This year’s National Twitchathon, held at the end of Bird Week, was one of the best yet.
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Across the country, 116 teams of birders (the greatest number ever!) raced against the clock in fine weather, scoring impressive species counts and raising, at time of writing, over $45,000 – well above our goal.
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\n\nHere are the 2018 national winning teams in the categories of weighted species counts, highest fundraising and staff favourite team names...
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\n\nCongratulations to all our winning teams!
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\n\n3-hour Birdathon Results
\n\n(highest species counts)
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We had 25 teams across 6 states represented in the adult Birdathon, and an amazing haul of species. In a sign of how competitive teams are becoming in this relatively new race format, both of the top two teams smashed the previous record for the allotted time. The first six placegetters were as follows:
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1st
\n\nSpotted Hobbies (VIC)
\n\nCraig Morley, David Tytherleigh
\n\n137 species
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\n\n2nd
\n\nThe Lazy Little Last-minute Lame Loser Listing Lesser Lophorinas (NSW)
\n\nMax Breckenridge, Shahaf Weiss, Layla Pope, Josh Bergmark
\n\n134 species
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\n\n3rd
\n\nThe Manky Shearwaters (VIC)
\n\nSean Dooley, Chris Watson
\n\n125 species
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Note: national scores have been based on “the number of birds possible” from your region using Birdata records. Some regions will have more species than others, so to make it fair each region has been weighted differently. If you have any questions please contact us at twitchathon@birdlife.org.au
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\n\n12-hour Big Day Results
\n\n(highest weighted species counts)
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1st
\n\nThe Good the Bad and the Ugly (southwest WA)
\n\nNick Brown, Mark Newman, Alan Collins, Lochlan Newman
\n\n87.8% – 158 species
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\n\n2nd
\n\nPhaps Around the Traps (VIC)
\n\nMichael Ramsey, Matthew Crawford
\n\n83.3% – 179 species
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\n\n3rd
\n\nDuck Norris (NSW)
\n\nEthan Marshall, Anthony Cooper, Charlotte Cooper
\n\n80.0% – 192 species
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\n\n30-hour Big Weekend Results
\n\n(highest weighted species counts)
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1st
\n\nHunter Home Brewers (NSW)
\n\nSteve Roderick, Lucas Grenadier, Mick Roderick
\n\n92.6% – 264 species
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\n\n2nd
\n\nBird Nerds (TAS)
\n\nPeter Vaughan, Andrea Magnusson, Maddy Calder
\n\n92.5% – 148 species
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\n\n3rd
\n\nRuff Knights (northeast WA)
\n\nNigel Jackett, Bruce Greatwich, Stewart Ford, John Graff
\n\n90.2% – 185 species
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\n\nHighest Funds raised by a team
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1st
\n\nLousy Jacks (NSW)
\n\nDeryk Engel, Ross Rapmund, Paul Burcher
\n\n$3,775.00
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\n\n2nd
\n\nFlea Bittern (TAS)
\n\nMichael Vaughan, George Vaughan, Margot Vaughan
\n\n$2,775.00
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\n\n3rd
\n\nHunter Home Brewers (NSW)
\n\nSteve Roderick, Craig Anderson, Lucas Grenadier, Mick Roderick
\n\n$2,485.00
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\n\nFavourite team names
\n\n(voted by BirdLife Australia staff)
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1st
\n\nLife of Prion (VIC)
\n\nDaniel Pendavingh, Brett Whitfield
\n\n1st prize – Birdata 'Make birding count' t-shirts
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\n\n2nd
\n\nRed-Backed Hairy-Men (QLD)
\n\nDaryl Barnes, Gerry Woodruff, Jason Stanyer, Richard Atkinson, Sam Tarlinton
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\n\n3rd
\n\nDuck Norris (NSW)
\n\nEthan Marshall, Anthony Cooper, Charlotte Cooper
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\n\nState by state funds raised
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NSW
\n\nRegent Honeyeater
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\n\n$22,180
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\n\nVIC & SA
\n\nMallee Emu-wren
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\n\n$6,146
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\n\nWA
\n\nAustralasian Bittern
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\n\n$2,186
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QLD
\n\nCapricornian Yellow Chat
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\n\n$9,981
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TAS
\n\nWedge-tailed Eagle
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\n\n$3,527
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These threatened species were decided state-by-state in collaboration with BirdLife branches, staff and affiliates.
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A big shout-out to our state coordinators, Mick Roderick and Ashwin Rudder (NSW), Matthew Crawford (VIC), Stewart Ford (WA), Pamela Kiel (NT), Rod Clemens (QLD), Ian Reid (SA) and Peter Vaughan (TAS). Thank you to all of the teams who worked hard to pick up sponsors, raise team profiles and raise funds. In the closest we get to competitive sport, birders mapped out clever routes, showed off their skills, and had fun during a great weekend of birding.
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Onward and upward to 2019.
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Below are species state by state teams raced for in 2018.
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