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Start Your Own Birdathon Team

Ways to Start Your Own Team

There a lots of creative ways to start your own Birdathon Team - and you can probably think of more!  Whichever way you choose, contact the office for a leaders’ packet with all the tools you’ll need to have a successful team outing.  

 

Dip your toe into Birdathon fund-raising:

  • Be a one-person Birdathon team - watch birds in a local park, in your neighborhood or at your own backyard feeder
  • Set your binoculars and a field guide next to your favorite chair by the window overlooking the freshly filled feeders in you own backyard.  Go it alone or make it a social event with a few friends, maybe introducing them to birding.  Serve a Birdathon Lunch or Brunch and count the species you see.
Involve your friends, family, or work associates in an informal Birdathon outing:
  • Get a few of your friends together and schedule any day in May to go birding
  • Take a corporate "bird break" - trade in your briefcase for binoculars, grab a co-worker and count birds on your lunch hour 
  • Make it a family affair.  Have each member of the family from kids to grandparents gather pledges and then have a family outing to a local park or natural area and start counting.  What a great way to get the generations together for a good cause!
Out of town in May?
  • Birdathon can be done anywhere in the world.  Just pick any 24-hour period on you vacation or business trip and count all the bird species you see.
  • Count birds on your way back from a trip

If you are ready to start a formal team and make a day of it, here are some extra steps you need to follow:

  • Pick a team name ("Deck Birds", "Two-footed Boobies", "Old Coots" are just a few examples)
  • Select your team members
  • Set a date
  • Register with the office
  • Develop a birding route
      • Include a variety of habitats. Check out wetlands, forests, open fields and salt water.
      • Tour a park or two that a good habitat for birds.  Marymoor Park in Redmond, Juanita Bay Park in Kirkland, and Mercer Slough in Bellevue are all good choices.
(NOTE: if you want some ideas for a good birding route, we have several veteran birders who can help; call 425-576-8805 for ideas)
Start right now to recruit team members for your Birdathon outing, which may take place during any 24-hour period in May. What could be better than a day out with friends enjoying the birds and raising money for Eastside Audubon at the same time?

Steps to follow to have a successful Birdathon Team Day

  • Set a species goal
  • Make a donor list
    Be sure to read finding donors and raising money
  • Create your solicitation letter or verbal pitch
  • Solicit sponsors
  • Go Birding!
      • Cover geographical areas quickly
      • Count and go – no long observations today!
      • Keep your eyes open while driving. Safety first!
      • Continually scan but keep moving
    • Ask your donors for the money they pledged
    • Turn in all donations to the office
    • Write up a report on your Birdathon outing

    For more information, call the office at 425-576-8805 or email us at office@eastaudubon.org.

     

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    The mission of Eastside Audubon is to protect, preserve and enhance natural ecosystems and our communities for the benefit of birds, other wildlife and people.