Can We Find Over 150 Bird Species in One Day? (Spring Big Day Challenge)

A Big Day in the birding world is where you try to find as many species as possible in a single day. In May of 2024, we went out in Wisconsin with our friend Cole to see if we could break our previous Big Day records as well as a benchmark of 150 species.
Special thanks to our members Liz McQuaid, Sarah Coffey, Barbara Cole, Chris Slagle, Sally, Sarah, Scott Carmichael, and Laurie Borgers!
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Panasonic LUMIX FZ80 4K Digital Camera
Used for most bird videos) - check credits as we do source some photos/videos elsewhere which is noted in the description
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Cayer FP2450 Fluid Head Tripod, 75 inches Aluminium Tripod
Derek's lighter tripod
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Andoer Video Tripod Aluminum Alloy 67 Inch
Derek's heavier tripod
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Nikon D5300
Derek's vlogging and macro camera
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Rode VideoMicPro Compact Directional On-Camera Microphone
Derek's external microphone for Nikon D5300
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Canada Warbler in cover image by Alan Scmierer (Public Domain, edited)
Eastern Meadowlark in cover image by Jim Hudgins (Public Domain, edited)
Black-billed Cuckoo in cover image by Gary Leavens (CC by 2.0, edited)
CC by 2.0: creativecommons.org/licenses/...
All other photos and videos by Derek and Ryan Sallmann
#Birding #BirdWatching #BadgerlandBirding

[@user-qw5pm6lr9d]

Seeing 149 species of birds in a day is excellent!

[@BadgerlandBirding]

Thank you!

[@TheDutchBirder]

Very very cool! I love Big Days. We did a Big Day on a single dutch Isle and also got around the 150 species mark. Don't want to spoil it if you perhaps are gonna watch the video which comes online tomorrow 7 p.m. CEST

[@g57462]

Very impressive, especially the amount of warblers observed, very good, enjoyed video 📹

[@BadgerlandBirding]

Thanks for watching! We enjoyed the day for sure!

[@kevincox1493]

That was a seriously good days birding. Three knowledgable guys helps i’m sure

[@BadgerlandBirding]

It was a great day! Felt like we had great team chemistry too, with all of us pointing out different things that others may have missed.

[@darylbernard2616]

My son Daniel and I did a Big Day this year in May in a single county in Michigan - Gladwin - one of the least birded and considered one of the least birdy counties in the state. We hit 100 at 10:44 AM, 110 by 11:40 AM, and 125 at 2PM before stalling out a bit during late afternoon. We finished a few good birds, though, and Danny ended at 132, while I had 124 officially (I don't hear most birds, so Danny had some heard-only birds that I didn't get, plus two quickies I didn't get on). Great single-county day! Fun stuff!

[@Beryllahawk]

This was so much fun to watch. I love that Derek decided House Sparrow was a win, without missing a beat. Even though they're a problematic species so often, heh. Reminds me of "there are no trash fish"! Definitely an intense day! Thank you for sharing!!

[@BadgerlandBirding]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks so much for watching!

[@darylbernard2616]

Wait! Did I see Derek using binoculars? Whaaaatttt???? 😉

[@BadgerlandBirding]

🤣🤣🤣 I’m getting more used to them!

[@ChuckDarwin1909]

My big day report: I limited myself to stay within my home county in upstate NY. The day before, I made a checklist of all the species I thought I could possibly get - around 160 - that way I could easily see what I was still missing. Started off the day at 4 20 am with barred owls and whippoorwills. Big prize of the day was a migrating mourning warbler, a species I had heard sing twice before, but never managed to get a look at. With only one real location left and 99 species marked, I thought I might just fall short of my goal of 100 as sunset approached. The last location, a remote conifer forest, was an absolute treasure trove - so many forest warblers that weren't present at the usual migration spots, plus a ruffed grouse drumming. Ended up getting 110, shattering my previous big day record - all while keeping it super local!

[@hspg]

Partial leucistic robin was pretty cool

[@BadgerlandBirding]

Glad somebody appreciated that bird!

[@Gigi.eq13]

You guys looked like you had so much fun! Awesome finds ❤️

[@BadgerlandBirding]

Thanks! We had a blast!

[@davebennett3311]

Awesome. Looks like a fun and exhausting day.

[@BadgerlandBirding]

It was exactly that!

