Band-a-Thon 2023

Have you ever visited SFBBO’s bird banding station at the Coyote Creek Field Station (CCFS), toured our mist nets, and seen birds up close and “in the hand?” Do you value long-term datasets that tell the story of Bay Area birds and help scientists from local universities and across the globe better understand how changes in habitat and climate may be impacting birds? Do you want students to have the chance to see biologists in action and explore science as a career? 

Then we invite you to support our 2023 Band-a-Thon, a special campaign to raise money for our field station, an important science hub that has researched birds for more than 40 years. Here’s how: 

Pledge Per Bird: To pledge to donate a certain amount per bird caught at CCFS during a month from September 23rd through October 22nd, 2023, please contact us at [email protected], or call us (408) 946-6548 ext. 2. We will send you a final count on Oct. 24th so you can calculate your final donation. Since 2003, captures during this period have ranged from 379 to 1026 birds. You can put a cap on the amount you give. 

Lump Sum Donation: You can also make a straight lump sum donation to support the Band-a-Thon (please donate below). Donations can also be made by check to San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory, 524 Valley Way, Milpitas, CA 95035. Please include a note sharing what it is for. You can send an email to [email protected] letting us know you sent your check.

Special Updates: All Band-a-Thon donors will receive special quarterly updates about our CCFS field station for the next year to learn about the impact of your support. To learn more about what is going on at CCFS, check out our weekly "Notes from the Station" blog!

Bird Bing Game: Everyone (donors and nondonors alike) is also invited to play our CCFS Bird Bingo Game during our CFC, a free virtual game to learn about the birds that frequent our field station. Write to Science Director Katie LaBarbera at [email protected] to get your free bingo card. 

Donations of $80 or more are eligible to receive a 2023 SFBBO t-shirt. The estimated value of the t-shirt ($15) is not tax deductible. Please visit our website to view the Shirt Size Charts.

The artwork (pictured) was designed by Marina Demitrov and is on a black shirt. The owls showcased on the shirt - Burrowing, Short-eared, and Great Horned - have a lot to teach us about sustainability. As apex predators, they are both vulnerable to climate change, habitat loss, and other environmental issues and their presence plays a critical role in helping ecosystems stay in balance. Their direct gaze and charismatic beauty connect us to nature and inspire us to continue our work. By wearing our shirt, you can help tell the story of birds to your community and invite others to get involved. Marina works as a Visitor Experience Manager at the Seymour Marine Discovery Center in Santa Cruz - when she is not dabbling in illustration on the side. 

We have the following shirt styles and sizes available: Women's Relaxed Fit Small, Medium, Large, and XL and Unisex Small, Medium, Large, XL, and XXL. We are taking pre-orders in September and October and will be printing and mailing out the shirts in November 2023. If you are interested in a shirt, after you make a donation please write to [email protected] and let us know what style and size you would like. These shirts will not be available after October 2023, so order yours today!

More fun California Fall Challenge events are scheduled for September and October including great speakers, our Bird Photo Big Day, a Photo Contest, and an Online Silent Auction. Check them out.  Thank you!