New record for fourth annual John Stott Memorial Birding Day

The inaugural John Stott Memorial Birding Day took place in 2021, the great man’s centenary year, to commemorate his love of birds and friendship with A Rocha. It has since developed a life of its own.  

This year teams from a record-breaking 33 countries raced to see as many species as possible in 24 hours! Congratulations to the Camper-Birders who won with a total of 136 in France, closely followed by the Scholtenses with 133 in Ontario, Canada, who had stunning views of the Northern Lights as they set out in the early hours. The KASA North Coast Tour Guides in Kenya came in third, logging an impressive 132. 

The Hong Kong Team, which included many brand new birders, stayed in the city and still identified 18 species. The Singapore Sings claim they saw the rarest species of the day – a Critically Endangered Straw-headed Bulbul Pycnonotus zeylanicus, and the team in Chile persevered through snow and sickness.  

With so many stunning photographs entered for the competition, judging was challenging. Congratulations to the worthy winners.