The 2021 Great Canadian Birdathon® is a year-long effort to raise needed funds for bird conservation. Every donation will advance the understanding and conservation of birds that spend part of their year in Canada or live here year-round!
Birds Canada staff love going out on our Birdathon days and we’re so grateful to the other birders who join in with Birdathons of their own. What better way to spend a day then by birding – and helping birds while you’re at it? We’re also thankful to the generous folks who’ve made Birdathon donations on their favourite teams’ pages. The Birdathon’s on until the end of the year, so let’s keep up the great work!
Here are a few inspiring highlights from some of your recent fall Birdathons:
On September 18th, the Whimburrells completed their 2021 Great Canadian Birdathon. For brothers Mike and Ken Burrell and their dad James, this was the 24th consecutive year of participation! The team focused on the north shore of Lake Erie from Rondeau Provincial Park to Long Point, a great area for spotting migrating birds. The cherry on the cake was Mike’s interview for the CBC Radio program Fresh Air! Listen to the clip to find out about their Birdathon and get some expert fall birding tips. A huge thank-you to the Whimburrells for raising generous funds for bird conservation year after year!
Whimburrells Photo: Stu Mackenzie
The Whimburrells weren’t the only ones undertaking a Birdathon in southern Ontario on September 18th, The Tozer Twitchers were also out birding! They enjoyed fantastic weather and plenty of birds migrating through the Long Point area. In the end they recorded 72 species including warblers, thrushes, vireos, flycatchers, and raptors as they biked around Old Cut research station and Long Point Provincial Park. “One big highlight was a Peregrine Falcon that cruised down the beach ahead of us,” reports Dr. Doug Tozer. Thank you Doug, Karla, Isle, and Aurora for being part of the Birdathon!
Tozer Twitchers
The following day, Yousif Attia and Jody Allair set out. Even while over 700 km apart, these birding buddies made the Birdathon a team effort. They shared their birding highlights with each other and with followers on social media throughout the day (see Jody and Yousif’s Instagram story “highlights”!). Jody covered the badlands and prairies surrounding Drumheller, AB, finding 83 species including Cackling Goose, Harlan’s Hawk, Mountain Bluebird, and abundant American Pipits. Yousif searched the Vancouver, BC area from Cypress Mountain to the Fraser Estuary. He turned up 99 species including Caspian Tern, Pacific Wren, Barn Owl, and shorebirds galore. Together, the two friends counted a total of 137 different species. Way to go, Yousif and Jody!
Mountain Bluebird Photo: Jody Allair
Fraser Estuary IBA (Boundary Bay) Photo: Yousif Attia
Red Deer River Valley (badlands) Photo: Jody Allair
Caspian Tern Photo: Yousif Attia
You still have time to join this year’s Birdathon! In 2021, participants are welcome to do their Birdathon at any point during the year. If you take part, please pick a time and place that allows you to stay safe given the COVID-19 situation in your area. Visit the Great Canadian Birdathon page to donate or sign up.
As a participant, you’ll be eligible to receive the 2021 Birdathon t-shirt featuring the Thick-billed Longspur. You’ll also be entered in a draw for exciting prizes from our Birdathon sponsors: Eagle-Eye Tours, Vortex Canada, Kowa, and Armstrong Bird Food.
Thank you for your vital support for bird conservation!
