On May 10th the Arboretum will be competing for the 4th year in the World Series of Birding (WSB). The WSB is an annual birding competition organized by New Jersey Audubon since 1984. 
This marathon of birding starts before dawn as we listen for owls and herons, and it continues for 24 hours. Participating teams compete to identify the greatest number of bird species by sight or sound in a 24-hour period in New Jersey or in specific areas of NJ. The event is run as a way of drawing attention to birding, the need to protect bird habitats, and as a fundraiser for conservation efforts.
Our team, Birdin’ with Glorious Purpose, is made-up of staff members from CHA and Turtle Back Zoo. While other teams attempt to cover the whole state, or head for the bird-dense county of Cape May, our team is going for home county pride. We compete as a Level 1, Limited Geographic Area (LGA) team. This means the team birds only in Essex County and will be defending our 2024 trophy against the other LGA teams from other counties throughout NJ. We may not have as many species as other counties, but Essex County has more than you think in habitats ranging from urban environments to open meadows, thick woodlands to swampy wetlands.
An annual survey like the World Series of Birding is an important tool to track impacts on bird populations in response to changes in climate, degradation of habitat, and other factors. While our team has a huge amount of fun on the day of the competition, this is serious science: boots on the ground, waders in the wetlands, eyes-wide-open fieldwork which gives us an update on the status of local birds. This informs our efforts to educate the public about ways to become better stewards of wildlife.
This year will we be sharing with our supporters our methods for preparing for the Big Day as well as discussing seasonal bird activity. This information can be found in our weekly newsletters. We will also be asking for your sponsorships for the event. As a reminder, all funds that we raise for the WSB go to our forest restoration efforts to protect an important habitat for Essex County’s wild bird populations. Both the Cora Hartshorn Arboretum and the Turtle Back Zoo are committed to the long-term survival of species in natural ecosystems and habitats. We thank you for your support.
Please check “Contribution to the Arboretum” and select “World Series of Birding” from the Campaign drop down menu
