Killdeer by Caleb Scholtens/Macaulay Library
Now that it’s October, the seasons are shifting. In the Northern Hemisphere, the breeding season is wrapping up; in the Southern Hemisphere, it’s just getting started. Migrants are crossing borders, giving birders the chance to experience a diversity of new species, and there’s always the potential for a stunning rarity.
The Young Birders Network Challenges are still ongoing, and now’s the perfect time to submit your lists through the Young Birders Network portal. Complete checklists with breeding codes will be entered into one drawing for a pair of binoculars, while complete checklists with photos or audio uploaded through the Macaulay Library Direct Upload feature will be entered into another drawing for binoculars.
Willet by Marie C./Macaulay Library.
Checklists with both count for both challenges! Whether you’re enjoying spring migrants in the Southern Hemisphere and gearing up for the coming breeding season, entering checklists from the Northern Hemisphere and documenting rare fall vagrants, or birding anywhere on the globe in between, you can add additional dimensions to eBird’s data and have the chance to win a pair of binoculars!
All of the multimedia in this post comes from submissions to the Challenges. The submissions have been truly impressive, recording fascinating breeding biology, documenting rarities, and capturing beautiful and informative images and audio.
Mallard by Jonathan & David Lugo/Macaulay Library.
Thanks to all who have participated so far, and good luck as it gets closer to December 31st!
For more information about the challenge, see our post here. To submit a checklist through the YBN portal, click the “Submit Observations” above, or use eBird Mobile.
–Sarah Toner