Montezuma Muckrace 2012

John Ballou, Dick Beery, Dan Wood, and Dom DeFazio are team Mottled Mucks and they are participating in the 2012 Montezuma Muckrace! They are going to be finding as many bird species as they can locate in the Montezuma Wetlands Complex in a 24 hour period beginning on September 7th.

We need your help!

This "Big Day" of birding helps to support the Friends of the Montezuma Wetlands Complex, which in turn helps to create and maintain bird habitat for over a hundred different types of migratory birds. Montezuma has been identified by the Audubon Society as a "Important Bird Area" for its key location in the Finger Lakes as a migratory stopover.

By donating to our team, the Mottled Mucks, you are also helping us reach our personal goal of $700 in pledges raised.

Last year we saw 68 species of birds.  We hope to get many more this year, so we have "hired" back a Mottled Mucks alum, Dom DeFazio.  I'm relying on Dom's knowledge of game species birds, especially the turkey, to get us to 69 species this year ;-)  All kidding aside, we are excited to have Dom back on the team this year.

Returning will be Dick Beery, photographer extraordinaire!   Dick has run the Muckrace with me every year, and we are up to 7 years running!  Dick has taken some amazing photographs each year, some of which I have used on the blog, and some he has won prizes and honors for!  It would not be the same without Dick on the team.

I am also really pumped to have Dan Wood back on the team.  Dan has a great knowledge of the Montezuma Wetlands, and a keen eye for birds.  Dan is from Oswego, and he "birds" the harbor there a lot in the winter.  I loved it last year when he got to see fall plumage on some familiar birds he regularly sees there in season.  Dan is an amazing asset to the team, and I'm so glad he will be back for another round.

You can donate to our team here!
(Remember, our team is the Mottled Mucks!)

photo credit: Dick Beery, 3 Oaks Enhancements

For the geeks like me...
History of the Mottled Mucks Success (or lack there of...)
2006 species: 70 (John, Dick, Dom, Chris, Amy, Mary)
2007 species:  82 (John, Dick, Dom, Chris Amy)
20008 species: 60 (John, Dick, Dom) (renamed team "3 Muckateers")
2009 species: 60 (John, Dick) (back to "Mottled Mucks")
2010 species: 62 (John, Dick)
2011 species: 68 (John, Dick, Dan)
2012 species: ??? (John, Dick, Dan, Dom)