EARTH DAY BIRDING CHALLENGE!

Plan to participate in the first annual Earth Day Birding Challenge on April 24, 2010
Please spread the word to your local birding community. Visit www.desertmountains.org to sign up

1st Annual EARTH DAY BIRDING CHALLENGE
Save the Date: Saturday April 24, 2010
Midnight to Midnight
What is it?
- A friendly 24-hour birding competition/fundraiser to support the Friends of the Desert Mountains, various Audubon Societies and Bird Clubs, Preserves, Parks, Conservancies and other conservation organizations throughout southern California
- Teams compete to identify as many bird species as they can in a 24-hour period by sight or by sound in the four counties included in the Palms to Pines Birding and Nature Trail: Riverside, San Bernardino, Imperial, and San Diego. ABA “Big Day” rules apply.
- All competing teams report to the finish line at the Monument Visitor Center in Palm Desert between 6pm and midnight.
- Different competitive and non-competitive categories will be available such as: “sand to sea” (multiple counties – trophy category), “single county,” “single site,” “big sit” (one spot), “on foot”, “golf courses only”, and youth. Fun for all ages!
- All participants will pay a nominal entry fee and accept pledges to raise monies for their selected causes - ultimately benefitting wild birds and the habitats they live in! Youth are free.
Sponsored by the Friends of the Desert Mountains (www.desertmountains.org or call Tammy to sign up @(760) 568-9918)
and the Desert Cities Bird Club (www.dcbc.blogspot.com)

Create your own Backyard Wildlife Habitat!

To create a haven for wildlife in your own backyard you'll need to provide food (native plants preferable), water (a dripper is a must!) and shelter (birdhouses, shrubbery, brushpiles, etc). For lots of neat ideas contact the National Wildlife Federation who has certified thousands of backyard habitats throughout the United States.
go to: www.nwf.org and click on "Certify Your Backyard"
or call 800-822-9919 for more information

Other organizations that certify backyard habitats, campuses, golf courses, or corporate properties include:

Audubon International http://acsp.auduboninternational.org/

The United State Department of Agriculture www.nrcs.usda.gov/feature/backyard/

The Humane Society of the United States www.hsus.org/wildlife/wildlife_and_habitat_protection_programs/