This Big Sit! final report is later than usual – the New Haven Bird Club is a very busy organization run by volunteers. We feel strongly that The Big Sit!® tradition should continue into the future. Many circles are used for fundraising, with funds going to conservation. The Big Sit! has also become a part of the birding culture. We are happy that you all are participating!
In 2023 we had 93 Circles reporting from three countries: the United States, Guatemala, and new to the Big Sit! Azerbaijan. Welcome.
This year the top species count circles are:
            Hazel Bazemore Park Hawkwatch Platform in Texas with 129 Species.
            Killbuck Marsh Wildlife Area in Ohio with 99 species
            Elfin Forest Preserve in California with 97 Species
            Finca La Gracia in Guatemala with 96 Species
Lone Oak Big Sit in Oklahoma with 93 Species
See below for the full list of circles and species counts.
Thank you for another great year.
The Golden Bird Award was announced this past December. For The Big Sit!® in 2023, the Coastal Virginia Wildlife Observatory and the New Haven Bird Club were joint sponsors of the Golden Bird Award. The winning circle received $500 to be donated to a bird conservation organization with 501(c)(3) status of the winner’s choice.

The Golden Bird Award is chosen by randomly drawing a bird species reported during The Big Sit! A second random drawing selects one of the circles that reported that species as the winner of The Golden Bird Award.
This year the Golden Bird is the Bay-breasted Warbler.
Bay-breasted Warbler Identification, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Non-Breeding Male Bay-breasted Warbler. Cornell Lab of Ornithology. All About Birds

Only three Big Sit!® circles reported the species. The winning circle, randomly chosen is Spot Run Hill Natural Area in the Run Hill State Natural Area, Kill Devil Hills, NC.
The Circle Compiler Andrew Thornton requested that the $500.00 donation be made to North Carolina Coastal Federation, 3609 N.C. 24 Ocean, Newport, NC North Carolina Coastal Federation | Working Together for a Healthy Coast (nccoast.org). The North Carolina Coastal Federation works alongside coastal communities to protect and restore the unique North Carolina coast. As a member-supported non-profit the Coastal Federation’s goals are obtained through a variety of programs and partnerships with people from all walks of life. Through efforts for clean coastal waters, living shorelines, thriving oysters, effective coastal management, and marine debris removal, the Federation and North Carolina’s coastal communities continue to work together for a healthy coast.

Date of Big Sit!	Total Time (hours)	Country-State/ Province	Team’s eBird Location	Team Name	eBird Species	eBird Other Taxa
07 OCT 2023	13.7	US-TX	Hazel Bazemore Park Hawkwatch Platform	129	0
07 OCT 2023	20	US-OH	Killbuck Marsh Wildlife Area–Force Rd. West	Bobolink Area Big Sit	99	0
08 OCT 2023	12.3	US-CA	Elfin Forest Preserve	97	1
07 OCT 2023	12.2	GT-ES	Finca La Gracia	96	1
