NOTE: This event is NOT restricted to TNA members (most events aren’t). All birders are welcome!
The individual or team who identifies the most bird species in Lucas, Ottawa, Wood, Sandusky, and Erie Counties, from 7 pm May 12 to 7 pm May 13, 2023, will be awarded the prestigious Peregrine Cup.
The friendly competition is for birders of all skill levels and will again cover Lucas, Ottawa, Wood, Sandusky, and Erie Counties.
Planning a route is half the fun, and places like the Oak Openings, Magee Marsh, Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge and Pickerel Creek are all part of the geography and are among the very best birding locations in the entire state.
TNA welcomes new birders! Anyone new to birding or new to the North Coast Open and would like to join a team can email mattkemp04@gmail.com, and we will match you up with a TNA member.
Click here to download the registration form
UPDATE – THERE WILL BE AN IN PERSON COUNTDOWN – LOCATION TBD
We will have a countdown – location TBD, and participants will have the option of using the Countday app to share their growing lists with the other participants if they so choose.
Please be safe and be sure to practice relevant health guidelines.
Official Rules:
1. Field of Competition: Erie, Lucas, Ottawa, Sandusky, and Wood Counties, Ohio.
2. Competition Period: The competition period begins at 7:00 p.m. on Friday May 12 and ends 24 hours later at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday May 13.
3. Participants: Participate as an individual or as a team of 2 to 5 members. Individuals and teams are encouraged to create a birding pseudonym or team that, if crowned champion, will be immortalized via engraving on the venerable Peregrine Cup. (As examples, recent past winners include “Off the Rails” and “Quick Three Beers and A Cabernet”).
4. Registration: Each individual or team must complete and deliver an official registration form to the event coordinator(s) by the Wednesday (May 10, 2023) before the competition.
Mailed registrations should be sent to: NCO, c/o Matt Kemp, 5943 Lynwood Ct., Whitehouse, OH 43571; or email to mattkemp04@gmail.com.
5. Your List: Each individual or team will compile a team list comprising all the wild, unrestrained, non-released bird species identified (visually or aurally) within the field of competition during the competition period. If you are birding as a team, each team must identify (visually or aurally), during the competition period and with the field of competition, every bird species on the team list (no 95% rule).
Please email your complete list and total species identified to mattkemp04@gmail.com within 48 hours of the end of the competition, i.e., by 7 pm on Monday, May 23. The results will be announced as soon as practicable.
6. Non-participants permitted: Competitors may be accompanied by non-participating companions, but such non-participants shall not locate or identify any birds for the competing team members. Non-participants may drive, read maps, compile checklists, make encouraging remarks, make sandwiches, etc. – anything except finding and identifying birds.
7. Recordings Prohibited: The broadcast of any tape, CD, iPod, or other recordings of bird calls or songs is prohibited during the competition. Recordings may be used as a reference, provided they are not broadcast into the environment. Human-produced sounds are permitted.
8. Countday App. Participants are encouraged to use the Countday App. Information on accessing and using Countday will be provided to those who register.
9. Please drive carefully, follow all relevant health guidelines (including social distancing with other birders you may encounter), and otherwise conduct yourself according to the highest levels of birding ethics. Participants compete at their own risk.
