Eric Secker

IOS 2020 Big Sit Fundraising Results

Big Marsh Zugun-Sittas. Photo by Matt Igleski.

Birding-related activities have proved themselves a great distraction in 2020. The IOS Big Sit taking place from Sep 24-26 was a big hit with individuals seeking a bit of fun, social interaction, outdoor activities and good-humored competition while easily distancing and remaining safe.

Maybe the team names should have been subject to competition, given their creative nature! Sedentary…sharpies? Pelicans gone batty. No Egrets. Or this one, that came with a nearly one-page explanation: Big Marsh Zugun-Sitta!

One team however had the name and the number of species to take the overall lead in the competition! Kudos to Colin Dobson, Aerin Tedesco and Zachary Sutton of the COVID coRvids for a highly productive Big Sit at Lake Shelbyville in Moultrie County yielding 92 species of birds, including 13 species of shorebirds and 12 species of Warblers. Wondering if Aerin will follow with a Covid Corvids band?

On the financial front and from the onset, one team crushed the fundraising aspect of the Big Sit. The Rollin’s Raptors, led by legendary green birder Beau Schaefer and including Andy Stewart, Gustavo Ustariz, Steve Mulhall and Jerry Hampton brought in $1202! Hurray for the Rollin’s Raptors!

Our current and past Illinois Young Birders stepped up to the challenge, with 3 Bruhs with Some Bins and the Youthful Jaegers battling it out at Montrose Point. The name was an oracle of sort, as the Youthful Jaegers stole the show on both species (84) and funds ($589) achieved.

Our young winners will receive beautiful handmade peanut feeders very generously donated by Tim Joyce of Wild Birds Unlimited in Glenview.

The IOS board is deeply grateful to every Big Sit participant, as well as to each donor, for their energy, enthusiasm and great generosity. Together we raised $5255, which will enable IOS to continue strengthening our key offerings, such as our Illinois birds scientific research grants, our Illinois Young Birders programs, the Meadowlark journal and our field trips.

TEAM/LOCATION	ORGANIZER	TOTAL SPECIES	TOTAL RAISED
Rollin’s Raptors Rollins Savannah Forest Preserve (Lake)	Beau Schaefer	79	$1,202
Tamima’s Backyard Larks Evanston Backyard (Cook)	Backyard Larks	38	$1,041
Youthful Jaegers* Montrose Point (Cook)	Simon Tolzmann	84	$589
Sedentary Sharpies Fort Sheridan Hawkwatch (Lake)	Adam Sell	85	$575
3 Bruhs with Some Bins Montrose Point (Cook)	Jake Cvetas	70	$555
The Thatchers Thatcher Woods (Cook)	John Leonard	44	$422
Pelicans Gone Batty Downers Grove Backyard (DuPage)	Vera Miller	26	$360
COVID coRvids** Lake Shelbyville (Moultrie)	Aerin Tedesco	92	$244
Big Marsh Zugun-Sittas Big Marsh (Cook)	Matt Igleski	71	$201
No Egrets Middle Fork Forest Preserve (Champaign)	Mike Avara	53	$42
Southern Screamers South Shore Cultural Center (Cook)	Jacob Drucker	84	$21
Total Funds Raised:			$5,252

*Top species winner for youth category

**Top overall species winner

No Egrets (Middle Fork Forest Preserve). Photo by Michael Avara.

Black-bellied Plover and Long-billed Dowitcher — Black-bellied Plover (left) and Long-billed Dowitcher (right). Photos by Jake Cvetas.

Phoebe and Falcons. — Eastern Phoebe (left) – Photo by Aerin Tedesco. American Kestrel (center), Peregrine Falcon (top right), and Sharp-shinned Hawk (bottom right) – Photos by Trevor Slovick.

Philadelphia Vireo and American Wigeon. — Philadelphia Vireo (left) and American Wigeon (right). Photos by Matt Igleski.

