Your Biggest Day (1 Viewer)

Every 2-3 years I try to fit in a Big Day of birding; that is, a day when I try to see as many species as possible. I always hope for 100 species but the most I've ever managed is about 90, both in northern California and in southeast Texas.

What's the biggest one-day total you've ever seen and where?

Jeff
www.jeffincypress.blogspot.com

Hi,

23rd March 2004 - I was leading in Ethiopia. I don't use to count daily the number of species, I'm more interested to have a group happy with several endemics and nice photos and so on.

That particular day we were driving from Yavello to Arba Minch, just watching birds along the track and stopping the car if needed. When our team was preparing the pic-nic, we could bird some agricultural lands with starlings and we saw a first for Sub-saharan Africa: Rose-coloured Starling.

Then, reaching Arba Minch, we had a little boat trip for Hippos. Waters birds where watched, of course (2 hours or so). Then... that's it.

After that traditionnal listing in the evening, one client said: it was not a rich day with only 7 new ones today. Another replied: I've counted them: we saw a total of176 species!!!!

I checked. It was correct. "Officially" my best day... but probably I've other ones I didn't realise...

However, I'll remember that one: 23rd March is my birthday (bird-day?).

Regards,

In UK, I, along with my dad, Owen Mitchell and Richard Prior (aka the Selsey Scorchers!) still hold the West Sussex day record of 138 - Bird Race 11th May 2002, all 22hrs of it....!

Ads

I don't participate in midnight to midnight grinds. The closest I came was on an annual May run in coastal Maryland which runs from midnight to about 8 pm. We all quit at 6:30 pm because the rain was simply not going to stop. I recorded 127 species, which is far and away my "biggest day".

I managed 99 species on a day trip to N Norfolk a few years ago, missed out on the 100 that my mates got by visiting the toilet whilst the only blackcap of the day visited the trees by the feeding station where my friends were. Total birding time 11 hours.

I did 126 in May driving round Suffolk (Brecks only) and the Norfolk coast. That is my highest day total.

However, I think the century I am proudest of was North Norfolk on 1 January (forget which year, about 6 or 7 ago I think): 112. And I didn't see a Grey Heron all day!

John

I've managed c120 on bird races on Anglesey and Cheshire/Wirral. Both of which were some years ago.

CB

I'm only 14 but my highest day total is 87 species around my local area (Fylde) for 4 hours. Hoping to do a 24 hour day this week. 100 species the target.