ANNOUNCING The 14th ANNUAL MONTEZUMA MUCKRACE - SEPTEMBER 10-11, 2010
Audubon New York and Friends of the Montezuma Wetlands Complex announce the 14th annual Montezuma Muckrace, to be held on September 10 and 11, 2010. This 24-hour birding competition raises funds to support conservation projects within the Montezuma Wetlands Complex. This year our goal is to raise $13,000 to fund a wetlands restoration project off of Savannah Spring Road known locally as the Deep Muck. The money raised will be matched with Federal funds from the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) of 1989, which provides matching grants to organizations and individuals who have developed wetland conservation partnerships for the benefit of wetlands-associated migratory birds and other wildlife. Money is raised through pledges sought by participants, registration fees, and sponsorships. Again this year, FOTMWC will match money raised by the top three-fundraising teams. The 2009 competition raised over $12,000, which funded a forest restoration project for 40 acres of cropland on the MNWR and to purchase a Purple Martin house for the Montezuma Audubon Center. 20 teams from throughout New York and neighboring states tallied 186 species, with the winning team finding 130 species. The Muckace starts at 7:00 PM on September 10 and ends 24 hours later with a closing ceremony at the Montezuma Audubon Center. Birds are counted within the boundaries of the Complex for any or all of the 24-hour period. There are several levels of participation: Competitive (3 or more individuals who must count together); Youth (ages 9-16, any number, identifying birds without adult assistance); Low-Carbon (any number, no motorized assistance - biking, walking, canoeing, sitting, etc); Family/Mentor (any number, at least one parent/leader with any number of young/beginning birders); Recreational (any number of adults). Participants can register and raise funds online through dojiggy. This organizational website (http://muckrace.dojiggy.com) allows participants to register, design their own personalpledge pages, set individual fundraising goals, and handle pledge requests. It is a great way to let folks know about the Muckrace and the conservation projects the proceeds support. Mid-September is a exciting time to be birding at the Montezuma Wetlands Complex, one of New York's most productive birding destinations. Please consider either participating with your own team or pledging support to your local team! To access complete information about the Muckrace, including the registration form and the newsletter, "Muckrace Musings," visit the Friends of the Montezuma Wetlands Complex website (http://friendsofmontezuma.org/muck_race.html) or the Audubon NY website (http://ny.audubon.org/GetInvolved_MontezumaMuckrace.html). For more information about participating, becoming a team sponsor, or to be added to the mailing list, contact Jane Graves at jgra...@skidmore.edu. The registration deadline is August 26. -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
