Great Backyard Bird Count 2025: Kodiak Audubon Society Birding Challenge

 

Great Backyard Bird Count 2025:

Kodiak Audubon Society Birding Challenge

Objective: To encourage community members to observe and report bird species during the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) using eBird. Birders of all skill and mobility levels are welcome to participate.

Challenge Period: February 14-February 17 2025

Categories:

1. The Species Sweepstakes (Most Species Observed):

• Participants submit their eBird Trip Reports for the GBBC period.

• The winner is determined by the highest number of unique bird species observed.

• Tiebreaker: If a tie occurs, the winner will be determined by the highest number of checklists submitted.

• Prize: $25 gift certificate to the restaurant of their choice or a copy of Gulls Simplified

2. The Backyard Bird Bonanza (Most Backyard Birds):

• Participants submit eBird Trip Reports focusing on birds observed in their own backyards or immediate surroundings.

• The winner is determined by the highest number of unique bird species observed in the backyard category.

• Tiebreaker: If a tie occurs, the winner will be determined by the highest number of checklists submitted for the backyard category.

• Prize: $25 gift certificate to the restaurant of their choice or a copy of Backyard Bird Chronicles

3. The First Flight Award (New Birder Challenge):

• This category is for individuals who are new to birding and or eBird. New is considered birding for 2 years or less.

• Participants submit their eBird Trip Reports for the GBBC period.

• Winners are determined by a combination of factors:

• Completion of eBird Essentials Course (an extra ticket into the drawing)

• Quality of eBird checklist submissions (including completeness, accuracy, and adherence to eBird guidelines)

• Prize: $25 gift certificate to the restaurant of their choice or a copy of The Birdwatcher Answer Book

Rules:

• To register, participants set up their eBird Trip Reports before February 14 and submit their shared link to kodiakaudubon@gmail.com
• Name your Trip Report with the category you would like to enter, your name, and Kodiak GBBC (e.g. Sweepstakes-Trussell-Kodiak GBBC or Backyard-Trussell-Kodiak GBBC)
• Go birding on any or all days during the GBBC (February 14-17)
• All birds seen, heard or photographed that are entered into eBird on the 14th, 15th, 16th, or 17th count towards your total.
• All checklists must be submitted according to eBird's guidelines for accurate and ethical birding. If you are unsure or want a refresher, there is an eBird Essentials course through the Cornell Lab of Ornithology that is free and really wonderful.
• Participants shall submit all of their checklists from the four days by February 18th to be eligible to win.
• Prizes will be awarded to the winners of each category in a social Zoom Round-Up.

Tips for Participants:

• Plan your birding outings: Explore different habitats in your area.

• Keep detailed records: Note the date, time, location, and any relevant observations in your eBird checklists.

• Utilize eBird features: Explore the "Explore" section of eBird to learn about local birds and plan your birding routes.

• Be patient and observant: Take your time and enjoy the process of birdwatching.

• New Birders: Don't be afraid to ask questions! Connect with experienced birders for guidance and support.

How to Make a Trip Report

1. Go to https://ebird.org/mytripreports.

Reports must be created on a computer, but all of the data entered using your eBird mobile will be pulled into your Trip Report.

If you already have an eBird account please use the same username and password for submitting your bird(s) for the Great Backyard Bird Count.

If you have previously participated in the Great Backyard Bird Count, submitted to eBird, saved a bird with Merlin Bird ID, or participated in Project FeederWatch, NestWatch, Celebrate Urban Birds, etc., you have an existing account. If you don’t remember your username or password, you can recover or reset them when logging in to the app or on this screen. 

1. Select Create Trip Report.

2. Give the report a descriptive name (e.g., “GBBC 2025 Trussell”).

3. Set the dates of the report to the 4-day count (e.g.,14-17, Feb 2025).

Now automatically when you add a bird eBird mobile during this window of time, the observations will drop into your Trip Report.

1. Choose your privacy settings as either Link-only or Public:

Use “Link-only” if you only want your report visible to people who have the link. 

“Link-only” and “Public” are currently very similar. The primary difference is that Public Trip Reports can be found via search engines like Google.