Hi all,
 
A YardBirdRace spring without warmth may seem like an Iditarod without snow but the birds soldier on and so do the intrepid YardBirdRacers!
 
Speaking of which Cowlitz County has at least figuratively come in from the cold as MARGARET & JOHN GREEN have tossed their hat in the ring in W (with a freshwater lake in a park, G was also considered) entry from Longview.  The Greens have already assured Cowlitz of a record of 61 with many highlights including White-throated Sparrow, Western Wood Pewee, Bullock's Oriole, Evening & Black-headed Grosbeaks & 5 Warblers.
 
With 92 species RYAN MERRILL has created a race to watch in Kirkland/Waterfront as Merrill needs a mere 12 to tie his own 2007 mark with almost half the year left.  Merrill has RED-NECKED PHALAROPE & MARSH WREN.
 
ALAN HUGGINS, at 60 as of last report with OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER, American Kestrel & Purple Martin may be close enough to make a run on his Vashon record of 76.
 
An EVENING GROSBEAK has put BRETT WOLFE IN U-district at 38 &
KAREN JONES has added CASSIN?S VIREO & CALIFORNIA QUAIL to reach 59 in Port Ludlow, where CAROYLYN EAGAN is at 86.
 
In the hotly contested  West Seattle race LYANDA HAUPT has picked up  NASHVILLE WARBLER & CLIFF SWALLOW to start the summer at 37.
 
JIM DANZENBAKER, as previously reported on tweeters, has added YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT?first ever reported to YBR?and is at least at 91 based on his and tweeter reports, within 22 of his own record of 113, which is also the  overall YBR residential yard/type record.
 
CHRISTINE SOUTHWICK 54 including HUTTON'S VIREO is within 6 of the Shoreline record of 60..
 
With his most recent addition of BULLOCK?S ORIOLE, ANDREW EMLEN is at 77 and needs 8 to go ahead of his own Wahkiakum Co. record of 84.
 
BOBBY 7 CURT PEARSON have added a #34 BLACK SWIFT to futher fend off challengers in Hillman City, Seattle.
 
 
 
Meanwhile, the YardBirdRace RECORD BOOK has finally been UPDATED and can be found at:
 
 
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http://ednewbold.com/ybr_records.html
 
 
Check it to find out if you could enter today and assure your city, neighborhood, town,  county or island a new YardBirdRace record!
 
 
 
News from the YBR is at
 
http://ednewbold.com/ybr_breakingnews.html
 
 
 
The leaderboard is at:
 
 
http://ednewbold.com/ybr_leaderboard.html
 
 
All tweeters are invited to enter the YardBirdRace.  Email  me at  yardbirdrace at yahoo.com with your current 2008 yard list and address, which will not be publicized.
 
Entering the YardBirdRace materially benefits bird conservation.  Participants receive one of a choice of prizes including a valuable membership in BirdLife International,  or American Bird Conservancy, or an Audubon Society, or a Ken Kaufman Bird Guide book that makes a great gift to a young person, or a Violet-green Swallow nest box, and possibly other choices yet to be determined;  after the race is completed next January.
 
 
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Thanks all,  Ed Newbold at yardbirdrace at yahoo.com   residential Beacon Hill , Seattle