Birdathon 2026
What is the Birdathon?
Meet the current participants
Pledge to the team(s) of your choosing!
Learn about past Birdathons
Participate in Birdathon 2026!
Support all of Birdathon!
What is the Birdathon?
An important annual fundraiser that supports our mission to connect people to nature through community education and conservation.
Modeled on Global Big Day, it is an important annual fundraiser that supports our mission to connect people to nature through community education and conservation.
A friendly competition similar to a walk-a-thon, but instead of getting a pledge per mile walked, you can pledge for each bird species identified.
Donors can also make a lump sum donation to the team of their choice!
Also a major fundraiser for both the Renee Smith Scholarship Fund, providing scholarships for high school seniors going into environmental studies, and Whidbey Audubon Society’s General Fund.
A way to document what species are seen on Whidbey during this seasonal migration window.
Questions? Contact our Birdathon Coordinator.
How does it work?
Participants collect pledges from family, friends, work colleagues, and others who want to support birds. Then in early May, during peak bird migration, your team goes out and counts and records as many species as they can identify in a 24-hour period, anywhere on Whidbey Island and immediately surrounding waters.
We invite you to get outdoors and share in the fun, while supporting birds and the habitats they need to thrive.
Thanks to all team members for their great birding and fundraising, and thank you, thank you, to all our Birdathon supporters! Your participation shows your deep caring for birds and our environment!
How to Participate
You don’t have to be an expert birder to take part in Birdathon!
You can form a team, solicit donations, and see how many species you can identify.
Form a Traditional Team, with multiple team members.
This is really pretty easy! Team participants collect pledges from friends, family, businesses, co-workers, or anyone who wants to support. Then in early May, during peak bird migration, your team goes out and counts and records as many species as they can identify in a 24 hour period, anywhere on Whidbey Island and immediately surrounding waters.
You can go Solo Birdathon!
It’s always important to be safe while birding, and birding with family or a friend is encouraged. But you are welcome to bird alone, whether in your own backyard, neighborhood or throughout Whidbey Island.
You can do Backyard Birding:
Maybe you just want to see what birds come to your backyard space. Either by yourself or with your team, write down all species that come to your feeder or yard.
If you decide to do one of the three birding methods above, please submit your registration as soon as you are able so it can be included on our website, and people will be able to pledge to your team.
Previous year teams can find their information for reference here!
Want to support Birdathon? You can support as many teams as you like by:
Donating to the Birdathon team (or teams) of your choosing
Making a one-time donation to the Scholarship or General Fund
Pledges will be collected after teams finish birding and submit their results.
At the push of a virtual button, you can make a difference for birds while supporting the team or teams of your choice!
This annual Aududon fundraiser is a huge success because of people like you who care about birds and about protecting our natural environment. No matter how you choose to participate, we thank you for being proactive, and for all your support!!
Birdathon Timeline
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Team Registration
April
New and current teams register to participate in the upcoming Birdathon. -
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Solicit Pledges & Donations
April and early May
Team members solicit pledges from friends, family, businesses, co-workers, etc., recording their information on pledge tracking sheets, in preparation for their Birdathon day.
Teams must be sure to indicate if the donor wants their donation to go to the General Fund or the Scholarship Fund.
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Birdathon
First two weeks of May
Each team chooses a 24-hour period of time to go around Whidbey Island with binoculars and scopes, counting and recording all the species of birds they see or hear. Each team will submit a list of the birds they spotted to our Birdathon coordinator.
Photo of “Shore Thing” birding at Deer Lagoon Preserve.
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Collect Pledges
May and June
After their Big Day, teams collect their pledges from their sponsors by having them go to the team page and pay the total owed. If the team collects checks or cash, they mail them in to Whidbey Audubon. Contact us for more info!
Photo by Sharon Wada.
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Coveted Golden Binoculars Award
June
When all the numbers are in, the team that spotted the most species will be awarded the Coveted Golden Binoculars Award!
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Bronze Owl Bank Award
September
The team that collects the most donations and pledges is awarded the Bronze Owl Bank Award at our September program!
Meet the Teams!
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Shore Thing
CATHI BOWER, KATHY OBERSINNER AND PATTY CHEEK
Although team members have come and gone, Cathi and Kathy have been Whidbey’s Shore Thing since we began together in 2017 (along with our ringer Darwin Wile, that first year) when we spied the first Yellow-headed Blackbird to be seen during an Island Birdathon.
Our Birdathon sightings high-count has so far been 110 for the day, so pledge to team Shore Thing by number of species, if you dare! We do strive for the Coveted Golden Binoculars Award, but more importantly, we’re after that Bronze Owl, the award for the team who has inspired the greatest giving to this Whidbey Audubon event!
Victorious or not, a day’s fun adventure is a Shore Thing!
