Join us Saturday, October 16, at our Fred Archibald Sanctuary in New Market for the Big Sit. This annual international birding event was founded by the New Haven (Connecticut) Bird Club, although ASCM will be participating a week later than the official Big Sit due to scheduling conflicts.

Participants are challenged to see how many birds they can identify while staying within a 17-foot diameter circle. We will be engaging in a friendly competition with birders from the Frederick Bird Club, who will be birding in a circle at our Audrey Carroll Sanctuary in Mount Airy. The winning team earns the coveted Golden Falcon trophy.

With raptor migration peaking in our area, this is a great chance to see breathtaking flyovers, learn from expert birders, practice your identification skills, and gather data for science.

Participants are asked to sign up for two-hour shifts between 6 a.m. and 2 p.m. The rain date for this event is Sunday, Oct. 17; during signup, participants may indicate whether they are available for any potential rain date shifts.

Please help us prevent the spread of COVID: Maintain distance from others, wear a facial covering if you are not vaccinated, and stay home if you are feeling ill.

Help motivate our chapter birders to observe as many species as they can – pledge to donate an amount of your choice for each species they document. For example, if you pledge $0.50 per species, a final tally of 60 species would mean a $30 donation. Straight donations are also welcome; please indicate “The Big Sit” in the Additional Information field.

Donations support maintenance of our two beautiful wildlife sanctuaries and all of our efforts to make a home for birds in central Maryland.

Image: red-shouldered hawk by Mick Thompson