Birders in Suffolk County are invited to celebrate a record-breaking year at the Big Bird Eco-Bonfire on Saturday, Jan. 31, at the Center for Environmental Education and Discovery (CEED) in Brookhaven.
Attendees can socialize, dress as their favorite bird, and hear from CEED’s newest educator, Aidan Perkins, who set a county record in 2025 by spotting 319 bird species.
The event runs from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at the CEED Washington Lodge, 287 South County Road. A $10 donation is recommended.
“It was a huge goal in my life to do a big birding year here in Suffolk County, and I ended up with 319 species of birds, which is like the new all-time record for Suffolk,” Perkins said. “So, I’m very excited to talk about that.”
The previous record was set by Taylor Sturm a few years ago at 305 birds, Perkins said.
“Most years, if I do a lot of birding in Suffolk or even just New York, I’ll end up around 270 species, but I have beat the 300 mark, which is usually a pretty big goal. And it’s definitely not an easy thing to accomplish.”
Some birds visit Long Island for only a day or so during migration, which adds to the challenge.
“You’ve really got to be able to get out almost every day and try to catch them as they’re migrating through,” he said.
Perkins said he indirectly received help from other birders by following up on their reported sightings.
“Everyone has a camera and everyone is so well connected. There’s a lot of rare birds that are seen, and the word spreads. Other people get to see them before they disappear.”
Perkins’ interest in birding began when he was 11 and watched the comedy The Big Year about three birders competing in North America. He graduated from the College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse in 2024 and hopes to grow as an all-around naturalist.
More information and registration are available on the CEED website.