The American Birding Association (ABA) has selected Jim Wilson, Jr., 
to be a member of the ABA/Leica Tropicbirds team that will compete in this 
year's Great Texas Birding Classic which takes place the last week of 
April.  Jim is a senior at Queen Anne's County High School.  Jim had to 
apply and write an essay and was selected from entries from across the US.

     After a hiatus of 3 years, the ABA and Leica decided to resurrect the 
Tropicbirds Youth Team.  The ABA and Leica send a 4 person youth team to 
the Great Texas Birding Classic and the World Series of Birding. Since Jim 
has participated in the World Series of Birding for 5 of the past 6 years 
(the last 2 years birding with the Steiner Optics Youth Team), he decided 
to apply for the Texas event.  This is an all expenses paid trip (minus 
airfare).  Jim is no stranger to ABA youth birding events.  He has 
attended the ABA Junior Birder's Conference in Tuscon (2002) and at the 
Kern River Valley, CA (2004).  He plans to attend the 2006 Conference in 
Fort Collins, CO, in June of this year.  Jim also placed 2nd in the ABA 
Junior Birder of the Year contest several years ago.

     The coaches for this year's Tropicbirds teams are the husband and 
wife team of Michael O'Brien and Louise Zemaitis from Cape May.

Jim Wilson, the Elder
Proud Father and Yes, I am bragging.