The Environmental team at Hollaway Environmental + Communications Services was in fine feather on Saturday, April 15, competing in the held by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
The mission of the Great Texas Birding Classic tournament is to increase the appreciation, understanding, and conservation of birds through education, recreation, nature tourism, and conservation fundraising. There are 14 different tournament categories to participate in with a choice of observational area ranging from regional to statewide and either stationary or traveling.
In previous years, our environmental team has participated in the Regional Big Day category. This year, the team migrated into a new category known as the ‘Big Sit!’. Competitors in this category select a 50-foot diameter circle from which to bird and identify as many different bird species as possible, either by sight or by sound, from WITHIN the circle over a 24-hour period.
Our scientists were equipped with their years of experience, expert field knowledge, and a large number of optical instruments as they perched atop an observation tower in. Senior Environmental Scientist, Kasey Clarke, is a self-proclaimed bird nerd and hand-picked the team’s observation location for its great variation in habitat as well as the large number of species recorded on eBird. eBird is an online database that provides real-time data distribution and abundance to scientists, researchers, and amateur bird enthusiasts alike.
The team stayed vigilant and was more than a little busy with all there was to see. Luckily, Matthew Nuñéz, Environmental Team Intern, was there to flex his skills with a camera as reflected in this image of a black-bellied whistling duck (Dendrocygna autumnalis).
As is typical Hollaway fashion, the team had a great time working hard together. Through their efforts the team managed to identify 64 different species in 10 hours. Plenty of emphatic whispering, pointing, positive attitudes, and snacking turned what is normally considered a more reserved activity into an experience no one will forget. We will see you again next year, eager to improve on our own record!
