First of the Year Birding Challenge: One Town. Three Hours. Fifty-two Species.
Birding may be described as one part science, one part art, and one part sport. And on the first of the year, one of the many games of birding begins: the honor system-based competition among birders to see the most number of species in x region during y timeframe. On this day, many birders begin their quest to find as many species as they can during the course of the year, month or day, whether that be within one's own backyard, county, state, country or even across the whole world ! The combination of "games" birders can devise for themselves is nearly endless, and each year is different. Some may do a "green" Big Year, counting only species they see while on foot or by bicycle . Some may only count birds within their home patch, or birds they were also able to photograph. Birders may do a Big Day of birding, a Big Year , or just challenge themselves to what they can find in an hour! Many birders are diligent list-kee...