Big Year Challenge 2020 starts now!

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Holly
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Big Year Challenge 2020 starts now!

Hi all

Sorry back at work after Xmas break so its time to kick off the Big Year Challenge for 2020!

Here are the rules (taken from the small year):

  • The challenge runs for images taken from Jan 1 2020 till Dec 31 2020
  • Each participant will have their own thread for each challenge that they post all their photos in to: E.g. Holly's Big Year 2020  
  • Every Bird Counts (EBC) - as long as it is clearly identifiable. Except - birds must be 'in the wild' so no birds in zoos etc and domestic fowl
  • Only photos taken by you in Australia within the Year (time frame) can be submitted
  • Quantity not Quality - only your personal capacity for embarrassment (and EBC rule above) limits you! There is no judgement here!
  • 1 Species (including all subspecies)  = 1 Point - but feel free to post bonus pics of previously posted birds as you get better photos
  • Rule adjudication by popular vote / howling mob (and admin stepping in where needed!)
  • Comments (nice ones) encouraged on all threads, those of us who want advice / criticism can ask for it
  • Winner takes all - fame, adulation, glory, bragging rights (and a Birds in Backyards prize pack)

Small year (Sept to Dec 2019) cut off date for uploading is Jan 15. You've got a few days to finish up before I declare a winner.

Alex Rogers
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Thanks for that Holly - looking forward to having fun with this challenge again in 2020. 

Devster
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Thanks Holly, looking forward to 2020

pip-lb
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Anyone care to guess how many species we'll collectively see? 

The 5 of us on the small year challenge saw 350 species. Could we get 500? Or 600? 

I think it is a good challenge for us to get out and document what we see after this fire season. We can produce some useful information. I hope more than 5 will join this year. 

It is 'competition' in name only, as far as i'm concerned. The real challenge is honing id skills and getting out into natural spaces - walking and focussing on what is around you. Also a challenge of photographic skills but speaking personally, i have a pretty limited camera and the bulk of my picks will basically be crap so i hope no one is turned off by the need for quality, or intimidated by some of the incredible shots that others get. It's not a photographic competition afterall. I warn everyone, i will be uploading many terrible photos that nevertheless confirm a bird identity.

My capacity to withstand embarrassment is truly prodigious.

Happy birding everyone.     

dwatsonbb
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Couldn't agree more pip, its all about getting out there, and as you say, we as a group can perhaps provide some data on survival rates in certain areas.

Look forward to some other members hopefully joining in.

Apparently more than 800 species found in our wonderful land, many of course with extremely limited range.Maybe 500 would be an acheivable target? Obviously more is better.

"My capacity to withstand embarrassment is truly prodigious." I like that pip, I reckon I am with you there all the way, although I don't think anyone has anything to be embarressed about, after all we are all students of life, with much to learn before moving on.

Dale Huonville, Tasmania

Alex Rogers
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Is there anything people would like to change about the rules? Good opportunity to do it now if so. 

Holly
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Alex Rogers wrote:

 

Is there anything people would like to change about the rules? Good opportunity to do it now if so. 

 

Yes be sure to speak now!

 

I might do a bit of a push on social media too - see if we can get some newbies to join up

 

Alex Rogers
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Holly, does it makes sense to open subforums for 2019, 2020 etc to keep it cleaner? 

Devster
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Rules seem good. One thing I'd like to clarify is with subspecies. Personally I'm in two minds about countng them. On the plus side of counting them, it makes us more aware of the different subspecies which helps us to learn. Especially with the Ringnecks etc. The only disadvantage I can see is that those of us that get to travel can have multiple enties for the same species which gives them an even greater advantage. What do others think?

Alex Rogers
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My view is that opening it to subspecies just complicates matters - 

  • they are often difficult to distinguish from each other, even by professionals
  • some of them tend to hybridize, making life REALLY difficult
  • it is not common to record subspecies on life-lists etc so I generally don't, and don't really want to start

So my preference on this would be to leave eligibility to the 900 or so full species in Aus. Open to the groups preference though. 

Devster
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That is a good point Alex. It does make it more difficult and they can be hard to identify. Also it makes it harder for me to do the stats as well :)

dwatsonbb
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Personally happy to run with the rules above, but happy to consider change if the mob thinks best.

