Inside Connecticut Audubon’s Big Day Challenge: 24 Hours, 500 Miles, and 163 Species

In the pitch black of midnight, Deb Eccleston heard the memorable gulping call of the American Bittern echo over a Connecticut marsh.

“It’s loud and distinct, and you just think, ‘Holy moly,” she said.

The encounter came just minutes into the Connecticut Audubon Society’s annual Big Day — a 24-hour birding marathon that raises support for bird conservation across the state.

On May 18, Eccleston and three other Connecticut Audubon birders recorded 163 species and raised nearly $5,500. Over the course of a single day, the team drove more than 500 miles across the state, exploring diverse habitats from mixed woodlands and inland wetlands to salt marshes and coastal sand dunes.

“We went to a McDonald’s once to use the bathroom and get a cup of coffee,” said Eccleston, Connecticut Audubon’s membership manager. “Other than that, we stopped only to find birds.”

Joe Attwater (left) with Matt Bell, who drove more than 500 miles across Connecticut in a single day. (Photo by Deb Eccleston)

With Matt Bell, the assistant director of EcoTravel, behind the wheel, the team visited 13 sites in the first six hours alone. By 9 a.m., they had already identified more than 100 species, including 21 species of warbler, according to Stefan Martin, conservation manager.

The team also included Joe Attwater, conservation and education coordinator with the Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center. They saw several state-endangered birds, including the American Bittern, Red Knot, and Common Gallinule.

“That’s special,” Eccleston said of seeing the rare species. “We want to find as many birds as possible, but we’re also seeing these sensitive species and recognizing that there aren’t many places left for some of them to breed anymore in Connecticut.”

The Big Day team saw several state-endangered species, including the Common Gallinule. (Photo by Deb Eccleston)

The team capped off the exhausting day with a final sighting of a Nighthawk.

Other memorable moments included sightings of a river otter and porcupines, along with conversations with curious people they met, Martin said.

“We spoke with folks all over the state about the importance of conservation, answered questions, and shared our sightings with them,” he said.

Now in its third year, the Big Day has become a central part of Migration Magic, Connecticut Audubon’s month-long festival celebrating the wonder of bird migration. Last year, the Big Day team recorded 151 species and raised more than $8,000.

“It’s a fun, tiring, satisfying day,” Eccleston said. “We do it because we know we’re raising money for the things we love.”

To support the team and the conservation work behind the Big Day, please consider making a donation to the Connecticut Audubon Society.