Hi All,

A last minute rule-change in late Nov. means that Yardbirdracing is no longer limited to people with yards of 1.2 acres or less. It happened after ANDREW EMLEN of SKAMOKAWA decided to submit his list from Wahkiakum County even though he was slightly over the yard size limit?well, 30.8 acres over the limit, to be exact. But he noted that ?a few of these species come to my farm only because I?ve provided a place for them,? and he posed the question: ?Why not encourage bird-friendly rural landowners?? The logic of this was so overpowering, it generated a soul-searching query: Why hadn?t this totally logical thought already occurred to us? Well, let?s not go there! Anyway there is a new class, Class A (for Acreage) that has been retroactively added to the YardBirdRace.

It therefore follows that EMLEN leads Class A, Wahkiakum County and Skamokawa at this point with 84 species including NORTHERN PYGMY OWL, SAW WHET OWL, COMMON NIGHTHAWK, HAMMOND?S FLYCATCHER, HUTTON?S VIREO, PURPLE MARTIN & TOWNSEND?S SOLITAIRE.

Entries are welcome all through 2005 for the 2nd Annual Yardbirdrace?in Class A or any other class.

For the Leaderboard, a list of great prizes one of which will likely be yours if you enter, a list of classes and past records go to
www.ednewbold.com/yardbird.htm
to enter: email yardbirdrace at yahoo.com


More Breaking YBR News which is about to go to the media in the form of YBR Press Release 3:

VIC NELSON?s entry with 132 species in Class W from POINT NO POINT creates one more race where a record is within one or two species of falling. The Class W & overall YBR record, already owned by Nelson, is 133. New Birds for Nelson this year are MOUNTAIN CHICKADEE & HARRIS SPARROW.

This has shifted the focus in W to runnerup, where DIANE MULHOLLAND of PORT HADLOCK has the inside track with 106 including Yellow Billed Loon, White Throated Sparrow & Eared Grebe among others. MAXINE REID of TULALIP BAY is at the century mark with a great list of shorebirds, CAROLYN EAGAN is at 96 with WESTERN BLUEBIRD & NIGHTHAWK, two birds that might have gone unremarked in the old days, and ERIC & LAURA KRAIG of the NISQUALLY REACH are at 98, with a HARRIS SPARROW among others-- a great total though a far cry from their 2004 ending Thurston County YBR record of 118.

In Class R Snohomish County ROB SANDELIN is at 58 in MALTBY, including MOUNTAIN CHICKADEE, rather than the 44 previously reported. Either number puts him in really good shape to be holding the lead in Maltby at the end of the year, and 58 will be a record in Class R Snohomish Co if nothing is to change.

Meanwhile CHRISTINE SOUTHWICK has brought SHORELINE into the hunt with 48 species including FIVE WOODPECKERS, plus HUTTON?S VIREO, MACGILLIVRAY?S, TOWNSEND?S, YELLOW WARBLERS, AND THREE FLYCATCHERS.

Records are in danger:
GUY MCWETHY with 70 in Class R in King Co out of RENTON., needs one to set a new record. SHARON BAKER, at 60 in Class W in Seattle (WEST SEATTLE), needs one to set a new record. Sharon, who started late, expects to get more. Guy expressed some doubt. We?ll see.

In the all-important Class R in Seattle, JO HOFMAN & JEANNE MARRAZZO (KESTREL, RED CROSSBILL, WHITE THROATED SPARROW) of UPPER RAINIER BEACH also need one to set a new record. The original 55 record was set by last year?s Class R winner DON MCVAY, who picked up a SNOW GOOSE in a year he may have to settle for a likely win in QUEEN ANNE.

New Marks being set:

ROB CONWAY at 88 in Class G (Greenbelt) in NEWCASTLE, looks good for a new record and PAT & RUTH SULLIVAN, with the same total, in Class R in Pierce Co are beating the record they set in the 2004 race. Both have a long list of great highlight birds, and after reading today?s digest maybe the Sullivans are at 89 with another highlight, a WHITE THROATED SPARROW.

BECKY HERB is in record territory already in Class R West Seattle with 53 including among many others, BROWN CREEPER.

BOBBY & CURT PEARSON are likely within a month of winning in HILLMAN CITY with 45 including EVENING GROSBEAK, PURPLE FINCH, & SAVANNAH SPARRROW. This would have set up a nice close race with DELIA SCHOLES & ED NEWBOLD, also at 45 on neighboring BEACON HILL, but we?re out of the race on grounds it doesn?t look too good to compete in a race you?re promoting and there?ll be no more mention of our entry.


BRIAN PENDLETON, working out of a business location in Bellevue, continues to lead that city with 46 including a GOLDEN EAGLE While GRACE OLIVER is ahead in REDMOND with 49 including BARN OWL, but 6 short of her 2004 record.

Thanks to all the participants, sorry to anyone I missed in my hurry, and thanks for considering entering the 2005 or 2006 YardBirdRace. Also Watch for the YBR ad in WA Birder & Earthcare NW.

Ed Newbold residential Beacon Hill Seattle Wa newboldwildlife at netscape.net





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