Dale Huonville, Tasmania

Holly
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Great discussion - very happy for simplicity sake to leave to species level

pip-lb
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I'd prefer to keep at species level for the reasons already mentioned. 

Devster
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It looks like we all prefer the normal species without subspecies.

Holly
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Hi all

 

We've just done a little social media promo about the Big Year Challenge - hopefully might entice a couple of other takers.

Apologies, I realised I haven't declared a winner of the Small Year yet. Its been a super busy post fire (well ongoing fire) work time. 

Oh and if you want to find us on social media as well we are on:


Twitter: @UrbanBirdsOz

Instagram: @birdsinbackyards (couldn't get the same handle!)

Facebook group: Birds in Backyards (Australia)

Devster
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Thanks Holly. Good to know. Oh by the way, is there a runners up prize?  ;)

Holly
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Devster wrote:

 

Thanks Holly. Good to know. Oh by the way, is there a runners up prize?  ;)

 

I can be persuded to offer a runners up prize too for sure! I'm feeling generous this morning LOL

 

karentwemlow
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Do you have a list of all the species seen during the small year challenge?

Also for the really bad photos there is a Facebook group called Crap Bird Photography. It is such a fun group. I posted my first photo of a Gang-gang Cockatoo to their page and they loved it! Luckily I've been able to get a better photo since this one :-)

sue818
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Oops, a bit late but quite happy staying at species level. Sub-species can be posted in Best Photos if anyone wishes to do so. I just needed to know which list to adhere to & that is now clear. On with the challenge.

karentwemlow
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Oh great, thanks Sue, I will fix that. This has been a good QA exercise :-)

TommyGee
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Hi! New guy here, I'm loving these photos and would love to take part. Is there going to be a Big Year Challenge 2021?

sue818
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Cannot see why not as we tried a small year in 2019 for 3 months. Seems like a good idea to me. It is a bit of fun and you get to see pictures of species that may be unfamiliar to you.

Why not join in for the end of this year? If you have any photographs from this year then feel free to start up your big year. It is not highly competitive and I'd love to see what birds you have seen in this difficult year. In what part of Australia are you, TommyGee?

Devster
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Hi TommyGee. Like Sue said. Feel free to join in. Always happy to hear from others. Love to know what state you're in as its always interesting to see what birds are common in each state. Also feel free to post any comments on our big year lists. I'm always happy to hear from anyone. 

Alex Rogers
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Hiya TommyGee - of course you can join in :-) As the others have said, why wait - why not just start posting and contributing for the balance of the year, we'd love to see your pics and have another person in the comp. For this year, all photos must be taken within 2020, but you'll have a week or two to get them posted before we close out the comp. Then for sure we will be doing it again, so you can get a flying start in the new year :-) 

Looking forward to seeing your pics :-) 

TommyGee
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That's a brilliant idea... why didn't I think of that?? Thanks Sue :)

I'm in south-east Victoria... not quite regional, not quite suburban either. I discovered birdwatching in lockdown so it's all new to me.

TommyGee
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Thanks Devster :) south-east Victoria is where I am. I already took a look at your list and I'm envious! 

TommyGee
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Cheers Alex :D and thanks for the welcome. I'd better get posting!

Devster
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Haha, thanks Tom. I was like that with Sue last year. The good thing about being in different areas is that we have a different variety of birds. If you have Gang Gangs, then I'll be jealous cause we don't get them up here

Alex Rogers
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Holly, we are going to run another Big Year for 2021. Any chance you could open subfolders for 2019 Small Year, 2020 Big Year, and now 2021 Big Year and move the relevant threads into each? Then we can keep building on that. Thanks :-) 

The 2020 one is pretty much done, but people have until Sun 10th to upload their entries, and we'll do final tally etc in the week of the 11th. 

I don't think we need to change any of the rules for this year - perhaps just add a line in the rule re full species only referencing the WLAB as amended as the formal list. 

And finally - it would be good to try a bit of recruitment (eg FB pages?) etc - the more that play the more fun it is :-) Any ideas? 

Holly
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Hey all - Alex apologies! I have been on leave and just back today. Does everyone want to play again? Can absolutely promote it in the Facebook group as well.

 

Everyone has until the 15th to upload their lists for this year.

 

I will start a quick poll thread and we can then go from there.

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