BBC Massachusetts Big Day – May 9, 2026
On May 18, 1974 Bob Stymiest led the BBC trip with the all time largest species count for the club – 162 birds seen during 20 hours across Essex County. We share this bit of club lore with you to introduce our second annual BBC Massachusetts Big Day.
Last May during our first club Big Day members recorded 186 species across the state. There were many highlights, but also surprising misses. Will Essex County be top again? Can we find 100 species in Suffolk County? Can we reach 200 in Massachusetts in 2026?
Our plan is simple. Rather than a personal competition, we ask that you go birding on Global Big Day on May 9 then send us your list. Whether you spend a full day seeking birds in multiple locations, or simply birding your local patch or back yard, have fun! Take a friend with you, and tell us what you see.
By May 15 please share your list with the eBird account BBCBigDay (note that there are no spaces). Using the eBird website:
- Create and open a checklist.
- Select the Checklist Tools button.
- Select “Share with others in your party”.
- Enter “BBCBigDay” in the window on the left, scroll down and select Share Checklist.
Club Statistician David Scott will do the rest and produce a single list of all the species spotted by every participating member. (If you don’t have an eBird account, it’s very easy to set one up.)
Further details to follow, including how to share your day with the club’s social media accounts.
Thanks to our leaders, the BBC has scheduled several trips to help build our shared list. We hope to add more, so check the Blue Book and website for those:
- Mt. Auburn Cemetery, 6:15 – 8:45 AM
- Big Day Kickoff at Parker River, 6:30 AM
- Big Day Kickoff at Drumlin Farm, 7:00 AM
- Big Day Walks: Roslindale Wetlands Urban Park plus Peters Hill at Arnold Arboretum, 7:00 AM – 10:00 AM
- Global Big Day Kickoff: Pine Hill Grasslands, 7:00 AM – 11:00 AM
- Rock Meadow & Beaver Brook North, 7:00 – 9:00 AM
- Pawtucket Farm Wildlife Sanctuary, 7:00 – 10:00 AM
- Pine Banks Park, 7:30 AM
- Gore Place, Waltham, 8:00 – 10:00 AM
- Weston Station Pond and nearby Mass Central Rail Trail, 9:00 – 11:00 AM
- Mount Auburn Cemetery, 9:00 – 11:00 AM
- Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary, 4:00 PM
Global Big Day is a worldwide event sponsored by the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology. We want to give our members a friendly, low pressure opportunity to participate in Global Big Day. Please join the fun!
BBC Big Day 2025 Checklist Locations
County Totals for 2025:
| County | Species |
| Essex | 134 |
| Barnstable | 111 |
| Plymouth | 107 |
| Worcester | 98 |
| Middlesex | 98 |
| Suffolk | 87 |
| Bristol | 83 |
| Norfolk | 51 |
| Massachusetts | 186 |
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