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 EVERY YEAR across Australia hundreds of passionate and some fanatical birders race around the Australian bush trying to win a unique sporting event called a Twitchathon. As a race it can be fiercely competitive, not just in terms of the birds seen, but also in terms of the funds that are raised for conservation.
Victorian Twitchathon 2009
The Victorian Twitchathon has been run and won and what a race! It was the most participated race Victoria has ever had! 16 teams birded across the state, spelling good tidings for sponsorship and the BA Victorian Research Grant. The Hillbillys, a new thon team based in the picturesque Noojee in Gippsland, have alone raised nineteen hundred dollars. Well done! We also had 5 team school teams this year! Big thanks to John Renowden for excellent assistance in co-ordinating this. It was a very hot race; when my team birded at our secret location in northern Victoria (Goschen FFR, damn.. I didn't mean to say that) it was 38 degrees. Please see below the final results for the 2009 Victorian Twitchathon.
24 HR RACE WINNERS
The winner of the 24 hr race was SEVEN YEAR TWITCHERS with 215 species (Tim Dolby, Greg Oakley, Fiona Parkin).
This was followed closely by the Bush Turkeys with 208 species (Sean Dooley, Nevil Amos, Stuart Cooney, Paul Peake) and the Robin Rednecks with 203 species (Michael Ramsey, Matt Weeks, Simon Starr).
8 HR RACE WINNERS
The 8 hr race was one by the COMMON LOADMOUTHS with 145 species (Greg Hunt, Philip Jackson, Russell Thomson).
2 teams snapped at their heals: the Common Driving Petrelheads with 144 and Norwegian Blues with 141.
 BEST BIRD
Nominating the best bird for the competition was really hard. In the 24 hr there was a choice between Pied, Black and Scarlet Honeyeater, Red-backed Kingfisher, Australian Koel, Blue-billed Duck, Shy Heathwren and Chestnut Quail-thrush. In the 8 hr it was between Southern Emu-wren, Brolga and Black Honeyeater. Our independent judge, the Honorable Stuart Dashper, chose Australian Koel in the 24 hr and Black Honeyeater in the
8 hr. Well done Bush Turkeys and Common Loadmouths.
WORST DIP
In the 24 hr this included Gang-gang Cockatoo, Shy Albatross, Grey Currawong, Black-shouldered Kite, Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo, Indian Myna and Wedge-tailed Eagle. In the 8 hr Nankeen Ketrel and no Egrets. The Honorable Stuart Dashper chose Indian Myna in the 24hr and 'no egrets'
in the 8hr. Well done Tree Creeps and Common Loadmouths.
SCHOOL TEAMS
The winner of the school teams was the Cryptic Curlews. Well done. We ended up with 20 students who all seemed to really enjoy the experience. Eleven of the students were in Year 6.
SPONSORSHIP MONEY
Please send your sponsorship form to the BA Vic Treasurer via Birds Australia National Office. Receipts will be returned by BA Vic to you.
RESULTS 2009 VICTORIAN TWITCHATHON
24 HOUR RACE
215 Seven Year Twitchers
Tim Dolby, Greg Oakley, Fiona Parkin
Best bird Pied Honeyeater, worst dip Gang-gang Cockatoo
208 Bush Turkeys
Sean Dooley, Nevil Amos, Stuart Cooney, Paul Peake
Best bird Australian Koel, worst dip Shy Albatross
203 Robin Rednecks (Nth Vic)
Michael Ramsey, Matt Weeks, Simon Starr
Best bird Red-backed Kingfisher, worst dip Grey Currawong
181 Twitching BigEyes
Steve Davidson, Andrew Hurnard
Best bird Black Honeyeater/Scarlet Honeyeater, worst dip Black-shouldered Kite
(Also had a car breakdown)
172 Gang-gang Gang
Paul Dodd, Ruth Woodrow, Russell Woodford, Pete Shute, Karen Pearson
Best bird Scarlet Honeyeater, worst dip Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo
160 Ruddy Bustards
Matt Gibson, Gavin Thomas, James Fitzsimons
Best bird Shy Heathwren, worst dip Dusky Moorhen
138 Tree Creeps (Nth Vic)
Ross Potter, Bill Paul, Nathan Trushell, Matt Kavanagh
Best bird Chestnut Quail-thrush, worst dip Indian Myna
94 The Hillbillys (Base town Noojee, Gippsland)
Norm Sherar, Glenda Sherar, Tammy Sherar, Jonny Shirley, Norman Anderson,
Helena Anderson, Lee Pattisen and Wendy Morton-Duggan
Best bird Blue-billed Duck, worst dip Wedge-tailed Eagle
53 Cryptic Curlews (School Team)
Nicholas Adam, Alex Swann and Cameron Dart
Best bird Plumed Whistling-Duck (at Serendip), worst dip: Spotted Turtle-Dove
48 Kookaburras (School Team)
Nisura Perera, Sherman Quach, Joshua Ranftl, James Nicholls, Erhard van Nierkerk)
Best bird Whistling Kite, worst dip Feral Pigeon
40 Adventurers (School Team)
Nick Raymond, Brandon Van Zeyl, Ryan Barton and Connor Barton
Best bird Australasian Gannet, worst dip Laughing Kookaburra
39 Schmobbes (School Team)
Joanne Lim, Kathryn Wilson, Nicola Rosmilia and Indica Lovell
Best bird Superb Blue Fairy-Wren, worst dip Crested Pigeon
30 Redbelly Honeyeaters (School Team)
Brittany Hammond, Lauren Hollier, Michaela Grima and Stephanie Edwards
Best bird Pink-eared Duck, worst dip Black Swan
8 HR RACE
145 Common Loadmouths
Greg Hunt, Philip Jackson, Russell Thomson
Best bird Black Honeyeater, worst dip no egrets
144 Common Diving Petrelheads
Lawrie Conole and Grant Bavestock.
Best bird Southern Emu-wren, worst dip, Nankeen Kestrel
141 Norwegian Blues
Jack Krohn and George Pergaminelis
Best bird Brolga
 What is a Twitchathon?
Put simply, a twitchathon is like a walkathon, but instead of recording kilometres participant's record bird species. It involves teams of birders racing around their respective State trying to twitch (identify through sight or sound) as many bird species as possible in 24 hours. The race is usually run annually as a fund-raising event organised by Birds Australia's regional groups.
Why participate in a Twitchathon?
The rewards of doing a twitchathon are many. Foremost you go birding! What could be better than that? You get to go birding in spring even better! Importantly, each year participants raise valuable sponsorship for environmental conservation and education. Funds in Victoria have been recently been donated to the Birds Australia Victoria Research Grant, an award of excellence for doctoral students studying ornithology.
Past Twitchathons
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