Spring Birding: 35 fun ways to get out birding for April

Spring Birding: 35 fun ways to get out birding for April

We have a new challenge to get your April birding underway and help you savor the sights and sounds of spring! Do any of the following to collect a maximum of 100 points for the month. You can do more for fun of course!

These are also great activities to share your love of nature with kids. Try to do some of the suggested activities the next time you are out on a walk, at the park or wherever you happen to be. No kids? No problem. Just ask a friend or relative with kids to come along on your next birding excursion!

If you decide to take part in this challenge, feel free to tell us about your experiences in the comments section below.

Take BPQ’s April 100-Points Challenge

Download a PDF version of the challenge to track your progress.

1.    Birds with crests – 5 points for each species observed and identified.
For some videos see this previous blog post (not all the birds mentioned in the post can be found in Quebec).

2.     Birds with a long  tail – 5 points for each species observed and identified.
Read more about bird tails and their form and function in this post.

3.     Observe and identify a bird eating berries – 5 points for each species.
Read more fun facts about birds and berries in this blog post.

4.     Find an American Woodcock – 20 points.
Learn about their habitat and where to find them, you can check eBird for sightings to help you. If you’re wondering what’s so special about this bird, please see this previous post about the amazing Woodcock.

5.     Observe a Woodcock “dance” – 20 pts
See above blog post link in #4.

6.     Declare a local “patch” – 20 pts.
Visit it at least 1x per week (4 x during April) Here’s an eBird article all about local patches.

7.     Sign up for the Bird Protection Quebec’s Canada goes Birding challenge – 15 points

8.     Keep a birding journal, noting weather conditions along with your bird sightings – 10 points.
Finally a use for that stack of pretty leather covered note books that are “too nice to write in” that you’ve been stashing away! Or if you prefer a more techie method, keep notes on your computer or use a phone app for this. It’s lots of fun to track year to year bird sightings for your backyard, cottage or a vacation location you visit often.

9.     Make a bird friendly garden plan for your yard – 20 pts.
For inspiration see our Bird Friendly Gardening web page  or check out the info on the Gardening with Wildlife blog .

10.   Clean your bird feeders – 10 points.
Help keep your feathered friends healthy!

11.   Find & clean your hummingbird feeder to get ready for hummer season – 10 points.

12.   Buy a hummingbird feeder if you don’t have one and plan where to hang it – 15 points.

13.   Volunteer to set up a feeder for someone else or at a senior’s residence etc. – 20 points.
Great alternative idea if you live in an apartment or somewhere where you can’t have your own feeders.

14.   Introduce a friend to birding – 15 points.
If you invite them along on a field trip,  BPQ will do the rest!

15.   Take a kid birding – 15 points.
Spread your love of nature to the next generation!

16.   Build a bird feeder or bird house – 15 points.
You’ll find lots of great ideas and plans here.

17.   Learn to identify the songs and calls of 2 new bird species –20 points.
To help sharpen your skills visit  www.natureinstruct.org .

18.   Observe an early arriving Warbler species – 5 points each species.

19.   Submit at least one checklist to eBird – 5 points each.

20.   Attend a BPQ field trip – 5 points for each trip.

21.   If you are already a member of BPQ – 10 points

22.   Become a new member in April – 10 points. Information on membership here.

23.   Find and identify a Song Sparrow  – 10 points.
The bird that is, not the BPQ newsletter! But feel free to read the back issues!

24.   Find and identify an American Tree Sparrow – 10 points.
Wish it bon voyage !

25.   Review the BPQ checklist to identify any potential “lifers.” – 5 points for each species.

26.   Find and identify a thrush other than a robin – 10 points.

27.   Find and identify a wren –10 points.

28.   Find and identify a duck that nests in a tree – 10 points.

29.   Find a wading bird- 10 points.

30.   Find and identify a flycatcher – 10 points.

31.   Observe and identify a falcon – 10 points.

32.   Observe and identify a Buteo- 10 points.

33.   Find and identify a Plover  – 10 points.

34.   Find and identify four Woodpecker species – 20 points.

35.   Observe and identify a Vulture – 10 points.