[@bopyranks]

I really enjoyed this video. Nice work guys!!

[@brighteyedbirding]

First of all. Congrats. That Sanderling miss came back to haunt you. What an incredible day of birding though! 149 is insane! My total was 101 this year with 93 of those in one county. Not too bad, but know I can do better next year.

[@captain1697]

Incredible the biodiversity around us! I’ve never done a big day and this is my first time hearing about it but it sounds fun!

[@BirdNirdz]

Ah. Really want to see the cerulean warbler. Maybe next year 😊😢

[@BirdNirdz]

I wish that I would be able to do this kinda thing with you guys. Maybe some other time!❤

[@rickhowson1274]

😮 Whooping crane! It’s so rare! TEACH ME YOUR WAYS!!!!!!!!

[@barbaracole709]

So jealous of your big day total! Looks like such a fun day! I only got about 40, but I didn’t have much time to go birding that day. I just got those from walking around my area.

[@BadgerlandBirding]

Still fun to do though even with limited time!

[@nickpaarlberg73]

I did a big day for the South Chicago Sand Ridge Nature Center area at work. I was at one location (8 hours) all work day but ended up getting 81 species! Including a barred owl. 🦉😉

[@BadgerlandBirding]

Nice!

[@NaturallyCourtneyChannel]

Wow 149 is amazing! I’ve never done a Big Day, and I know that I haven’t come close to that number on a regular birding day. My husband and I planned to do one recently, but something came up.😕 This video is giving major inspiration!

[@BadgerlandBirding]

You should definitely do it!

[@tvalkyrie]

Great effort Guys !🥰

[@BadgerlandBirding]

Thank you 😀

[@kurtniznik8116]

Very impressive effort, good job guys!

[@BadgerlandBirding]

Thanks a lot!

[@headtrauma_1]

This is such a great video! Thank you for making this. Awesome watch :)

[@BadgerlandBirding]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@richardhendrix7894]

Loved the video, thanks.

[@BadgerlandBirding]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@emiliadeino]

Yay cole!!

[@BadgerlandBirding]

Cole really pulled his weight lol

[@johannroos1824]

Hi there love your videos I did also do an big birding day this year in South Africa I have got 162 bird species in one day ❤

[@nicks.7296]

Very cool! That was fun to watch!

[@csfsangle]

Wow thats a lot of species! Mourning and black throated blue are lifers for me. Thats awesome that you got to see those

[@rogerashley8616]

Awesome....good job !!

[@aadamabdullah2549]

my big day record is 131, well done guys!

[@BadgerlandBirding]

That’s very solid as well! What state/region was it in?

[@aadamabdullah2549]

@@BadgerlandBirding Cape Town, South Africa

[@lorrainejsuhrada5816]

LOOKS LIKE EVERY ONE HAD A LOT OF FUN

[@Erockdisal]

We have a Mississippi kite in our back yard with a baby we think. Very cool for Wisconsin

[@BadgerlandBirding]

That’s awesome! Where at? If you don’t mind me asking

[@Erockdisal]

@@BadgerlandBirding Janesville Wisconsin north east side by Sheiffer Park

[@John-ed1lp]

i did do the "Big day"...part in Toronto ON and part in Kawartha Lakes ON...didn't come close to 150 but got 64....pretty respectable I think!

[@BadgerlandBirding]

I bet it was still really fun though!

[@user-tr1hs6fd6w]

As an earbirder I love seeing people being concerned about heard-onlies being "dirty" (except Cerulean because other birds imitate its song).

[@BadgerlandBirding]

It was more about it taking so long and having the encounter being so unceremonious rather than it being a “heard only.” That being said, for our personal lists we prefer to see life birds that first time we encounter them

[@user-tr1hs6fd6w]

@@BadgerlandBirding I'm glad there are birders who actually appreciate birds instead of just ID'ing them and moving on

[@concretejungle1234]

💚

[@danielislam9144]

Wow I haven't had much luck with warblers this season. Only yellows, yellowthroats, redstarts, and yellowrumps. Shorebirds have been very good though.

[@BirdBrainBrian64]

I participated on a team of 4 against other teams in a friendly big day competition a few times when I lived in Berrien County Michigan. Good times and memories.

[@kevincox1493]

But, despite the data telling you it was a peregrine blob. If you couldn’t identify it as that bird …nah 😂

[@RichardBaker-yk7jt]

low morale