GLOBAL BIG DAY
On May 10, 2025, another edition of the worldwide event known as Global Big Day took place – a day when birdwatchers from all around the world aim to record as many bird species as possible within a single day. This year, I joined this international birding marathon myself, in a setting I truly love: the fishpond landscape of South Bohemia.
Big Day is essentially a challenge – within 24 hours (from midnight to midnight), you try to see or reliably hear as many bird species as possible. But it’s not just about competition or breaking records – for me personally, it’s above all about the intense experience of nature, deep concentration, observing bird behavior, and of course, photography.
The morning began in the twilight with the calls of crakes, reed warblers, and nightingales – both the bluethroat and the common nightingale. The forenoon was dedicated to the ponds, filled with geese, grebes, and waders. In the afternoon, I had interesting encounters in the forests and fields, and also met fellow birdwatchers and friends who were exploring different locations. The day ended with silhouettes of ducks, night herons, and geese against the evening sky, and the call of a little bittern in the dusk.
Throughout the day, I didn’t just keep track of the species I observed – I also tried to capture the atmosphere of the day through photography. The total number of species I recorded pleasantly surprised me, but more than that, I can say that taking part in the Big Day was not only a challenge, but also a fantastic way to deepen my connection with nature, learn new bird calls, and support global biodiversity monitoring via the eBird platform.
HOW DID I DO?
In total, I visited the nature reserves of Velký and Malý Tisý, added the Koclířov and Služebný ponds, and finished the day with two visits to Černičný pond. I started at 6 a.m., as I wanted to focus especially on monitoring the Velký Tisý area. The final stats for the day were very satisfying for me – especially given my current experience level and the fact that this was my very first Big Day participation.
Altogether, I observed 96 bird species, including 82 species in the Velký and Malý Tisý nature reserve. Just for context, during this year’s spring Velký Tisý Expedition, I’ve recorded 117 species in total – which is a great result for me.
The new species added to my birdlist during Big Day – ones I hadn’t yet recorded this year – included Stock Dove, Little Bittern, Moorhen, Western Yellow Wagtail, Red Kite, Red-backed Shrike, and Black-crowned Night Heron.
I closed the Big Day with a total of 137 bird species observed so far this year, which is my highest annual score since I began recording my birdwatching observations.
