GLOBAL BIG DAY
On 10 May 2025, another edition of the global event known as Global Big Day took place – an occasion when birdwatchers from all over the world try to record as many species of birds as possible in a single day. This year, I too took part in this international birdwatching marathon, in a setting I am very fond of: the South Bohemian ponds.
Big Day is essentially a challenge – over the course of 24 hours (from midnight to midnight), you try to see or reliably hear as many species of birds as possible. It’s not just about competing or breaking records – for me personally, it’s mainly about an intense experience of nature, concentration, observing bird behaviour and, of course, photography.
The morning began at dawn with the calls of corncrakes, reed warblers and nightingales – both the blue and the common varieties. The morning was spent by the ponds with geese, grebes and waders, whilst the afternoon brought interesting encounters in the woods and fields, as well as meetings with fellow birdwatchers who were travelling between several sites. The day ended with the silhouettes of ducks, coots and geese against the evening sky and the call of the little bittern in the twilight. Throughout the day, I not only recorded the species but also tried to capture the atmosphere of the whole day through photography.
I was pleasantly surprised by the total number of species recorded, but I can say that taking part in the Big Day was not only a challenge but also a brilliant way to deepen my connection with nature, learn to recognise new bird calls and, at the same time, support global biodiversity monitoring via the eBird platform.
HOW DID I GET ON?
Overall, I visited the Velký and Malý Tisý National Nature Reserve, added the Koclířov and Služebný ponds to that, and rounded off the day with two visits to Černičný Pond. I started at six o’clock in the morning, as I particularly wanted to survey the area around Velký Tisý Pond. The overall statistics for the day are very encouraging for me, particularly given my current circumstances and also because this was my very first time taking part in this major event. In total, I observed 96 species of birds, 82 of which were in the Velký and Malý Tisý Nature Reserve. And just to clarify, I observed a total of 117 bird species during this year’s spring Velký Tisý Expedition, which is a brilliant achievement for me.
The new species observed during BIG DAY that I hadn’t yet included in my birdlist this year are the stock dove, the pygmy owl, the green-legged partridge, the meadow pipit, the common kestrel, the red-backed shrike and the nightjar. I ended BIG DAY with a total of 137 bird species recorded so far this year, which is my highest total in all the years I’ve been keeping records of my birdwatching.
