![]() In each season there is a set of species that are at peak breeding activity, and even though some species are present throughout both seasons, it’s recommended to focus on each bird during the species’ peak season. Nocturnal atlasing has two general seasons, March-April, and May-July. For better listening, atlas on nights with lower wind. Nocturnal birding has one obvious difference from daytime birding: you can’t really use your eyes! Nocturnal atlasing is almost invariably sound-based, and learning where to listen, and what to listen for, is key. Searching for nocturnal species in the field Check out the species- and season-specific tips below on where and when to find the birds you are targeting, and use that to finalize your plan. Now that you’ve found some blocks where you want to go, it’s time to define the specific places you want to visit in the block(s), and what you want to find. Any blank priority block would be the top priority, followed by any with less than two hours of effort. ![]() To find places near you where your nocturnal atlasing can be most valuable, go to the Effort Map, and choose “Nocturnal Effort Hours” from the dropdown in the upper left. Map of nocturnal effort as of March 30, 2021. ![]() Make sure to keep separate checklists for daytime and nocturnal birding. A nocturnal checklist in eBird is a list that starts later than 20 minutes after sunset, or earlier than 40 minutes before sunrise. This is why this type of atlasing is so important: to ‘complete’ a block for the Atlas, the goal is for two hours of nocturnal birding, ideally on two visits, one each during the early March-April period, and then once later in May-July. The best way to start any atlasing, at any time of day or year, is with a plan! The core of any atlasing plan is where you want to go, and what you want to find.Īt this point, essentially every priority block could use more nocturnal atlasing. This article is here to help demystify atlasing at night, and give you the keys to a whole new fun way to bird. Whether it’s the skydance of an American Woodcock overhead, or a realization of how many owls or rails live in the forests and marshes near you, there’s so much to learn. Nocturnal birding holds many exciting birding adventures.
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