Phoebes Big Sit 2026 — Phoebes Birding

Sunday, October 13, 2026 • AD Barnes Park • Report by Liz Gushee

Phoebes Celebrate Five Years of Big Sit Birding

Braving 100% humidity and tropical temperatures, members of Phoebes Birding gathered on the morning of Sunday, October 13th at A.D. Barnes Park in Miami to count birds for the annual Big Sit. 2026 marks the fifth year the Phoebes have participated in this nationwide event, contributing quantitative data to ebird for the birds seen and heard within our 17-foot circle. Over the years, we’ve come away with impressive numbers, with an all-time high of 49 species in 2022; this year proved a little less active bird-wise with a respectable count of 37 species spotted over a three hour period.

Members of the Phoebes love all birds, but some favorites of this year’s Big Sit included raptors, with two Peregrine Falcons and a Merlin spotted within our range, and a vocalizing Osprey was heard. The ever-popular flycatchers made a showing and included a Gray Kingbird and a Great Crested Flycatcher. If you blinked, you missed a skulking, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, who decided to reveal itself for an instant from its hideaway among the thick tree foliage. Lastly, we were delighted to have a fantastic showing of warblers in the trees above our circle which included the Worm-eating, Black and White, American Redstart, Cape May, Northern Parula, Bay-Breasted, Blackburnian, Blackpoll, Black-throated Blue, and Yellow-throated warblers.

October is a great month for birding in South Florida, so grab your binoculars, call a Phoebe friend, and get out and bird!