FreeLists / va-richmond-general / [va-richmond-general] Fw: Mark Your Calendars for the Big Sit! Thank you!

["IE Ries" <featherchaser@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Bird Watcher's Digest: Raise Money for your Bird ClubOh interest...hope this 
shows up properly in the email for the list!


  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Bird Watcher's Digest 
  To: featherchaser@xxxxxxxxxx 
  Sent: Friday, July 15, 2005 9:21 AM
  Subject: Mark Your Calendars for the Big Sit! Thank you!




  Having trouble viewing this as an email? Click here to view as a web page.
       
         
         The 13th annual Big Sit! will take place on Sunday, October 9, 2005, 
and now it is easier than ever for bird clubs to use the event for fundraising. 

        The Big Sit! is an annual, international, noncompetitive birding event 
hosted by Bird Watcher's Digest. It was founded by the New Haven (CT) Bird 
Club. 

         Hundreds of teams from around the world participate in The Big Sit! 
every year. The event is free, it is fun, and it helps promote conservation and 
the "sport" of bird watching. The Big Sit! is like a bird-a-thon or a Big Day 
in that the object is to tally as many bird species as can be seen or heard 
within a 24-hour period. But the unique thing about The Big Sit! is that teams 
must count birds from within a 17-foot-diameter circle! 

        Anyone can play at the Big Sit! Get a gaggle of fellow bird watchers or 
go it alone - your results will help improve your state's (or country's) total 
species count! Participating teams must register prior to October 9, 2005, by 
visiting the Bird Watcher's Digest website. 

        Although fun and conservation trumps competition in this friendly 
event, your birding team can win "braggin' rights" for the Best Overall Count 
or Best State Count. Additionally, Swarovski Optik has offered $500 to the 
circle that finds "The Golden Bird." The winning team can use its $500 prize 
money to support the conservation cause of its choice, such as the preservation 
of ivory-billed woodpecker habitat or to support a local bird census. (Bird 
Watcher's Digest will donate two dollars per circle to the New Haven Bird Club 
in Connecticut, which founded the event.) 

         This year, BWD introduces a new twist. "Fundraising is important to 
bird clubs everywhere," says Bill Thompson, III, BWD editor and a longtime Big 
Sitter.

        "We encourage bird clubs to use The Big Sit! as a fundraiser by 
organizing a Big Sit team and collecting pledges for each species they see. 
Imagine if 20 club members pledged just $0.20 per species and your team tallied 
50 species during The Big Sit! That means your team would generate $200 for a 
special club project." Thompson suggests that clubs register their teams and 
organize their pledge drive soon, because, "Big Sit! day, October 9, 2005, will 
be here before you know it." A Big Sit! pledge form is available for 
downloading from the Big Sit! website. 

        Your Big Sit! team will generate BIG! attention for your cause when you 
deck yourselves out in specially designed Big Sit! T-shirts and hats (browse 
Big Sit gear in our online nature shop).

        For more information, to register, and to view past Big Sit results, 
visit the Bird Watcher's Digest website and look for the blue and orange Big 
Sit logo. 

        Special thanks to our Big Sit! sponsors: Swarovski Optik NA and Eagle 
Optics.

        REGISTER NOW! 

        Then forward this email to your birding buddies!

        Good birding! And happy sitting!


        Bill Thompson, III (Editor)
        Bird Watcher's Digest




------------------------------------------------------------------------

        The Big Sit! is hosted by: BWD and NHBC and sponsored by 

             
          
       


  Click here to send this to a friend


  Click here to subscribe

  You are subscribed as featherchaser@xxxxxxxxxxx To unsubscribe please click 
here.