Hey bird fans,
This year we had record 14 teams participating in 25th anniversary of Birds
Australia's Victorian Twitchathon. There were eight 24 hr teams (including 3
school teams) and six 8 hr teams. The (preliminary) results are:
. 24 HR RACE: was won by the TWITCHING BIG EYES (191). Great result! The Robin
Rednecks and Common Loadmouths were close behind snapping at their tail
feathers.
. 8 HR RACE: won by my team, the 7 YEAR TWITCHERS (154), just 2 short of the
all-time 8hr record. (Fiona and I were happy with that.)
. BEST BIRDS: Grey Falcon! Seen near Mount Hope (east of Pyramid Hill). This is
possibly the best bird for any Twitchathon competition ever held! Well done.
Ticks all round!
. WORST DIP: nominated by 3 teams, Rock Dove, and Silver Gull by 1 team. Again,
well done.
THE 24 HR RACE RESULTS
1st Twitching Big Eyes (191)
Steve Davidson, Andrew Hurnard, Alex Farias
Best Bird: Brown Gerygone
Worst Dip: specifically targeted Sooty Owl and dipped.
2nd Robin Rednecks (185) (Great score, well done, considering slow finish)
Matt Weeks, Mick Ramsey
Best Bird: Budgerigar / Red-backed Kingfisher
Worst Dip: White-browed Babbler
3rd Common Loadmouths (176)
Philip Jackson, Greg Hunt, Frank Mitchell, Paul Kelly,
Russell Thomson, Max Arney
Best Bird: Slender-billed Thornbill, Shy & Chestnut-rumped Heathwren
Worst Dip: Black-shouldered Kite
4th Ruddy Bustards (160)
Grant Palmer, Matt Gibson, Gavin Thomas, James Fitzsimons
Best Bird: Cockatiel
Worst Dip: Grey Butcherbird
5th Feisty Fledglings (97)
Marcus Salton, Clare McCutcheon, Holly Lourie.
Best Bird: Wedge-tailed Eagle
Worst Dip: Silvereye
6th Cryptic Curlews (school team) (52 definite)
Alex Swann, Nick Adam, Sue Mason (Teacher)
Best Bird: Nankeen Kestrel
Worst Dip: Rock Dove
7th Brush Turkeys (school team) (40 definite)
James Moore, Adam Hollier, Joanne Lim, John Renowden (Teacher)
Best Bird: Nankeen Night Heron
Worst Dip: Rock Dove
8th Treedom Duck Fighters (school team) (34 definite)
Mardi Grivas, Mallory Le Sueur, Jordan Hollett,
Olivia Burton, Nathan Kuhlwind
Best Bird: Superb Fairy-wren
Worst Dip: Silver Gull
Please note that the school team counted only 'definite' sightings - making
doubly sure about every identification. Great work, and thanks John Renowden
for working with me to make this thing happen.
THE 8 HR RACE RESULTS
1st Seven Year Twitcher (153)
Tim Dolby, Fiona Parkin
Best bird: Common Tern
Worst dip: Great Egret
2nd Norwegian Blues (142) (great race, a record score for this team)
Jack Krohn, George Pergaminelis
Best bird: Wandering Whistling-duck
Worst dip: Nankeen Kestrel
3rd 136 - Yarrawalla Yahoos (136)
Simon Starr, Alexandra Starr, Rosie Starr, Arran Starr
Best bird: Grey Falcon
Worst dip: Goldfinch
4th Pale-headed Old Fellas (125)
Stuart Dashper, John Harris, & car bound guest Greg Oakley
Best bird: Great Knot
Worst dip: Rock Dove
5th Gang-gang Gang (121)
Paul Dodd, Ruth Woodrow
Best bird: Wood Sandpiper
Worst dip: Crested Tern
6th Big Dippers (87)
Frank Hirst, Nick Dudley, Susan Taylor
Best bird: Pilotbird (& Striated Fieldwren, seen seconds after race
finished and
a life tick)
Worst dip: any raptor smaller that a Wedgie!
Thanks to the Australian Bird Fair (held in Leeton next week, see
http://australianbirdfair.org.au/ good luck with it), and of course the
wonderful Andrew Isles Natural History Books (http://www.andrewisles.com/) for
suppling the major prizes for the thon.
Also, up until a few days before the race, I'd planned to race in the 24 hr
race, but unfortunately a team members inconsiderately broke his leg. Then our
replacement team member visited her doctor just before the race with news that
she needed a knee reconstruction!
BIG thanks everyone for participating in the 2008 Great Victorian Twitchathon.
Contact me if you have any questions, and see you next year.
Tim
Tim Dolby
VIC Twitchathon Coordinator
Birds Australia (Victoria)
Phone: H 03 9489 3830, M 0439 729 308
Email:
==============================www.birding-aus.org
birding-aus.blogspot.com
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