The Potomac Valley Audubon Society (PVAS) will hold its seventh annual “Ruth Ann Dean Memorial Birdathon” the weekend of May 14-15.

Everyone is welcome to participate, regardless of their experience or expertise at birding.

The Birdathon offers several options for joining friendly competitions to see who can identify the highest number of bird species during the weekend inside PVAS’s geographical territory (Jefferson, Berkeley and Morgan counties in West Virginia and Washington County in Maryland).

PVAS bills the event as very family-friendly and says it is great way to get children more interested in birds and the natural world in general. All its activities are free.

Those who participate are encouraged to seek pledges from neighbors, family and friends to help raise funds for PVAS’s conservation programs.

Full details are available on the PVAS website at www.potomacaudubon.org. Or contact Kristin Alexander at kristin@potomac audubon.org or 304-676-3397.

People can participate in the Birdathon in one of two ways. The first way is to go out in the field, as part of a team or as an individual and actively seek to identify as many birds as possible during any 24-consecutive-hour-period during the weekend.

Birdathon teams should be two to five members in size and can be made up of friends or family members. If you don’t have a team of your own, PVAS can help you find one.

The second way to participate is to initiate a “Big Sit,” in which one chooses any location within PVAS’s territory and identifies all the bird species seen or heard from within a 50-foot diameter circle again, within a 24-consecutive-hour-period during the weekend. This can be done independently or with friends and family. This is a much easier option, and better suited for older folks and families with small children.

Those participating in the field and in individual or small-group Big Sits are asked to register with PVAS. Registration is free and easy on the PVAS website.

PVAS’s annual Birdathon is named in honor of Ruth Ann Dean, who was a founding member and ardent supporter of PVAS. Each year, it is part of a series of local activities commemorating International Migratory Bird Day.