Nature Done Wright

My new column for The Record is all about a lighthearted backyard birding contest this weekend that's open to all. The artwork is by the late George Takayama of Allendale.

You can read the column here:

By Jim Wright

Special to The Record | USA TODAY NETWORK – NEW JERSEY

   Ten years ago this month, I wrote my column about an easy bird-watching contest that anyone can enter. With no NFL football games to watch this weekend for the first time in many moons, I figured “How about we try again?”

   The contest is called the Birdy 30, and the object is to count how many avian species you see or hear from one spot indoors in 30 minutes. The person with the highest total wins. It’s a nice perfect pastime for bird-watching Record readers. You can do your list during any half-hour span between now and Sunday night. You can try as often as you like.

   The informal competition, sponsored by the Fyke Nature Association, is a practical alternative to the usual birding events. They typically run for 365 days (a big year), 24 hours (the Big Sit), or a big hour. For example, the Celery Farm Natural Area in my hometown of Allendale hosts an “Hour on the Tower” every Sunday morning.

   The trouble is, these fine events can be frightfully boring for casual birders. After 20 minutes, you glance at your watch and cringe at how much time is left. And if the weather is too hot, too cold or too wet, ugh! — a good time is probably not had by all.

   With the Birdy 30, you can relax at home, have a cup of coffee, and chill. You can even listen to music or (gasp) text or talk on the phone without fear of disturbing fellow participants. And if a youngster wants to know what you’re seeing with your binoculars, you may be cultivating a future bird-watcher — the best dividend of all.

   I invented the Birdy 30 one snowy afternoon when a friend complained that he was bored. I offered him a wager: Whoever saw or heard the most bird species in a half-hour won a Hershey Bar. (I lost and started a trend.)

   When a big snowstorm closed schools and businesses two weeks later, we decided to have another competition and ask acquaintances in our birding group if they cared to join in. Looking for a catchy name, a la the Hour on the Tower, I dubbed it the Birdy 30.

   Here are the easy-peasy rules: Write down the species as you see ‘em,  count ‘em up after 30 minutes, and then email your totals and the species along with your name and town to celeryfarm@gmail.com by noon on Monday. 

   This may sound antiquated, but we’ll use the honor system. I’ll announce the winner in my next column. If you can email a bird photo you took during your Birdy 30, that would be great. I’ll announce the winner in my next column.

   The prize for the top number is simple: a signed copy of my latest book, “The Screech Owl Companion,” or a giant Hershey Bar.

    The annual Great Backyard Bird Count is in two weeks. Think of this as an enjoyable warmup drill.

   The Bird Watcher column appears every other Thursday.