Migration Magic 2026 Big Day
They’re banding together again for a Migration Magic “Big Day”! Their goal is to spend all day birding together and try to beat last year’s total of 151 species. Their 2026 goal: 170 species!
The last two years’ Big Day challenges were such successes that Joe Attwater, Matt Bell, Deb Eccleston, Lori Lichtenauer, and Stefan Martin want to see if they can out-do themselves this year.
During Migration Magic’s month-long fundraiser in 2025, the Big Day was one of the most important components. It raised $8,379 of the $42,388 that Connecticut bird lovers donated during the month, all of which went to help protect the state’s birds.
Sandhill Crane seen during the Big Day by Deb Eccleston
Membership Director Deb Eccleston, Conservation Manager Stefan Martin, EcoTravel Specialist Matt Bell, Conservation and Education Coordinator Joe Attwater, and Lori Lichtenauer, sanctuary manager/naturalist at Deer Pond Farm will be out there again.
The crew will start early (4 a.m.) and end after sundown. Their route will highlight the variety and diversity of the state’s birds and its habitats, to emphasize why those kinds of habitats need protection and restoration.
Their itinerary will take them to Pomfret, Hampton, New London, Old Lyme, Madison, Milford, and Fairfield County, with opportunities for route changes and detours depending on which birds are in the state on that day.
They’ll visit state parks such as Hammonasset and Harkness. They’ll aim to spend time at Connecticut Audubon sanctuaries: Bafflin at the Center at Pomfret, and Trail Wood in Hampton; the Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center in Old Lyme and the Milford Point Coastal Center in Milford.
You’ll be able to follow their progress through the Instagram stories they’ll post along the way — @ctaudubon. And keep up with their checklists on the eBird Migration Magic Big Day 2026 trip report.
If you haven’t yet made a Migration Magic contribution, the Big Day is an exciting place to start! Support them here!
