Hi all,
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Part 1:? Big YardBirdRace Records Fall!
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The huge Residential overall mark is headed for the recycling bin as JIM DANZENBAKER has hit 114 in Clark County in the Residential category. The current record in R is 113.? Jim?s latest birds were Common Merganser and Hermit Thrush, perhaps the most common bird not on this?southern WA list from Battleground: Fox Sparrow.
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Another huge mark that won?t survive the year is Seattle Residential overall.? Likely three-peting champs MARISSA BENEVENTE & JIM FLYNN? are currently reporting 86, 7 over, including FERRUGINOUS HAWK, NIGHTHAWK & SANDHILL CRANE from the dynastic YBR neighborhood of West Seattle.?
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Currently in the position of first runnerup in Seattle Residential is the SCOTT HOSKIN/PENNY ROSE team which has picked up TUNDRA SWAN and MOUNTAIN CHICKADEE (see their photo on the Leaderboard, scroll down the left side)? at 76 which also massively obliterates the old Ballard R record of 61. The Number would be 77 if ORANGE BISHOP hadn?t been disallowed by grumpy YardBirdRace officials.
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Another record that will fall by year?s end is the Shoreline Residential mark as CHRISTINE? SOUTHWICK? has 66, 4 over the record with multiple flocks of SNOW GEESE and still 2 individual TOWNSEND?S WARBLERS hanging around.
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In Anacortes, the record is guaranteed to go up by 3 as KRISTI HEIN/CASEY BAZEWICK? reach 62 with two owl species and an OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER.
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Part II
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STRESEMANN?S BRISTLEFRONT is a bird so rare that if you google images for it, your ability to spell will be called into question. ?In fact only a few grainy photos of it exist? (it is a Tapaculo, related to the antbirds that lives in the humid Amazonian forest in a very restricted area of the Minas Gerais state of Brazil), and you guessed it, it?s in serious danger of extinction.? The GOOD NEWS is that there is an opportunity for the American Bird Conservancy to enlarge the protected tract of forest in which it lives, but they need $85,000 in a hurry.? YardBirdRace has promised $1000, contingent on Racers choosing this as a prize, which ABC president George Fenwick called ?the first response for help on this project.??
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If you would like to make your own cash donation to ABC? to help raise this money,? send it to the following address
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George Fenwick
American Bird Conservancy
P.O. Box 249
The Plains, Virginia 20198

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If you would like to?enable?the YardBirdRace help the Bristlefront, ENTER THE YARDBIRDRACE and ask that your prize be a donation of $100 in your name to help save this bird.? You will receive an object of gratitude from the ABC.
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Enter the YardBirdRace by emailing us at?? yardbirdrace at yahoo.com
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with your current 2008 yard list and location.
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And thanks very much in advance, the Bristlefront needs all the friends it can get!
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(CURRENT YARDBIRDRACERS can also help the Bristlefront by letting us know that this is the prize they would like.? Other prizes, to be announced, may be a certain number of WOS? memberships, hopefully a few Violet-green Swallow nest boxes, and perhaps a chance to help expand the protected land around the Camano Island Heronry ).?
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Google YardBirdRace for more info on the YardBirdRace and to see the Leaderboard.
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Thanks all, Ed Newbold Seattle yardbirdrace at yahoo.com
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