07 OCT 2023	13.7	US-OK	Lone Oak Big Sit	93	2
08 OCT 2023	15.1	US-CT	Milford Point-Outer Platform (Big Sit!)	90	6
08 OCT 2023	13	US-TX	Lake Grapevine North Big Sit	90	1
08 OCT 2023	8.6	US-NC	Battery Buchanan	87	0
07 OCT 2023	10	US-MA	Parker River NWR–Hellcat Dike	Brookline Bird Club	84	5
08 OCT 2023	14.5	US-TX	Estero Llano Grande SP WBC (LTC 054)	84	1
08 OCT 2023	12.25	US-PA	HRDABRD at Middle Creek (Big Sit)	83	2
07 OCT 2023	6	US-FL	Fellsmere Grade Recreation Area (Brevard Co.)	Fellsmere Grade Recreation Area, Pelican Island Audubon Society	80	0
08 OCT 2023	18	US-PA	Greycar Rion Memorial Refuge (my yard)	78	0
08 OCT 2023	14	US-VA	Kiptopeke SP–Hawk Platform	77	3
07 OCT 2023	13.5	US-TX	Lake Waxahachie western cove (Yard)	75
08 OCT 2023	3.3	US-NC	Big Sit Spot Run Hill Natural Area	Running Up That Hill	74	2
08 OCT 2023	12.5	US-VA	Kiptopeke SP–Hawk Platform	74	2
08 OCT 2023	7.5	US-MA	Gooseberry Neck	Brookline Bird Club	71	4
08 OCT 2023	11.25	US-OH	Mill Creek Wildlife Sanctuary (restricted access)	71	0
07 OCT 2023	10	US-TX	South Padre Is.–Birding and Nature Center	70	0
08 OCT 2023	13.2	US-PA	John Heinz NWR–impoundment (Philadelphia Co.)	69	1
08 OCT 2023	6.25	US-FL	PINWR – Joe’s Overlook	68	0
08 OCT 2023	13.5	US-OK	Eagle Cove Observation Platform, Tishomingo NWR, Tishomingo, Oklahoma, US (34.195, -96.633)	68	5
08 OCT 2023	15.4	US-CT	Smith Neck Road Big Sit!	66	5
07 OCT 2023	14	US-PA	201 Wagontown Road, Coatesville, Pennsylvania, US (40.029, -75.857)	Early Bird Nature Tour’s Chambers Lake Hawk Watch & Annual Big Sit	65	0
07 OCT 2023	12	US-MD	Baltimore Big Sit – North Point SP	Baltimore Bird Club	63	1
07 OCT 2023	9	US-PA	Greycar Rion Memorial Refuge (my yard)	61	0
07 OCT 2023	12	US-MD	Baltimore Big Sit – North Point SP	60	1
08 OCT 2023	14	US-CO	Chatfield SP–Original Heronry Overlook	59	1
08 OCT 2023	9.25	US-OK	Denison Dam Area	Best Dam Birders	59	0
08 OCT 2023	10.3	US-PA	Hillview	Hillview Hawkeyes	59	0
07 OCT 2023	13.5	US-VA	Algonkian Park – BigSit! 2023	BigSit! Algonkian Circle	59	0
07 OCT 2023	12	US-CT	Jared Eliot Preserve	Connecticut Wobblers	58	0
07 OCT 2023	13.6	US-MO	Swan Lake NWR , Observation Tower	Swan Sitters	58	0
07 OCT 2023	13.75	US-MD	Big Sit 2023 21774, New Market US-MD 39.40198, -77.28042	Fred Archibald Sanctuary Sponsor: Audubon Society of Central Maryland	57	0
08 OCT 2023	11	US-VA	Crow’s Nest Research Center (access by request)	Fredericksburg Flighty Flickers	57	0
08 OCT 2023	12.2	US-FL	The Celery Fields	56	1
07 OCT 2023	12.75	US-IN	Goose Pond FWA–Main Pool East	Goose Pond Main Pool East	56	0
08 OCT 2023	12.2	US-ME	Wharton Point, Brunswick	Merrymeeting Audubon Field Trip/Maquoit Bay Birders	56	0
07 OCT 2023	9	US-TX	Offatts Bayou, Galveston US-TX 29.27752, -94.85466	55	0
08 OCT 2023	12.25	US-ND	Cass, Fargo, 2023Bigsit	54	0
08 OCT 2023	11	US-NC	Cowan’s Ford	meckbirders	53	1
07 OCT 2023	13	US-PA	Juniata River–Casner’s Crossing	52	0
07 OCT 2023	12	US-MD	Audrey Carroll Observation Deck	Frederick Bird Club @ Audrey Carroll Audubon Sanctuary	51	1
08 OCT 2023	13.7	US-CT	Plainfield — Quinebaug Valley Fish Hatchery	50	0
