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Manomet’s Bird-A-Thon is a friendly 24-hour birding competition and fundraiser that supports our conservation and education work. For the first time since its inception, we welcomed over 150 visitors to the property. Neighbors, friends, and many first-time guests got a chance to meet the banding lab crew, learn about our work in landbird conservation, and enjoy everything our nature trails have to offer.
The Trevor Lloyd-Evans Banding Lab is part of our Landbird Conservation Program. Each year, we must raise $325,000 to keep this vital science alive, supporting banding interns, providing outdoor learning spaces for students, and advancing songbird research that guides conservation action across the hemisphere. We haven’t reached that fundraising goal yet, but this year’s Bird-A-Thon marked an incredible milestone in community engagement and outreach.
The day began with a peaceful sunrise bird walk along the Kathleen “Betty” Anderson Nature Trail. Guided by Lisa Schibley, participants spotted 39 species as morning light spilled over the bluff. From there, the day unfolded into a celebration of nature. Guests joined the Big Sit on the bluff, sipped coffee, and tallied sightings while the youngest attendees painted birds, built organic feeders, and peered through a scope for the very first time.
The Banding Lab was buzzing with excitement! Hourly tours offered a window into Manomet’s origins as the Manomet Bird Observatory, explaining why and how we band birds; and how this work inspires the next generation of conservationists through our seasonal interns and visiting students.
Throughout the morning, visitors explored our native plant sale, attended a wildlife photography workshop, and enjoyed an event that truly lived up to its name: a marathon for bird enthusiasts!
As we tallied the checklists on eBird, we were thrilled to see 77 species recorded right here on our property—one of the area’s top hotspots—and an impressive total of 206 species reported worldwide as birders joined in from across the United States and Brazil!
We extend our heartfelt thanks to the businesses and professionals who donated prizes, shared their expertise, and helped us make this day possible. Buttonwood Park Zoo, Plimoth Patuxet, Rose & Vicki’s, Lodelicious, Nova Trampoline Park, Wild Birds Unlimited, Old Sturbridge Village, Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy, Boston Harbor City Cruises, Institue of Contemporary Art Boston, Book Love, Discovery Museum, Ryans Family Amusements, The American Heritage Museum, and Plimoth General Store.
Remember, Bird-A-Thon is an annual tradition—but our conservation work happens every day. You can help us keep this legacy of science, education, and connection alive. There’s still time to give. Make a gift today to support the Banding Lab and ensure the future of bird conservation for generations to come.
