In 2022, Josh Spice was doing a Big Borough Year. If you've seen the movie The Big Year with Jack Black, Owen Wilson, and Steve Martin, it's the same idea, except just in the Fairbanks-North Star Borough where Josh lives.

Josh's friend David Hejna was putting on the Big Day challenge, as an event within the Alaska Songbird Institute's Fairbanks Birding Challenge during the entire month of May. The Big Day was starting at 5pm and ending at 5pm the next day, see as many species of birds as you can. Gather and share your findings and stories at the end.

Because David is so good at birding by ear and Josh's strength is birding by sight, Josh suggested it seemed fitting they join forces and try to set a record... was 100 species possible?! It would take planning and perfect execution.

On May 28-29, 2022, David and Josh tallied up 97 species, from Birch and Harding Lakes in the southeast portion of the borough, all across Fairbanks, and out Chena Hot Springs Road. So many other birders were out that day, sending David and Josh updates about special birds around town, and also birding with them for short sections of the 24 hours. The duo was darn happy, but knew more could be seen and heard.

Fast forward to 2025 when young phenom Joseph Ransdell-Green had entered the scene and can seemingly pluck incredible species out of nowhere, on a near daily basis. Joseph's first 'Birdathon' was in 2004 as a fundraiser to support Arctic Audubon and the former Alaska Bird Observatory. Josh sees the obvious potential, yet again. David is unavailable, so Joseph and Josh make a plan, based off all the learning David and Josh had in 2022.

To get two mornings in the 24 hour window, Josh suggests starting at 4am at Birch Lake and ending at 4am atop Chena Dome, to get alpine species. Joseph and Josh put in a grueling day, with the help of many local birders who also joined them for sections, even more than in 2022. Their tally? With three species in the last ten minutes before 4am atop Chena Dome, they crested 100 and finished with a whopping 102 species, including an ULTRA-rare sora rail at Creamer's Field. Again, happy as a gull with a french fry, but knowing that more species could be had...

Seeing the obvious trend and catching word that Joseph was returning to Fairbanks during the same time window this year, Josh threw out the irresistible idea of the trio combining forces to try for 105+ species. The bait was taken before he could finish saying it.

Joe and Josh's 2025 Big Borough Day checklist:

https://ebird.org/tripreport/375879

In 2026, inspired by The Big Year movie and Listers documentary, Josh asked his long-time friend and former coworker, Dev Dharm Khalsa, a professional videographer, to make a short film about the trio's Big Borough Day. After the birding, we will host a public event to show the film and raise awareness and support for birding, birding challenges of all types, and the two non-profits.

Dev Dharm's videography business website: https://projectsinmotion.tv/

Like Joseph's 2004 Birdathon, the three Big Day birders are raising money for Alaska Songbird Institute and Arctic Audubon. A minimal monetary amount will be used to cover the gas cost and possibly to host the public screening of the short film. The great remainder raised will be split evenly between the two non-profit bird conservation entities. The more raised, the more that goes to the non-profits.

https://aksongbird.org/

https://www.arcticaudubon.org/

Options to donate to Alaska Songbird Institute and Arctic Audubon:

1. Make a set amount donation.

2. Pledge a dollar amount per bird species the trio tallies on the Big Borough Day, May 23, 2026.

3. If the trio reaches their goal of 105 species, double the amount per bird or the set amount pledged.

We ask that all donations made in-kind for the Big Borough Day effort to support the two bird non-profits be made here via this GoFundMe and not directly on the two non-profit websites to easily track the total amount raised through the Big Borough Day event. If at any time you would like to make a direct donation to the non-profits during, in lieu of, or outside this fundraiser, please visit their individual donation pages on their websites. Any and all donations are sincerely appreciated.

Thank you for helping support Alaska Songbird Institute, Arctic Audubon, and the birds we love!