John, Gordon, Ben Lizdas from Eagle Optics, Don and Andy pose on the beach in Cape May. Don is holding a certificate of appreciation from Pronatura Veracruz. Thanks to all of you who have helped out over the years!

The Eagle Optics/Vortex Optics Holy Order of Loggerhead Shrikes (HOLS) team found an amazing total of 150 species of birds in Cape May County, NJ during the 22nd annual World Series of Birding competition, on May 14, 2005.

Equipped with the fantastic new VORTEX Stokes Birding Series DLS binoculars, EAGLE Platinum Ranger Class binoculars, phatty team shirts, caps and other accessories provided by Eagle Optics and their representative Ben "Lifer" Lizdas, the Shrikes birded non-stop for 24 hours.

Andy and Gordon hone their birding skills in preparation for the World Series.
Andy: "Is that a Cardinal or a Gannet?"
Gordon: "I've been birding so much this week, I think my binoculars are stuck to my face."

Thanks to our generous donors! Team members Gordon "Golden Plover" Gover, John "Laughing Falcon" Hubbell, Andy "Raptor" Rabin, and Don "Lord High Loggerhead" Simonson (captain) gathered over $1,200 in pledges for Pronatura Veracruz. Pronatura presented HOLS with a beautiful limited edition original aquatint and a certificate of appreciation.

Gordon and John search for the secretive Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina). They were unsuccessful.

Here is a special shriek-out to The Shrikettes: Laura Anderson, Laura Cameron, Nancy Gover, Marcia Simonson; and The Shrikelings: Niko Rabin, Lily Simonson, Sara Robin Simonson. Y gracias tambien a: Terri Black, PT, Dr. J. Kenneth Bowman, DC and staff, Pete Dunne, Norma "Ferruginous" Ferriz, Mark Garland, Laurie "Lanius" Goodrich, Dan Hamilton, Sheila Lego, Judy Lukens, Karl Lukens, Marleen Murgitroyde, Michael O'Brien, Tom Parsons, Lydia Schindler, Pat Sutton, the Red-eyed Vireos, and Louise Zemaitis.

At first, Don thought we were participating in the "World Series of Napping". He spent a record 28 consecutive hours napping in his hotel room. The motel manager awarded him with a bronze plaque and a "Certificate of Torpidity" at check-out.

Just prior to midnight, The Shrikes took up birding positions (slumped against the side of the van) at a "secure undisclosed location" near the Jersey shore. "Secure" because we were the first team at the spot, and "undisclosed" because owls are very easily disturbed. A HOLS scouting party had staked out a coveted Eastern Screech-Owl calling the previous night. At exactly 12:00 midnight the May Madness began, when a team member whistled the well-known "whinny" call of the Screech-Owl. The team was electrified when - nothing happened. Precious minutes ticked by. Suddenly, not one, but TWO owls responded, with grating screech calls. Our exhausting days and nights of scouting had paid off! Up the shore, out into the stinking salt marsh at Jakes Landing, we heard the call of the rare Black Rail, and the low hoots of a Great Horned Owl. Birding by ear continued as we identified Clapper Rail, Seaside Sparrow, Black-crowned Night-Heron and other denizens of the marsh.

When faced with this sign at Higbee Beach Wildlife Management Area, the dejected team was forced to resort to "Plan B".

Many cold hours and hot birds later, sunrise met Sunset - the beautiful dawn chorus at Sunset Bridge in Belleplain State Forest, included singing Acadian Flycatcher, Hooded Warbler, Louisiana Waterthrush, Worm-eating Warbler and Eastern Phoebe. Sighting a Wild Turkey capped off Belleplain. Now the pressure was on to make the most of the few "prime time" hours for migrant warblers and other songbirds. Heading down the Delaware Bay shore to Cape May Point, we detoured to Reeds Beach ponds to nail a write-in bird, the rare White-faced Ibis, far from its usual home range in Texas. Our spirits soared with a late Broad-winged Hawk (gracias a Pronatura Veracruz!) at Beaver Swamp. Arriving at Cape May Point, we found the place crawling with birders - we were competing against more than NINETY TEAMS this year.

We managed to avoid getting our rental van stuck in any ditches this year. In this photo, Gordon is making sure the beer keg is securely fastened in the back, because nothing ruins a Big Day more than an unsecured keg. (Just kidding! Though we fell asleep at the wheel often, it was never due to alcohol consumption.)

The beach at the Lighthouse had Royal Tern, endangered Piping Plover, and Northern Rough-winged Swallow. Battling the effects of pre-season injuries and a game-day respiratory virus, the Shrikes raced the clock to tick off Chestnut-sided Warbler, Solitary Sandpiper, and Black-throated Green Warbler near the Point. By noon, we had identified over 125 species! Now it was really tough. Pre-game scouting paid off again, this time in the marshes of Nummy Island and near the ocean, with Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Whimbrel, and Red-headed Woodpecker (!).

By late afternoon, scheduled stops were yielding only one or two additional species at best. But strategy panned out well, with a strong finish at Cape May Meadows bringing in Green-winged Teal and Least Bittern. As darkness washed over the meadows, species number 150 provided a GREAT finish - Great Blue Heron that is! Exhausted but happy, the team turned it its checklist and began plotting for the Texas Birding Classic 2006 and New Jersey World Series of Birding 2006! Good birding!