The Namibia Bird Club previously organized an annual Birding Big Day along the lines of those held in South Africa where teams of two to four birders competed against each other trying to record the most species in a twenty four hour period within a certain area with a maximum radius of 30 km. As some of the more experienced birders usually joined forces to form a team other members felt that they were unable to compete and interest in this fun event declined to the point where, last year, only two teams of two participated and then with one of the teams starting only on the Sunday morning. The committee decided to try a new format this year and on Sunday, 19 October twenty three interested individuals gathered at Monte Christo Guest Farm north west of Windhoek where they were randomly divided into four teams under the leadership of myself, Gudrun Middendorff, Hanjo Böhme and Dieter Ludwig.