EDG Pledge Form
News Update: On April 19 the EDG Birding Team set a new national Big Day record with 260 species! Read report.
This month the EDG Birding Team, sponsored by Nikon Sport Optics and Birding America, will attempt to set a new national Big Day record, and in the process raise money for Houston Audubon Society's Sanctuary fund to preserve another portion of Bolivar Flats. Join us in supporting the Houston Audubon Society's efforts to preserve crucial habitat for migrating birds along the Texas coast.
A Big Day is a single-team effort in which the primary objective is to identify as many species of birds as possible during a single calendar day. The American Birding Association oversees and verifies all Big Day records. In 2001 the longstanding Big Day record of 231 species was shattered in dramatic fashion and a new record of 258 species was established. Several attempts have been made to best this spectacular total, but all efforts have fallen short.
Last year, the EDG Birding Team made an exploratory attempt in Texas and feel that with their combined expertise and some good luck they have a great shot at challenging the record. This attempt was hampered by an unfortunate roadside accident that took a quarter of that day's birding away from the team. The team thinks 251 in three fourth's of a day is enough motivation to dethrone the current record. They were lucky the car was the only wounded participant of the Big Day!
Help us support the Houston Audubon Society's conservation efforts by pledging to support this Big Day attempt. To pledge click here. The Houston Audubon Society has secured a donor to match all pledges, making your donation twice as effective! Join the EDG Birding Team, Nikon Sport Optics, the Houston Audubon Society and Birding America in this fun conservation effort.
With kind support from Nikon Sport Optics and Birding America all team expenses are covered. All pledges will directly support Houston Audubon Society's efforts to preserve more of Bolivar Peninsula. Visitors of Bolivar Flats Shorebird Sanctuary know what a special place it is. Those who have not experienced this amazing location should consider visiting, as a description of swirling flocks of American Avocets, extensive marshland, and astounding diversity of birdlife will fall short of reality.
About the EDG Birding Team Members
Ken Behrens discovered flickers in the Pennsylvania woods when his family relocated there, and has been chasing birds ever since. He has progressed from U.S. road trips to adventurous treks through the Ecuadorian Andes and Bolivian Amazon. More recently he has traveled in Europe and Africa, and has spent the better part of two years counting birds in Cape May, New Jersey. Now based in Cape Town, South Africa, Ken enjoys the spectacular seabirding and leading tours for Tropical Birding.
Michael Retter is a central Illinois native, currently working as a tour leader for Birding America and Tropical Birding, leading tours in Mexico and North America. Birding since the age of six, he is an accomplished artist and serves as staff illustrator and writer for Meadowlark, the journal of the Illinois Ornithological Society. Michael has worked the past five summers for Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory on its Black Hills monitoring project. He is also a charter member of the Nikon Birding ProStaff.
Pete Hosner is pursuing a PhD in Evolutionary Biology at the University of Kansas. He has completed fieldwork in many places including the U.S., South America and SE Asia. He is a seasoned veteran of three WildBirders teams and during a Big Day will only answer to the name 'Routemeister'.
Cameron Cox works for Nikon Sport Optics as a Birding Market Specialist. He has been birding almost nonstop since the age of thirteen. Cameron has traveled around North America looking at birds and working on various research projects. Currently Cameron travels for Nikon attending birding festivals, leading field trips, and teaching bird identification. He enjoys competitive birding. On a Big Day he is likely to be found in the passenger seat screaming, "TURN LEFT!" half a second after the turn has already been missed. Drivers love him!
