Enter Cornell Lab’s BirdSpotter Photo Contest

Ithaca, NY-The Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s BirdSpotter photo contest is underway! The contest is sponsored by Vanguard and offers weekly prizes for the photos that receive the most votes on the contest website. Special “Judge’s Choice” photos are also recognized.
Gary Mueller of Missouri submitted this photo of a Lego feeder that was the Judge’s Choice during the first week of the contest.
BirdSpotter is being run through the Project FeederWatchcitizen-science project at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Bird Studies Canada. FeederWatch participants keep track of their feeder birds from November through April and report what they see online. This information helps scientists learn more about the changes in bird distribution and population numbers in North America over time.
Each Wednesday from now through February 11, 2015, a new BirdSpotter photo theme will be posted, such as “birdbaths” or “chickadees only.” You can upload one entry per week and then vote for your favorite photo. The winners will be announced on Monday morning. Each weekly winner receives a prize pack from Vanguard that includes binoculars, plus gifts from the Cornell Lab. Read more
ST. PETERSBURG, FL- General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems and Smith & Wesson Holding Corp. are partnering to pursue the U.S. Army’s Modular Handgun System (MHS) solicitation to replace the M9 standard Army sidearm. The strategic partnership’s Modular Handgun System will be based on the Smith & Wesson M&P Polymer Pistol platform.

12 Gauge Hunter: Bobby Sears (Hazelhurst, GA), new world record holder
What a terrible afternoon! Two horseback riders had ridden by down the neighbor’s property line and now the other neighbor’s boy was out on his ATV tearing up the ground. He was buzzing by so close I had to turn my face because the breeze was blowing the dust in my eyes. Disappointed, I was about ready to get down out of my treestand when I saw a slight flicker of antler in the sunlight. My binoculars picked out a massive buck bedded down within 100 yards. Now I couldn’t move, nor did I want to!