With September and its monthly challenge coming to an end, it is time to announce the challenge for October. Migrants are streaming through various parts of the country and October marks the start of the wintering season in most places. This means more birders are now active and there are more birds to see! Birding activity, too, shows a marked increase in this season and this month, the challenge is to spend as much time listing as possible.
The challenge for October is to spend an aggregate of at least 15 hours birding through the month. Each individual list must be at least 15 minutes long, and all checklists must be effort-based, no-X and complete. 
15 hours is not an easy target to meet! One way to reach that number would be to bird for about 30 minutes each day, with more time put in on the weekends. Remember, you can make a birdlist whenever you spend some time outdoors. It could be while taking a walk from one place to another, or waiting at a bus stop, eating by the roadside, sipping coffee on the balcony, and so on.
Please upload all your lists by 5 November so that we can announce the results the next day. All birders who reach the target will be named and recognized on this website. One of these names will be chosen at random to receive a small birding-related gift in appreciation.
Here are the general rules of our monthly challenges. Do check out the yearlong challenges as well! You can keep track of fresh lists coming in from India at this page.
Important. if you are new to eBird, please read this description first, and do take a look at the Beginner’s Guide.
Header Image: Pacific Golden-Plover Pluvialis fulva © Renuka Vijayaraghavan / Macaulay Library (See in checklist)
Very nice initiative ! Great picture too!
Beautiful picture. Can u share where u clicked it?
Thanks. Please click on ‘see checklist’ in the caption to the photo to see where Renuka Vijayaraghavan took it.
Nice clicks renuka! Just loved your shots! Nivethitha
Am i not supposed to enter any incidental checklist?
Apologies for the delayed response. Please do enter incidental lists as appropriate. This does not disqualify you for the challenge. But incidental lists are not counted for the challenge — only effort-based complete lists are. Most of us enter a mix of incidentals and effort-based lists, depending on the circumstances of our birding!
Thank you for the clarification.