The Mega Bowl is a fun and friendly activity that celebrates birds, birders, and birding! Participants go birding alone or in small groups in the CT county of their choice, trying to observe as many species as they can.
- Birders are awarded points for seeing each species observed, with a range of 1 point for the most common species to 5 or 7 points for the rarest species.
- The person or team who accumulates the most points in each county will win a prize and will select a CT-based conservation organization, nature center or wildlife rehab center to be the recipient of a $100 donation from COA and the Mega Bowl Committee.
- All participants will be eligible for additional prizes selected at random.
- Prizes include bird books, framed prints, bird feeders, bird houses and more! The event will culminate in a Zoom meeting of all interested participants where the results will be reviewed and the prizes awarded.
Who:
ALL CT birders are invited and encouraged to participate in this event. You can participate as an individual or as a member of a team (if you form a team, we ask that you take appropriate precautions to avoid risk of coronavirus infection by refraining from carpooling, wearing facial coverings and maintaining appropriate social distance as recommended by the CDC).
When:
This year, the Mega Bowl of Birding will be held on Saturday, February 6, 2021.
When you sign-up for the event, you will receive the Mega Bowl bird checklist and the link to the Zoom meeting that will be held on Sunday, February 7 at 5 pm. Go birding anytime from 7 am to 5 pm on Saturday, February 6. You can report rare bird sightings on the CT list serve at ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org if you want other participants to hear about your sightings right away.
Record your sightings on the checklist and send the completed checklist to the Mega Bowl coordinator at closcalz@optonline.net or by calling (203) 389-6508 before 12 noon on Sunday, February 7.
Where:
Please only go birding in public spaces or on private property by permission.
Sign Up Now:
Sign up for the Mega Bowl today or by Friday, February 5 by emailing me at closcalz@optonline.net. There is no fee for entry. Your participation will promote birding in the state and generate donations to deserving conservation organizations in Connecticut. And, it’s FUN! We hope that birders from every county in CT will participate in the event. There is one checklist for the coastal counties and another for the inland counties. So, be sure to let us know what county you will be birding in.
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about the event. Thanks!
Chris Loscalzo
COA President & Mega Bowl Coordinator