Big thanks to everyone who participated in the first Daily Kos Backyard Science Yardbird Race, even for a little while. 23 racers submitted at least one tally list over the year. Eight of those slogged through all four seasons to the finish. There were common birds reported as well as life birds, and I suspect that everyone learned something about their yards and the birds that come to visit.
On to the results. There were 7 categories, ranging from
Urban Apartment/Condo, through
Suburban and
Rural to
Waterfront. Some had no finishers, others became extremely competitive.
Here we go...
Results of the 2012 Daily Kos Backyard Science Yardbird Race.
Three categories had one finisher: Rural >5 acres; Rural <5 acres; and Urban Detached.
~Rural >5 acres
Burt Out in middle MO finished with a strong
73 species in the Rural >5 acres category. His highlights were three life birds:
Pine Siskin, White-eyes Vireo and
Red Breasted Nuthatch. He thought he could stuff his list with 28 hummingbirds to take the championship, but we made him take them all back when we realized it was just a Ruby-throated ruse! Congratulations, burnt out!
~Rural <5 acres
PHScott started out the race west of Tallahassee, but went traveling for part of the year and then lost a bunch of his data in a computer crash. Still, finishing with
32 species in an interrupted year is commendable. Next year, PH. Next year.
~Urban Detached
bwren, (that's me) finished the year with
50 species in the Urban Detached category, Seattle version. For a brief moment I was challenged by
FourthofJulyinAsburyPark, who insisted that they were "not a birder" but still came up with
30 species in one count period. Perhaps they will show up again next year. My best bird this year was the
Barn Owl, a yard first who scared the bejeezus out of me one evening.
On to the competitive categories, of which there were two, Suburban and Waterfront.
~ Suburban
Three racers finished in the Suburban category.
Jim in IA wins this one, with
45 species. He didn't note his highlights, but perhaps he'll chime in today? Good work, Jim!
There's a tie for second here! Enhydra lutris, out of Castro Valley, looked to be the frontrunner for most of the year but at the last moment was matched by another California racer, chantedor, racing from Paradise CA. Both tallied 40 species for the year. There's no tie breaker, so the two of you will have to share second place, at least this year. Congratulations to you both!
Now to the most heated category, Waterfront.
~ Waterfront
Three intrepid racers finished in this category, and even with some serious cross-country taunting and bellowing, all seem to have remained friends.
Polly Syllabic, up there in SE WI, took an early lead and never looked back, finishing right on the century mark with a whopping
100 species.
Matching Mole and
Milly Watt duked it out for second place from the coasts of Florida and Washington State, with the advantage, this year going to the southern climes:
Matching Mole - 78, and
Milly Watt - 67. Nice racing you two!
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Sounds as if many of this year's racers want to give it another go. We've also heard from non-racers who'd like to join in, so, without more ado:
Announcing the start of the 2013 Backyard Science Yard Bird Race!
Competitors, raise your binoculars and GO!"
The next tally diary will be on Sunday January 6.
Everything you need to know about the way the Yard Bird Race works can be found below the orange bird poop. Good Luck all!
The Daily Kos Backyard Science Yardbird Race is a birding competition where, over the course of one year, participants strive to identify the most bird species - by sight and/or by sound - from the confines of their yard. More details and the fine print can be found beyond the orange bird poop below.
Tally Updates
Be kind to your record keeper. For ease of keeping track of everyone's lists, please post your tallies in the following manner.
Your location, as close as you are comfortable revealing.
Your yard category.
Number of species seen so far, including your other tallies if you have any.
List of birds seen, dated if you wish.
Any comments you have about your sightings.
Details and the fine print.
The 2013 Back Yard Bird Race starts on January 1, 2013 and ends at midnight on December 31, 2013.
You can list a bird if you see or hear it while you are somewhere in your yard. A "yard" includes your living quarters. So, you can list the Killdeer that wakes you at 2am, but you can't list the Herring Gull you see in your neighbor's side yard while driving home if you cannot see it from any place in your yard after you get out of your car. You can, however, walk around to your neighbor's side yard to visually ID a bird that you have first heard from the confines of your own yard.
You may list domestic chickens, but only as the generic "domestic chicken". Feral parrots and budgies may also be listed, but only as the generic "parrot". Pet birds, other captive birds and birds kept for hunting don't count.
There are no rules about ladders and fences. With the exception of utilizing recorded bird calls, which is strongly discouraged, there are also no rules about making your yard more bird-attractive than the competition's.
Here are the yard categories.
~Urban apartment or condo
~Urban attached (townhouse, rowhouse)
~Urban detached
~Suburban
~Rural <5 acres
~Rural >5 acres
~Waterfront (trumps any of the above...)
You're on the honor system here, though I suspect we'll figure it out if you list Mangrove Cuckoos and Fulvous Whistling Ducks while claiming to live above the 40th parallel.
Everyone is welcome! We'll even help you with ID's.
Good luck and good birding everyone!