Hi All!

(First this seems like a good time for a note of appreciation on the Marymoor Reports from Michael Hobbs and others that have added to Tweeters so consistently for quite a while.)

YARDBIRDRACE NEWS

While this year?s Tour de France became less and less exciting with each passing day, the YardBirdRace is following a completely opposite pattern, becoming more and more interesting as the race progresses!

Currently holding the overall lead is CAROLYN EAGAN of Port Ludlow with a cool 88 species including Common Nighthawk and Common Tern (someone is going to have to do something about these names). But last year?s Thurston County winners ERIC & LAURA KRAIG were reporting 79, including Hutton?s Vireo and Great Horned Owl, as of June and last year?s overall winner has yet to enter, so hold onto your hat, this race is too early to call and getting exciting. Especially since anyone, perhaps someone reading this post, could enter at any time during the year up to the end of 2005, so the boredom of a foregone conclusion can never infect the YardBirdRace.

A very tight race is brewing in King County, where GUY MCWETHY is holding the ?yellow jersey,? with 59 species including Bullock?s Oriole, Great Horned Owl and Red Crossbill. However, NANCY LANDER & BOB BENNETT, also from Renton, were at 57 when they last reported in early June with a Yellowthroat and a Black Throated Gray Warbler, so ditto for this race. GRACE OLLIVER is looking to easily repeat in Kirkland with 47 so far including a Great Horned Owl. .

Jumping the queue in the all-important Seattle Class Residential were JEANNE MARRAZO & JO HOFFMAN, who rocketed into first place when they reported last weekend with 52 species including American Kestrel and Crimson Fronted Parakeet ( I ruled that a legit species to count, these are the Seward Park birds?was I right?). Next closest is last year?s class Residential class winner DON MCVAY who at 41 is looking good for a win on upper Queen Anne with Snow Goose and Olive Sided Flycatcher. BOBBY & CURT PEARSON, who have both Grosbeaks and a Purple Finch, are just one behind and looking for a productive fall migration. SHARON BAKER is at 44 in Class W but would have 46 if Orca and Dall Porpoise had been eligible as honorary birds.

REBECCA GALLOWAY proves you can get a late start and still lead as she is ahead in the Northgate community with 15 species including Chestnut Backed Chickadee.
Tayler and Liz Brooks, last years winners, are again leading in Snohomish County with a Sandhill Crane, among many others, while Kurt Ranta already had 47 way back in June to hold the Skagit Co. lead from ?downtown? Mt.Vernon.

DAWN BAILEY again leads in Eatonville with 46 species that include a White Pelican and a Northern Pygmy Owl.

PRIZES: I?m hoping to add some copies of Birds by Ken Kauffman, along with the three other prize choices, a years subscription to WASHINGTON BIRDER, a Violet Green Swallow house, or a year?s membership in your local Audubon Society?1 of the above--- for the top 25 winners. (Before anyone says, ?Oh, I already have a Kauffman, remember, this makes a fantastic gift for almost anyone who isn?t already into birds.)

NEW RULE: Sadly, a new rule has had to be instituted in view of troubling incidents involving Texas Ranger pitcher Kenny Rogers. From now on, if and when photographers from the Press come to take your picture, YardBirdRace participants may not call them names, yell expletives at them, or hurl their cameras to the pavement. If you can?t live with this tough new rule, well, I?m sorry, there is just no place for you in this event.

Old Rules: Any bird seen on or from your yard of less than 1.2 acres in Western Washington in the year 2005 counts. Also, Let me know of any local newspaper or other media in your area. For the leaderboard and more info see www.ednewbold.com and click on YardBirdRace. To enter write me at YardBirdRace at yahoo.com

It would be great to have a couple new entries for the first press release, which I hope to get out next week. Thanks in advance!

Ed Newbold residential Beacon Hill newboldwildlife at netscape.net


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