IOS 2021 Big Sit Competition and Fundraiser

Friday, Sep. 24 – Sunday, Sep. 26

About the IOS 2021 Big Sit

Stay put. Count birds. Raise money! After the success of the spring IOS Backyard Big Day, IOS invites you to join other birders throughout Illinois on the weekend of September 24-26 for the IOS 2021 Big Sit Competition and Fundraiser. Sign up below and pick a day on the weekend to sit in one spot and count as many species of birds as possible, whether in your yard or your favorite park or preserve. You can count as an individual or family or teams of up to five (additional participants can come and go from your count circle as long as no more than five people are in the circle at one time). Teams are also invited to help solicit donations for their team and use the event as a fun way to help us raise funds for IOS. The 2021 IOS Big Sit funds will go towards supporting IOS and IOS initiatives like the Illinois Young Birders and the IOS Grants program. A prize will be awarded to the team that raises the most funds.

What is a Big Sit?

A Big Sit, similar to a Big Day, is a competition where a team of birders counts as many species as possible within a 24 hour period. While the Big Day involves moving around from spot to spot to maximize species sightings, a Big Sit is precisely as it sounds. You stay in one location, a 20ft diameter circle called a “count circle”, and only species seen or heard from that circle count for the final tally. Count wherever you want and as long as you want during your chosen count day. The Big Sit is all about slowing down and enjoying good company, great birds, and, in this case, supporting a good cause! Full rules can be read here.

Steps to Participate

1. Click the “Start a Team” button below and then click on “Start a Fundraiser” to create your fundraising team and find up to 5 people to join your Big Sit.

To start a fundraiser, you will need to create a Donately account if you do not already have one. It is very straightforward. Don’t forget a creative name! Don’t forget to set a fundraising goal for yourself!

Start a Team

2. Add a description which includes 1) Your teammates 2) Where you will be conducting your Big Sit 3) the date of your Big Sit.

3. Have each team member “join” by donating $10 (or more!) to your team.

4. Share, share, share! Reach out to friends and family to donate to your Big Sit by sharing your donation page.

Donors can do a 1-time donation, or they can pledge to donate an amount “per species” and complete their donation after you announce your final species total to them. NOTE: Your team is responsible for keeping track of “per species” donors and reminding them to donate afterwards! Encourage donors that they can donate both ways!

5. Have Fun!

On your competition day, sit back, relax, and have fun counting birds. Share your highlights as the day progresses in the new IOS Facebook Group. (A submission form will be posted closer to the event date to submit your final species total and any highlights you want to share from your day).

6. Join Us for the Results and After Party

Anyone interested is invited to join us for a virtual after party online as we share highlights with one another and announce winners. Prizes will be awarded for the team that counts the most birds and for the team that raises the most in donations (details to be announced).

How to Donate

If you are supporting a specific team, you can donate via the link to their team page or search for the team below.

Donate to a Team

If you are not supporting a specific team, feel free to pick one to support or you can submit a general donation to IOS.

We invite donors to follow along during the event in the IOS Facebook Group and Join Us for the Results and After Party. Thank you in advance for your support of IOS!

Ways to Promote the Big Sit with Friends and Bird Clubs

Invite others to learn more at https://www.illinoisbirds.org/bigsit/

Share the IOS 2021 Big Sit Facebook Event Page with friends.

Questions

Aerin Tedesco
IOS Big Sit Event Coordinator

A Gift from IOS to the Birding Community

March 25, 2020 – As a way to showcase the redesigned Meadowlark Magazine to potential members, and in light of people being stuck at home more during the stay-in-place order, we are happy to announce that the latest issue of Meadowlark Magazine is available online here as a gift to the entire birding community. We hope you enjoy it!

View Meadowlark Summer/Fall 2017 (.pdf)

To our members and those slated to receive this issue of Meadowlark, our printer is currently still operating as an essential business. There may be delays, but we expect you to receive your print copy in the mail within the next few weeks.

If you are not currently a member or let your membership lapse, we encourage you to become a member today and help us continue to grow IOS as an organization. In light of the current economy and the fact that we have already had to cancel outings that we rely on for revenue, we are particularly grateful to those who can join at the “Contributor” level or higher or are able to make an extra donation to support the work of IOS.

Finally, thanks to everyone who contributed to this issue of Meadowlark either through documenting rare bird sightings with IORC, sending us photos, posting sightings in eBird, writing articles, or assisting field reports and field notes.

Matt Igleski
IOS President