The Biggest Week in American Birding is ready to begin! Tuesday May 6th kicks off the fifth annual event and the Birdfreaks are so proud to be able to help volunteer again. We had the opportunity Sunday to help set up the registration area at Maumee Bay Lodge and Conference Center and things are looking great. There is definitely a “bee buzz buzz buzz” in the air!
Hosted by the Black Swamp Bird Observatory (BSBO) this ten day festival is going to be better than ever. Online registration is closed but everyone is still welcome so please come. I encourage you to register at the BSBO or at Maumee Bay Lodge but birding the area does not require it. There is SO much to do and see, mainly BIRDS and lots of them!
Just a few extra things we suggest if you aren’t already booked up for the week:
Songbird Banding Demonstrations
The Black Swamp does a ton of birding research. They have long-term research projects spanning more than 20 years: this is absolutely critical for the study and conservation of birds.
Songbird banding programs will be held at the BSBO every Saturday in May at 10 a.m. This is a wonderful way to get an up close an personal look at different birds as well as communicate with banding experts.
Golden-winged Warbler
2nd Annual Biggest Week Bird Tattoo Contest
That’s right, a tattoo contest! This event last year was really fun and we found out a lot of birders carry their love for birds right on their skin! Winners get pretty cool prizes and it’s a great time! This year the contest will be held on Wednesday, May 14 at 6:00 PM in the Maumee Bay Lodge and Conference Center. Click HERE for more information.
Bird Shopping!
There will be a lot of cool bird and nature-related merchandise at the Biggest Week this year. Maumee Bay Lodge will have vendors in the lobby as well as a silent auction for conservation. They also have their own gift shop. Ottawa NWR and the BSBO gift shop will have all their awesome bird gifts, including Birds and Beans coffee and Biggest Week T-shirts. Punk Rock Big Year’s PRBY Apparel will have awesome shirts for sale at both the BSBO and the Maumee Bay Lodge. We are big fans of their Birds Rule design!
PRBY Apparel is selling one of the coolest birding shirts!
GO BIRDING!
There are so many places to bird in the area. Migration time is the best! If we had to pick one thing to recommend any festival goer it would be to walk the boardwalk at Magee Marsh. It’s a mile long and more than possible to see thirty warblers in thirty minutes or less! Experts hang about and there are free walks available to all registrants. Migrant watching is better than any TV show this time of year.
