitat for our native wildlife species on their own properties.

Click the images below to learn more about Bob, Matt and Wil.  When you’re ready, follow this link to sponsor the birder of your choice!

Community Collaborative Big Day:

GOAL:  The ultimate goal of the Community Collaborative Big Day is to collaboratively observe and count at least 100 different bird species within the PVAS service area!

Everyone in our four-county service area (Jefferson, Berkeley, and Morgan counties in WV and Washington County, MD) is invited to contribute to the Community Collaborative Big Day! Create your own team – either solo or with quarantine companions – come up with a clever name, and have a Big Sit in your backyard or neighborhood.  A Big Sit consists of recording as many bird species, seen or heard, in one location for up to 24-hours. This can occur any day between May 10 and May 23. Teams are encouraged to use eBird but should also submit their species list by doing one of the following:

1. Post your species list on our Facebook Event – photos are optional, but welcome
2. Email your species list to katelyn@potomacaudubon.org

We will then combine the data submitted by each team to see if, together, we can reach the goal of 100 different bird species!

Please email KC Walters with any questions you may have!