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Wild Women of Whidbey
FRANCES WOOD, ANN CASEY, MARILYNN STRAYER AND LINDA BAINBRIDGE
Once again, the Wild Women of Whidbey (WWW) Birdathon Team will participate in the WAS Birdathon Fund Raiser. Our team of Frances Wood, Ann Casey, Marilynn Strayer and Linda Bainbridge will gather and head out over hill and dale in search of as many bird species as we can find, employing our sharp eyes, our keen ears, our trusted binocs and scopes and leaving no habitat area uncovered.
The WWW is one of the charter member teams in the Whidbey Audubon Birdathon fund raiser. In past years, WWW has been in the top three teams and just a species or two away from winning the coveted Golden Binoculars Award. This year we will be trying our best to surpass our previous team records.
We appreciate your support and donations and will do our very best to represent you in our efforts to help Whidbey Audubon Society achieve it's mission and goals. THANK YOU.
GO WWW!!!!!!
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Wingin' It
JANET HALL, SARAH SCHMIDT, ANN LINNEA, DYANNE SHELDON AND LIBBY HAYWARD
The Wingin’ It team began participating in Birdathon in 2003, making 2026 our 24th year! We love sharing a full day of birding while raising money to support Whidbey Audubon Society. We usually find around 110 species. While we aim to maximize our species count, we always take time to share and learn together.
Wingin’ It is led by Sarah Schmidt and Janet Hall, joined this year by Ann Linnea, Dyanne Sheldon and Libby Hayward. We are grateful for your donations which further the work of Whidbey Audubon Society and our Scholarship Program. -
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No Egrets!
LOUIE SHELLENBERGER, PATRICIA DUARTE
Until very recently our team name "No Egrets!" was literally the case as they are rarely seen on the island particularly during Birdathon. One was spotted earlier this year, but as a team we still have No Egrets!
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Raven for More
STEVE ELLIS, MARTHA ELLIS AND MADRONE RUGGIERO
Raven for More won the Golden Binoculars Award in 2025 for finding the most bird species. We not only look for birds but add mammals, fish, butterflies, and native plant species that are blooming. It's a mini-biobltz that celebrates the glorious Whidbey Island spring. Every supporter gets a list of where and when each bird species was found plus a list of all the other wonders we come across.
Last Year's Birdathon Results
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Every year is unique. Our spring bird count during Birdathon provides a view of bird species that live on or migrate through Whidbey Island in early May. A total of 152 bird species were identified during this count, with some very interesting sightings. A new team, Raven for More, stole the show with sightings of a Cassin’s Auklet and a Red-necked Phalarope.
The winner of the coveted Golden Binocular Award is the Raven For More team (Madrone Ruggiero with Steve and Martha Ellis), with 125 species sighted on their Big Day, clearly leading the number two team of Wingin’ It (Janet Hall, Sarah Schmidt, Ann Linnea, Dyanne Sheldon and Libby Hayward) with 113, Shore Thing (Cathi Bower, Kathy Obersinner and Patty Cheek) found 107 species, Coupevillains (Sandy Shields, Martha and Steve Ellis) at 99 followed by No Egrets (Louie Shellenberger, Patricia Duarte, Janet Jernigan) and Wild Women Of Whidbey (Frances Wood, Ann Casey, Marilynn Strayer, Linda Bainbridge) at 97 sightings. Although All-For-Knot and the Fledglings did not participate, they still brought in donations which are very much appreciated. Great job, all teams!!! The 2025 Birdathon results, along with the last 12 years’ statistics, will be posted on the Birdathon website. During this twelve-year period, 213 species have been observed!
Previous year teams can find their information for reference here!
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2025 Raven For More
2024 All-For-Knot
2023 All-For-Knot
2022 All-For-Knot
2021 Coupevillains
2019 All-For-Knot
2018 Coupevillains
2017 Coupevillains
2016 All-For-Knot
2015 All-For-Knot
2014 All-For-Knot
2013 The Coupevillains
2012 Wingin’It
2011 The Coupevillains
2010 The Coupevillains
2009 The Coupevillains
2008 Wild Women of Whidbey
2007 The Coupevillains
2006 Wild Women of Whidbey
2005 The Coupevillains
2004 The Coupevillains
2003 The Coupevillains
2002 whidbeywatchers.com
2001 The Coupevillains
2000 The Coupevillains
1999 whidbeywatchers.com
1998 The Coupevillains
1997 The Coupevillains
1996 The Coupevillains
1995 The Super Sighters -
Our 2025 Birdathon Species List can be found here, along with the previous eleven years Birdathon results. In 2025, 152 species were identified. Plus a Red-necked Phalarope was sited for the first time. Our twelve-year average is 151.5 species.
Dominique Emerson awards Raven For More’s Madrone Ruggiero the Coveted Golden Binoculars Award for 2025!
Support Birdathon
Scholarships
General Fund
If you want to donate to both the general and scholarship funds, please make two separate donations.