Date: Fri, 16 Jan 2004 20:36:35 -0500 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Joe Byrnes Subject: Re: Charles County Birds Today and Atlas Challange In-Reply-To: <007d01c3dc92$6acdbd30$6601a8c0@HERKY> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable George, =20 Put me down for $/10 per species. Regards, -Joe joseph.byrnes@comcast.net -----Original Message----- From: Maryland Birds & Birding [mailto:MDOSPREY@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM] On Behalf Of George M. Jett Sent: Friday, January 16, 2004 7:40 PM To: MDOSPREY@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM Subject: [MDOSPREY] Charles County Birds Today and Atlas Challange Folks Mike Callahan and I went cleaning Barn Owl boxes in the Allen's Fresh, Charles Co. area. Mike has been trying to establish Barn Owls in the country for a couple of years. Last year we had two successful nests. Thanks Mike. =20 While waiting at the barn for Mike to arrive, I spisshed up a single American Tree Sparrow (# 94 for my big Charles Co. year). When Mike = arrived at the scheduled 10 AM time, we set the ladder on the barn, and out flew = an adult Barn Owl (#95). We cleaned one box and set up another at another barn. =20 On leaving the area, several birds sprang from the fields near the paved road. Mike had gone out ahead of me. He stopped, got out of the van, = and yelled Meadowlark. I stopped and looked right to see an Eastern = Meadowlark flying across the field (# 96). Approaching the paved road, several = more EAME took flight with the European Starlings. A pretty good day I would say. Returning home, very pleased you can imagine, I saw two Starlings near = the suet feeder on the deck. Several Rusty Blackbirds were feeding in the = back and suddenly all bolted. I looked up to see an adult (probably female) Sharp-shinned Hawk take off from the tree tops. I could see the notch = in the center of the tail clearly, the rufous-banded breast, and the nice banding in the tail as she soared over me. She circled several times = and headed east. Number 97 for the year. My goal is 100 for January, = maybe 250 for the year in the county. The Atlas Challenge: Why do a big year? It's fun if you don't become obsessed with it. I've waited a long time to do a big year, and about a year ago decided I = would do the big year in the county as part of a fundraiser for the Maryland/DC Breeding Bird Atlas project. I decided to donate $1 for each species I identified during the calendar year 2004. To raise more money I thought = I might offer this. Any other that would like to match my efforts per = species (at any level - 10 cents per species or higher), would help fund this = worthy cause. Some of us did something like this when Jim Stasz went after the total tick count last year. I offer the same opportunity to folks = reading this message. Many of you cover blocks and are aware of the need for = this project. It needs money, and a challenge is just another way to help = fund the project. A reasonable goal for this challenge is $1000. Let me = know if you are interested in participating. =20 I was told by the late Rick Blom that three days per week of serious = birding in Charles County could yield 250 species in a year. My best year of part-time birding has been 212. Maybe 250 is too high and, perhaps a = more modest goal (like Jim Stasz's life list, around 235 I think) would be = more realistic. I have had a fine start and will try for 250 species and = hope others will help me fund the atlas project with this silliness. I might also learn something about the birds of Charles County and find that = great warbler fallout spot that has eluded me for 25 plus years. Stay warm. George=20 One post script. On Wednesday, January 14 while birding with Bob = Ringler and Eric Gofreed, we had 100 plus Cedar Waxwings on River Road, Charles = Co. =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D =========================================================================