The biggest fundraiser – and best 24 hours! – of the year are upon us! For 21 years, nature lovers and birders have been flocking to The Carden Alvar to see how many species, bird, bug or bush, they can count in 24 hours. This beloved weekend, culminating in a catered dinner at a supporter’s house (I mean who opens their home to fundraisers? Our supporters do!) has been a cherished weekend for decades. This year feels a little different with the passing of its co-creator, Conservancy founder and our first Executive Director, Ron Reid. The event is graciously carrying on to support the Carden Alvar landscape so many love. Teams that have participated for decades, driving and dashing to different locations to count as many species as possible, are slowly re-organizing to take in our hybrid category, and are planning to spend the day spotting for birds together on a porch while reminiscing.
Others are still participating in excited and frenzied ways: from a boat, trying to crack 100 species, celebrating their five year participation anniversary and with young children! However you’d like to experience the Alvar on this day, is up to you. Registration is still possible. Email Meg W, Office Coordinator, at nature(at)couchconservancy.ca
If you would like to support a team which raises much needed funds for stewardship of The Carden Alvar, please use the links below.
Stewardship of The Carden Alvar includes monitoring and removing invasive species, organizing community science initiatives and animal and plant species monitoring.
The Loon Rangers are made up of Jeramie Jenkins, Glen Hodgson, Jon French and Mark Stevenson. They are often wearing matching outfits to show their support and Jeramie hosts us for dinner in his home every year! Support The Loon Rangers
Watching With Wonder is stacked with some of Couchiching Conservancy’s biggest supporters and birders: Ann and Neil Gray, Carole May-Cote-Sadowa, Alain Cote, Ginny Moore, Janet Grand (co-creator of the Carden Challenge) and Nathalie Rockhill. This team will be honouring their friend Ron with a ‘relaxing’ Carden Challenge which features ‘no dashing, much sitting and good conversation’. We know Ron will be there in spirit. Support Watching With Wonder
Tanya & The Megs is the Couchiching Conservancy’s staff team. Tanya Clark, an avid birder and our Fundraising and Engagement Manager, has organized the challenge for years and has now passed that role on to Office Coordinator Meg Whitton. 33% of Couchiching’s small staff is named Meg and all three of them are on this team – hence the name which is meant to be sung like Elton John’s ‘Bennie and the Jets’. Meghan Duell, Conserved Lands Manager, and Megan Greenwood, Nature Reserve Steward, round out this team. Last year Tanya’s team cracked 100 species, can she lead her team to another impressive count? Support Tanya and the Megs
The Fauna Fanatics consists of Captain Kristyn, Boat Driver Bill, Keeper of the Tally Katherine and ‘Epic’ Justin. This team is able to bird from a boat and is famous for trying to squeeze in ‘just one more location’ before the competition clock stops at 6pm! Support The Fauna Fanatics
Let’s Wing It, another stacked team full of previous Conservancy staffers and their biodiversity driven friends: Sarah Hodgkiss, Kyra Howes, Mike Francis, Mark Bissett, Cameron Curran and Ali Curran. They bird together even when they aren’t together. This is a hybrid team with some members participating directly from the Carden Alvar and others participating all the way in Thunder Bay! A hybrid team cracked 100 species last year – let’s see if it can be done again. Support Let’s Wing It
The Red Capped Chickadees, Kelly Gibson, Mandy Gibson, Alex Grout and Jess Benavides, are celebrating their FIFTH Carden Challenge Anniversary this year! Congrats and we’re thrilled to have them back. Last year they counting NINETY NINE species. Is there a more motivated team to crack 100? We think not. In the words of The Red Capped Chickadees, ‘It’s About To Get Birdy!’ Support the Red Capped Chickadees
The Millennial Falcons, Michelle Locke and Andrew Keaveney, are the team to beat! A double win last year in both the Competitive and Biodiversity category with 151 species – can anyone catch them? Possibly the most knowledgeable in the competition, they could use some fundraising help. Support the Millennial Falcons
The Carden Owls have, I believe, our youngest birders. Headed by Dad Chase and younger team members Will and Rose, this team is a family affair, truly living out The Couchiching Conservancy’s mission: protecting nature for future generations. Support The Carden Owls
The Fantastic Fledglings are another family team featuring Melissa, Simon and Reid. Families that bird together, stay together. Not only are they so dedicated to nature and conservation that their young daughter is already a birder, but Simon asked for pledges for his 50th birthday this year! Support The Fantastic Fledglings
Don’t see your Carden Challenge team on this page? Fill out your Canada Helps fundraising page here and we’ll link it.