Circles and Rules

Your Circle

Listing a Circle

You have the option to publish the name and location of your circle before the event so that other birders can ask to join you.  We will post a public list of the circles. 

If you want us to publish your circle on this list please follow this link: Your Circle and fill out the form well in advance of the event. A link to the compiled list of circles will appear in the “Finding a Circle” section below so other birders can contact you.

Finding a Circle

Looking for a circle to join? Circles that have provided their contact information and are open to having birders join them can be found here: The Big Sit Circles.

If you would like to ask to join an existing circle, please email the circle’s coordinator/captain in advance.

Circle Location for eBird

Because you will use eBird to submit your results, you must be able to identify the precise location of your circle. This can be done using the eBird app while at your circle, or by using the map feature available on the website version of eBird when you return home. See full instructions under Reporting Your Results.

Establishing A Circle

If you are new to The Big Sit! or want to establish a new circle, the procedure is easy.

• • • Pick out a spot where you know there will be lots of birds.
    • Mark a circle with a 17-foot (5.2-meter) diameter and a good view of those birds.
    • Plan to be there in that circle for as many consecutive hours as are convenient and fun between 12:00 am midnight and 11:59 pm on either Saturday, or Sunday.
    • Before you start birding, you should identify your circle’s location using the eBird app on your smartphone. Alternatively, you may identify your circle’s location on a map using the eBird website on your computer. You may use an existing eBird Hotspot if it accurately fits your circle’s location.

Circles have been located on observation platforms, in parking lots, fields, hill tops, backyards, and ocean overlooks. Anyplace that has a good viewpoint for seeing and hearing birds is suitable for a circle. The more varied the habitat within view of the circle, the better. For example, one circle is on an observation platform overlooking a northern U.S. lake with nearby marshes, forest, and a field. Another circle sits on a high dune in Connecticut overlooking Long Island Sound, beaches, a salt marsh, a river – a whole estuary system. Some circles are located on hawk and passerine migration flyways. We encourage new circles to be located in national, state, or local wildlife refuges, land trusts, forests, parks, or other such areas.

How Many Birders?

The comfort and ease of the individuals making observations is usually most important. A participant shouldn’t have to fear getting hit by someone’s scope or having their view obscured by bigger, taller birders.

In addition, COVID-19 precautions may be necessary. Please follow all local, state, and federal guidelines.

If you have many people interested in participating, you could create a sign-in sheet with assigned time slots. We ask circle coordinators and captains to limit the number of people in your circle at the same time. Stay safe!

Fundraising

The Big Sit! has been used as a fundraiser by many clubs, Friends’ organizations, and conservation groups. Some organizations collect a fee to participate in their sponsored circle. Others take pledges for how many people participate, or for each species seen. For example, if 20 club members pledged $0.20 per species and their team tallies 50 species during The Big Sit!, the team could generate $200 for a special club project.

If your circle is sponsored by an organization, please continue to use this event as your fundraiser. Get creative and find a new way to get pledges.

Please note that all fundraisers associated with The Big Sit! are conceived and organized independently from the New Haven Bird Club. The New Haven Bird Club is not responsible for any statements, claims, or activities, financially or otherwise, that are conducted by bird clubs or other organizations that choose to participate in The Big Sit!

Rules

• Observations can be made only from within your pre-determined 17-foot (5.2 meter) diameter circle.
• Your circle may be in any location you choose for the event.
• Follow safety recommendations and guidelines for the coronavirus pandemic.
• If a bird is seen or heard from within the circle but is too distant to identify, you can leave the circle to get a closer look/listen to confirm the bird’s identity. However, any new bird species seen or heard while confirming the original cannot be counted unless it’s seen or heard by someone who stayed behind in your circle or you see it again when you return to your circle.
• Keep track, on paper, of the number of birds and species you observe.
• Keep track, on paper, of all participants and the hours they spend in the circle.
• Your Sit can last as many hours are convenient and fun between 12:00 a.m. midnight and 11:59 p.m on either Saturday or Sunday.
• Participants in your circle can work in shifts. No one person needs to be there throughout the whole Big Sit! but there must be at least one person within the circle the whole time. If you are doing a BigSit! alone, you may leave your circle briefly as needed.