Subject: Okanagan Big Day Challenge
Date: Jun 10 17:48:28 1999
From: Richard Cannings - cannings at vip.net


Dear Birders:

A little late, but here's a rundown on the results of the Okanagan Big Day
Challenge:
The Fourteenth Annual Okanagan Big Day Challenge

May 23, 1998

The Okanagan Big Day Challenge has been happening annually since 1986, and
this year was again one of the central events of the first Meadowlark
Festival. Held on the Sunday of the Victoria Day weekend, this friendly
competition pits teams of birders against each other to see who can find the
most species of birds in one day. Some teams start at the stroke of midnight
and go all day, others take a more relaxed approach and participate in the
Little Big Day category, starting at 4 a.m. and finishing at noon. Whatever
the strategy, everyone has a lot of fun, and in the process raises a lot of
money for conservation programs in the Okanagan Valley.

This year 18 birders in 5 teams took part. The coveted Flammulated Owl award
for most species went to the "Lewis Expedition" (they missed Clark?s
Nutcracker)? Dick and Russell Cannings, Wayne Weber, Ralph Lloyd and John
Brighton? for their total of 159 species. The Kelowna-based team of the
"Peregrinators"? Don Wilson, Chris Charlesworth, Bill Cutfield and Jason
Weir? took home the Kootenay Kup for second place with 155 species, while
"The Four Harriers of the Apocalypse"? Eva Durance, Glenda Ross, Sandra
Purton and Lil Sheps? came in third with 142 species.

The "Kalamalka Koots"? Mary Collins, Phil and Dolly Gehlen and Virginia
Stewart? took home the Lydia Bishop Award for best Little Big Day total with
126 species. Madelon Schouten--"The Lonesome Ticker"--was runner up in that
category with 87 species. The Koots also walked away with the Gary Lawrence
Award for best bird of the day with the sighting of a Forster?s Tern at
Okanagan Landing. The Sour Grapes Award for worst miss of the day went to
those apocalyptic Harriers for missing Black-capped Chickadee, one of the
commonest birds of our gardens and deciduous woodlands. The Wandering
Albatross Award, an old Timbits box donated by Blake Maybank of Halifax, was
given to Ralph Lloyd of Bellingham for being the birder who had migrated
farthest to take part in the event--hopefully we?ll have more participants
from south of the line in the future.

In a prize draw based on funds raised, Phil Gehlen won a pair of Pentax
binoculars donated by Pentax Canada, and Glenda Ross won a Field Guide to
Hawks donated by Tumbleweed Nature Store.

The combined species total for all teams was 179, and about $3500 was
raised. I?d like to thank Doreen Olson, Susan Rogers and their helpers for
producing a fabulous brunch at Leir House, and also all the participants and
people who pledged money. And it will be even better next year, I?m sure!
Get ready for the Millenium Big Day Challenge in 2000? and remember, you don
?t have to be one of us 24-hour fanatics to participate and have fun!

Dick Cannings

Naramata, BC