In the spring of 2023, three New River Valley (NRV)-based birding clubs (the NRV Bird Club, the Bird Club at Virginia Tech, and the Blacksburg High School Birding Club) partnered together to host an event with the goal of spreading the joy of birds while raising money for conservation. This original event combined public bird walks and a competition, where funds would be raised via entry fees and then sent directly to the Virginia Society of Ornithology (VSO). Michael Shultz won the event and a gift card to Sugar Magnolia (Warbler) with exactly 100 species in Giles County!
In 2024, the organizers of the NRV Big Day expanded the event to the statewide level. With the support of the VSO, a planning committee was formed (see below). The fundraising mode changed from entry fees to pledges to boost competition and make the event more accessible to all. In 2024, the event raised over two thousand dollars for the VSO’s Virginia Breeding Bird Atlas II project, with the winning team, the Islanders (of Williamsburg, VA) recording 97 species. The 2025 event, which took place in April, raised several hundred to add to that total, and its funds went to the VSO’s youth programs! You can view the awards presentation and information about the 2024 and 2025 teams under the “Archive” tab.
The Big Day will be returning on October 3rd, 2026!!! It will be much like previous big days: Virginia birders may register a team of friends to compete in one of several categories, including a youth category and regional categories. Teams will have from midnight to midnight to see as many species as possible; however, this can be tailored to any birding style. Teams will collect pledges (e.g. $2 per species) from individuals or organizations. New this year is the ability for individuals to pledge to the entire event (rather than just a team); see “Pledging” tab for more information. Our fundraising initiative is still yet to be announced!
To learn more about the Virginia Big Day, please navigate to the “Rules” page. To register a team, please navigate to the “Registration” page. If you’d like to learn about or contact the organizers please scroll down.
Meet the Committee
Xavier Gitre, Chair
Xavier is a young birder from Blacksburg, VA. His interests include researching the impacts of anthropogenic disturbances on avian behavior, conducting bird surveys, and working towards more inclusive, wider-reaching outreach programs for young birders.
Patrick Lewis
Patrick is a birder living in Loudoun County, VA. Patrick has been birding for seven years; his favorite birds are the Bald Eagle, Northern Cardinal, and American Kestrel and his favorite hotspot is Algonkian Regional Park. Patrick serves as Young Birding Program Coordinator for Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy and as Chair of the Virginia Society of Ornithology Youth Engagement Committee.
Bill Williams
Bill has been a member of the Virginia Society of Ornithology for more than 50 years. He is the immediate Past President of the VSO and currently serves as Vice President.
Sage C.
Naveed J.
Ahmed H.
Tom M.
And many thanks to Lilian Armstrong, Meredith Bell, Shirley Devan, Dixie Sommers, Todd Day, Matt Anthony, Blacksburg High School student graphic designers, Diane Lepkowski & the Virginia Society of Ornithology (VSO), and the VSO’s various local chapters for their generous support, advice, and assistance!
Contact
This form is preferable if you are inquiring about general matters, but urgent messages can be sent to xgitre@vabirdingbigday.org directly.