2014 BRRRRDathon/Photothon November 19, 2013—Winter birds have arrived in the North Woods of Minnesota & Wisconsin—Northern Hawk Owl, Snow Bunting, Northern Shrike and Rough-legged Hawk. Can winter be far behind? Time to prepare for the 2014 Friends of Sax-Zim Bog BRRRRDathon (Fri-Sat. Jan. 10-11, 2014) & Photothon (Dec 28-Jan. 8).
The Brrrrdathon is the coldest birdathon in the world! (at least that’s how we’re marketing it). It will take place in the coldest month of the year, in one of the coldest places in the Lower 48...northern Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin. This is the 3rd Annual event. Details at www.saxzim.org/brrrrdathon Teams of one to five members will scour the hinterlands (and urban wilds?) of the northern Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin (NOT JUST SAX-ZIM!) to see who can find the most bird species. The two-day Brrrrdathon is the BIG EVENT...with the greatest prestige for the winning team. A one-day event is for those who can only go out on Saturday (and those with frostbite issues <smile>). We are also offering a PHOTOTHON…Your Best 10-image Bird Portfolio from the event days (all photos must be taken in the event "playing field") will be judged by a panel. Winners will get their names memorialized on Gary the Granite Great Gray sculpture...and will be able to get their photo taken with Gary too! We will also have a slough of prizes...Including a pair of Eagle Optics Ranger ED binoculars...a $500 value! **BRRRRDathon: Friday & Saturday January 10-11th, 2014 **Photothon: Sat. Dec. 28 through Wed. January 8th, 2014 —Registration is $25 and includes a gift and a one-year membership —Each participant will have their own web page Click here to register. —Now allowing 1-person teams in all events —We are highly encouraging participants to get pledges per species —Photothon Now a full 12 days! HOW MUCH?—ALL EVENTS ARE $25 per person. HOW to REGISTER?— Click here to register. All you have to do is register online and set up your own personal BRRRRDathon/PHotothon web page. Then set your BRRRRDathon/Photothon Goal (e.g. "I am hoping to see 35 species of birds during the 2-day BRRRRDathon") Now simply email, tweet or alert your facebook friends of your goals and link to your birdathon web page. Painless fundraising! You don't have to collect checks or cash. Your backers will just donate online or send a check to Friends after the event. Donations can be made either on a per-species basis or as a lump sum. Remember, this is a fundraiser for land purchase and ongoing operations of Friends of Sax-Zim Bog. WHERE?—The “playing field” is all of NW Wisconsin and NE Minnesota...Not just Sax-Zim Bog! Teams will have to strategize to find the most species. They’ll have to coordinate searches for gulls in Duluth or Superior or Ashland...or decide where to look for boreal species...Sax-Zim or Aitkin County or ???...Maybe a jaunt to Lake County to search for Spruce Grouse... or chase reported rarities. Much strategizing needs to be done! See map here CATEGORIES Two-day Event: One to five members (all day Friday and Saturday) One-day Event: One to five members (all day Friday OR Saturday) Winter Green Event: One to five members (all day Friday OR Saturday) Non-motorized... Walk, snowshoe, ski, horseback...Must be in one continuous trip...You cannot walk then drive to a new spot and walk. Photothon: Best 10 Bird jpeg Portfolio of images taken Sat. Dec. 28 thru Wed. Jan. 8, 2014 IN CONTEST AREA (Individual only) COMPILATION & AWARDS: Saturday Jan. 11th 5:30-7pm at Hartley Nature Center in Duluth (3001 Woodland Avenue, Duluth, phone: 218.724.6735). Awards, compilation and stories! BRRRRDathon REGISTRATION DEADLINE: January 9, 2014 Photothon REGISTRATION DEADLINE: January 4, 2014 Event details here Sparky Stensaas 2515 Garthus Road Wrenshall, MN 55797 218.341.3350 cell sparkystens...@hotmail.com www.SaxZim.org ---- Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
