PRBO Conservation Science Annual Bird-a-Thon

PRBO Conservation Science, (founded as Point Reyes Bird Observatory, 1965), is dedicated to conserving birds, other wildlife and ecosystems through innovative scientific research and outreach. Their background and accomplishments, as well as future projects, can be reviewed on their web site, PRBO.

We, David and Susan, will be most pleased if you will sponsor us for the annual bird-a-thon. We will be counting in early October, 2007.

You can sponsor us by the amount of species we tally or pledge an exact amount. For instance, if we tally 150 bird species and you pledge .20 cents each, your tax-deductible contribution would be $30.00.

Susan authored an article for the West Marin Citizen newspaper, which was published on September 20, 2007. For a humorous, yet informative look at the PERSONAL side of a bird-a-thon, click here.

One year, David and Susan decided to save gasoline and ended up traveling twenty-six miles by mountain bike. They started at the top of Mt.Tamalpais at 4:00 am hoping to hear owls. And did! It was so wonderfully enchanting it was worth getting up at 2:00 in the morning. Their ride down the mountain can only be described as exhilarating. They ended up with a respectable 127 species of birds.

The next year David biked all the way from Bear Valley to the Point Reyes Lighthouse (see picture above). Can you imagine?? carrying a spotting scope and binoculars, rushing into Abbott's Lagoon and back, biking miles of road and dirt, paying attention to everything around you (road, sky, trees, butterflies, nooks & crannies, really, just about anything that moves or makes a sound?) AND be on a bike?? He was determined to have a green/eco-friendly BAT. We estimate he pedaled and walked approximately thirty miles.

We know that there are a plethora of organizations out there that need your donations. Anything you can contribute is appreciated and will help us to feel supported in our efforts for PRBO.

UPDATE 10/11/07: We counted! We have completed our BAT! Wouldn't you like to know all the fun and frenzied details? If so, please sponsor us, and you'll receive our story and a big caboodle of thanks from us and PRBO.

If you would like to sponsor us, please write us at naturalist@calnaturalist.com.

Let us know your flat pledge amount; or the amount you will pay for each species we count.

$40.00 get's you a complimentary one-year PRBO membership.

The expenses we personally incur to market, plan, organize and carry out our bird-a-thon is part of our contribution to PRBO. We do not get reimbursed for our out-of-pocket expenses or our time. Rest assured that your entire contribution goes directly to PRBO.

Your donation / sent directly to us (versus directly to PRBO)

Please email us at naturalist@calnaturalist.com with a subject line of: PRBO Sponsor.

Communicate if you would like an official PRBO envelope - to send us your check or credit card number. To expedite matters, you may choose to call us with that information. Does your company have a matching gift program? Our phone number is 415 663 1363

Please send your check made payable to "PRBO Conservation Science" to:

Wimpfheimer/Colletta, P.O. Box 782, Point Reyes Station CA 94956

Your donation / sent directly to PRBO (versus directly to us)

You may already have received PRBO's official 2007 sponsor envelope by postal mail. In which case, let us not waste anymore paper. Please advise us by email: naturalist@calnaturalist.com with a subject line of: PRBO Sponsor.

Communicate if you are sponsoring us and how much you are contributing. Tell us that you are sending in your payment to PRBO directly (vs. sending it to us at home.)

Please remember to put "Wimpfheimer/Colletta" on the "I am sponsoring..." section of PRBO's pledge card.

What's next?

Plan to attend the free 30th Anniversary celebration and Bird-a-thon awards dinner on Saturday, December 8, 2007. If you donated $40.00 or more, expect to get a complimentary one-year membership. After David and Susan complete their 24-hour bird-a-thon you willl receive their entertaining story which includes all the species they've seen woven into the text. (see previous year's examples below)

PRBO Information

This year's contact at PRBO is Ann Joly at ajolie@prob.org or 707-781-2555 ext 320. Any questions about your payment, or to verify an "official" PRBO counter should be directed to her.

Please, for safety sake, DO NOT make your contribution to anyone but "PRBO Conservation Science". Thank you.

Our bird-a-thon day 2005;enjoy the story by clicking here: html or download pdf format.

Our personal letter (request for sponsors) 2005 (PDF format): 2005 Bird-a-thon

Our species total of 133, represents 52% of all the bird species ever seen in Yuba County.

Quite an accomplishment for one day of strategic birding.

We are humbled to report that we have won the Mike Parmeter Award again. We were presented with the plaque with our names engraved for two years in a row. We also received an incredible prize from the generous Swarovski folks. A HD-STS65 Straight Spotting Scope Body and 20-60mm eye piece. This is an incredible, first rate product.

Thank you to all of our sponsors who gave us a record breaking year of $2400.00 in donations to PRBO Conservation Science.

Our bird-a-thon day 2004;enjoy the story by downloading in pdf format.

Our species total of 122, represents 48% of all the bird species ever seen in Yuba County.

The prize for the 2004 "Parmeter Award" was an incredible pair of binoculars, the Swarovski EL 8x42. Since Susan needed a pair of binoculars, David planned out the 2004 'thon like it was a military maneuver. He knew that the inland region had fewer birds than in our rich coastal counties. However, we hoped that even a modest total here would help us compete against other teams in the “county competition.” He chose Yuba County. The great news is that we won! During the award ceremony, when David and Susan received the most generous donation of the Swarovski binoculars, Susan could not help but have tearful emotions. We spend a great deal of our time and money to gather donations for PRBO, but an extra fine pair of binoculars is a gift we did not count on. Year 2004, due to some very generous sponsors, that means anyone who contributed $20.00 to $600.00 we raised over $1600.00. Thank you to you all!

Thank you to Swarovski for their most bountiful contribution!

Gratefully, David and Susan