Via Community News Service, a University of Vermont journalism internship
HUNTINGTON — This weekend, local birders will gather in a 17-foot diameter circle at the Birds of Vermont Museum to participate in The Big Sit!
Described as ‘a tailgate party for birders,’ The Big Sit! is a semi-competitive, international birdwatching event that started in New Haven, Connecticut in 1992. The annual event takes place over a weekend every October, where birders try to spot as many species as possible from one location within 24 hours. Participants look for birds, fundraise for local organizations and hang out.
“It’s a very relaxed birding event because we sit around and we bird, but we also talk and tell jokes and drink coffee,” said Erin Talmage, executive director of the Birds of Vermont Museum.
The museum has been hosting a 12-hour Big Sit! circle since 2003. According to Talmage, museum co-founder Gale Lawrence first brought the event to Huntington.
“She decided that we were going to participate,” Talmage said. “So she pulled out our five-foot ladder and she sat on top of the ladder for a big chunk of the day, and that started us doing The Big Sit! every October.”
The event serves as a fundraiser for the museum, with donations based on how many bird species are spotted. It also supports bird conservation. Throughout the day, birders report their findings to eBird, a global community science database. Scientists can access that data and follow trends, such as how migration patterns have changed and what birds are around in October.
Talmage says the event is welcoming and open to anybody, no birding experience required.
Participants “don’t have to hike up a big mountain,” she said. “They can come any time during the 12 hours. If you’re not a morning person, you can show up at 10 in the morning.”
Birders will gather at the Birds of Vermont Museum on Sunday, Oct. 11. They will sit in their 17-foot-diameter circle from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Correction: An earlier version of this story misspelled Gale Lawrence’s first name.