The Crazy Coots will be embarking on their epic 24 hours of birding tomorrow to raise money for Richmond Audubon's conservation and education programs. Our competition, the Good, the Bad and the Ugly Ducklings, did their 24 hours on May 1, starting near the western extreme of the James River, on Warbler Road. Warbler Road is some of the most productive habitat in the state for migratory songbirds, and the Ducklings were apparently feeling pretty smug when they called me at 10:00am that day to let me know they had tallied 70 species already. They're being coy about their final total, I suppose so the Coots won't know exactly what we're shooting for.
The Coots are taking a different strategy - we'll be starting tomorrow morning bright and early in James River Park, and working our way downstream toward the ocean as the day progresses. Migration has been rather jumbled this year, and there seem to be a fairly good number of migrant species still passing through Richmond. We hope to combine that with some grassland species and shorebirds to top the Duckling's total - which I estimate to be in the high 90's, though I can't get confirmation of that at this moment.
We'd be delighted to have your support in our efforts - to make a donation, print out the individual pledge form, found here <http://www.richmondaudubon.org/forms/FormPDF-BirdAThon_Pleadge.pdf>.
Just record your information and mail to the Richmond Audubon P.O. box listed on the form.
Wish us luck, and thanks for you support! Lewis Barnett The Crazy Old Coot