07 OCT 2023	11.6	US-IL	60045, Lake Forest US-IL 42.26015, -87.88401	Lake Forest Open Lands, Lake-Cook Audubon, and Lake County Audubon	50	0
07 OCT 2023	9	US-WI	Retzer Nature Center	Ben Goss Bird Club	50	1
08 OCT 2023	9.6	US-PA	Juniata River–Casner’s Crossing	49	0
08 OCT 2023	8.1	US-OH	GMAS Big Sit Charles Mill Lake–Swimming Beach	Greater Mohican Audubon Society	47	0
08 OCT 2023	12.3	US-OH	Shaker Lakes–Nature Center	47	1
07 OCT 2023	14	US-TX	9 Oaks Circle “Big Sit” 29.56685, -94.38972	9 Oaks Circle, High Island, Texas	47	0
14 OCT 2023	10	US-UT	Skipper Bay Trail	47	2
08 OCT 2023	9	US-NJ	The Celery Farm	46	0
07 OCT 2023	22	US-PA	Shaver’s Creek Env. Center–Boardwalk	Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center	45	1
08 OCT 2023	12	US-VA	2nd Street Connector Ditch	Richmond Audubon Society	45	0
08 OCT 2023	8.5	US-CT	Lighthouse Point Park	Daily Hawk Count	44	4
07 OCT 2023	3.75	US-FL	Peaceful Waters Preserve, Wellington US-FL 26.63242, -80.23389	43	0
08 OCT 2023	13.25	US-CT	Chaffinch Island Park, Guilford, CT, US	42
07 OCT 2023	4.65	US-WI	Woodland Dunes Big Sit	41	0
08 OCT 2023	US-VT	Birds of Vermont Museum	40	0
07 OCT 2023	8.5	US-PA	Trexler Nature Preserve, Big Sit point	40	1
07 OCT 2023	11	US-NC	Greensboro Bog Garden	Piedmont Bird Club Pishers	39	1
08 OCT 2023	12	US-MI	Big Sit 48045	Metro Munchers	38	0
08 OCT 2023	8	US-CO	80116 – WLD	36	1
08 OCT 2023	8	US-MD	Adkins Arboretum	36	0
08 OCT 2023	5.3	US-WI	Big Sit circle, bird blind, Old 131 Trail, KVR, La Farge, Wisconsin, US (43.597, -90.635)	Kickapoo Valley Birding Club	36	0
07 OCT 2023	7	US-MS	Riverview Cemetery	35	0
07 OCT 2023	12.5	US-NV	1340 Muir Drive	35	0
08 OCT 2023	10	AZ-SIY	Besh Barmag bottleneck	32	1
08 OCT 2023	9.25	US-PA	Locust Lake SP	32	0
08 OCT 2023	12	US-VT	Missisquoi NWR–Stephen Young Marsh	32
07 OCT 2023	8	US-NY	Silver Lake SP	31	0
07 OCT 2023	7.9	US-SC	Jeffries Creek Park, Florence US-SC 34.17309, -79.79245	31	0
08 OCT 2023	4	US-DE	Cape Henlopen SP–The Point	Sussex Bird Club	30	2
08 OCT 2023	3	US-PA	West South Street Big Sit Circle	30	1
08 OCT 2023	4.5	US-LA	City Park–Couturie Forest	29	1
08 OCT 2023	13	US-PA	White House Camp (Hoagland Branch Rd)	26	0
08 OCT 2023	6	US-CT	Salt Meadow NWR Big Sit!(R) circle, Menunketesuck River, Westbrook US-CT 41.28166, -72.47414	25	0
07 OCT 2023	3.5	US-SC	Near Table Rock St. Pk. Trail head	25	0
08 OCT 2023	11.5	US-NH	Miller SP–Pack Monadnock	21	1
08 OCT 2023	2.2	GT-ES	Finca La Gracia	20	0
08 OCT 2023	2.6	US-SC	Interpreter Residence TRSP	20	1
08 OCT 2023	2.6	US-SC	Near Table Rock St. Pk. Trail head	20	1
08 OCT 2023	1.5	US-NY	Wave Hill, New York US-NY 40.89784, -73.91197	17	1
07 OCT 2023	8.85	US-OH	Huston-Brumbaugh Nature Center	Brumbaugh Birders. Huston-Brumbaugh Nature Center	17	0
08 OCT 2023	2.75	US-PA	6236 Jerome Boulevard, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, US (40.341, -76.781)	Gifford’s Corner	9	1
08 OCT 2023	US-VT	Birds of Vermont Museum	9	0
08 OCT 2023	1	US-PA	MSI Big Sit Circle	8	0
08 OCT 2023	2	US-ME	Grandview Point, Little Sebago Lake	7	0
08 OCT 2023	1.5	US-VA	Kiptopeke SP–Hawk Platform	4	1