>> IT'S JUST BEFORE SUNRISE AT BENTSEN RIO GRANDE VALLEY
STATE PARK, AND SOME CREATURES ARE STIRRING.
(door slam)
>> EVERYBODY READY?
>> A GROUP HAS GATHERED FOR ONE PURPOSE...
>> OH I HAVE THE CHECKLIST
>> TO SEE AND HEAR AS MANY KINDS OF BIRDS AS THEY CAN IN A DAY.
>> I THINK THE GOAL TODAY IS 100.
>> THEY ARE COMPETING IN THE GREAT TEXAS BIRDING CLASSIC.
TEAM NAME?
>> THE QUEENFISHERS.
>> THESE ARE THE QUEENFISHERS.
I'M THE KING OF THE QUEENFISHERS!
(laughs)
>> HEAR THE (makes trilling sound)?
>> BEFORE THEY ENTER THE PARK...
>> DID YOU HEAR IT?
>> ...THEY HAVE ALREADY MADE SOME PROGRESS.
>> GOT IT.
SCREECH OWL.
WOOOO!
WE'RE NOT GOING TO MOVE FROM THE PARKING LOT.
>> WE'RE GOING TO STAY HERE THE WHOLE DAY.
(laughs)
>> DO YOU HAVE LUNCH?
BINOCULARS?
FIELD GUIDE?
NEED TO USE THE RESTROOM BEFORE WE GO?
>> A FEW HOURS TO THE NORTH, ANOTHER TEAM GATHERS.
>> TEAM OSPREY, LET'S GO, TEAM OSPREY.
>> IT'S THE AWESOME OSPREYS, WITH TWO BIRDING MENTORS,
AND THEIR SCIENCE TEACHER.
>> READY?
LET'S GO!
>> THIS TEAM OF FIFTH-GRADERS IS ALSO EMBARKING ON
THE BIRDING CLASSIC.
>> OKAY, THERE WAS A BIRD WE SAW A LOT ON SATURDAY.
DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT BIRD THAT IS?
>> IT'S SOMETHING, PHA-RA-LOPE.
>> YOU ARE CORRECT, IT IS A PHALAROPE.
GOOD JOB, BRIAN.
>> MARTHA MCLEOD USES THE COMPETITION TO TEACH STUDENTS
ABOUT BIOLOGY, AND ALSO, TEAMWORK.
>> DID YOU SEE IT?
>> UH UH.
>> ALRIGHT, THE WHOLE TEAM'S GOT TO SEE IT.
IT'S A BIG SKILL WE WORK ON WITH THESE KIDS.
WE TEACH THEM TO COLLABORATE TOGETHER,
VALUING EACH OTHER'S OPINIONS, LISTENING TO WHAT
SOMEONE ELSE HAS TO SAY.
YOU GUYS KEEP YOUR EYES TO THE SKY.
THIS IS THE CULMINATION OF A YEAR'S WORTH OF STUDY
WITH THESE KIDS.
CALL IT OUT LOUD WHEN YOU SEE A BIRD.
>> LIKE THE QUEENFISHERS...
>> THERE'S A GREAT BLUE HERON RIGHT HERE.
>> THE AWESOME OSPREYS HOPE TO SEE 100 BIRD SPECIES BY NOON.
>> YEA, GREAT BLUE IS ON THE LIST.
>> AND THEY TOO ARE OFF TO A GOOD START.
>> EIGHTY-EIGHT MORE TO GO.
(laughs)
KIDS NEED A TANGIBLE TARGET TO SHOOT FOR, SO SETTING 100,
THAT'S A GOOD NUMBER FOR THEM TO TRY AND WORK TOWARD
FOR A SPECIES COUNT.
>> BACK IN THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY, THE COUNTING CONTINUES.
>> THERE'S THE WOODPECKER AGAIN.
THE CHIP CHIP CHIP?
>> THAT'S A UH BLACK CRESTED TITMOUSE.
AND THAT'S A CARDINAL.
>> IT'S GETTING GOOD.
(laughs)
>> RIGHT BACK IN THESE TREES.
GREEN JAY.
>> NICE!
I GOT THE GREEN JAY, I GOT THE TITMOUSE.
>> MOURNING DOVE.
>> OH, THAT'S ANOTHER DOVE.
CHACHALACA.
THERE HE IS, THERE HE IS.
>> YEAH, THAT'S A BEAUTIFUL BIRD.
>> IT'S A GREEN HERON.
>> IT'S PRETTY INCREDIBLE BIRDING DOWN HERE,
WHICH IS WHY THIS COMPETITION IS SO MUCH FUN.
MORE THAN HALF OF ALL THE BIRDS THAT HAVE BEEN SEEN
IN THE U.S. HAVE BEEN SEEN IN OUR FOUR COUNTY AREA.
(flipping through book) WHAT'S THAT?
>> ONE OF THE GREAT TEXAS BIRDING CLASSIC TEAMS
HAD ALMOST 200 IN ONE DAY.
(mosquito buzzing)
>> GREAT TEXAS MOSQUITO CLASSIC.
>> GET AWAY MOSQUITO!
>> WHAT'S MORE FUN THAN GETTING OUTSIDE, BEING WITH A BUNCH OF
FRIENDS AND DOING SOMETHING THAT REALLY JUST BRINGS
EVERYONE TOGETHER?
(music)
(laughter)
(car door)
>> WHILE THE GREAT TEXAS BIRDING CLASSIC WAS ONCE HELD
ONLY ALONG THE COAST, IT IS NOW STATEWIDE.
TEAMS CHOOSE WHEN TO COMPETE, FROM MID-APRIL TO MID-MAY,
AND HOW.
SERIOUS BIRDERS MAY OPT FOR A 24-HOUR "BIG DAY"
IN THEIR REGION...
OR EVEN A FULL-WEEK STATEWIDE, VISITING AS MANY SITES
AS POSSIBLE....
(music)
>> TON OF PHALAROPES.
>> ...THE SUNRISE TO NOON TOURNAMENT MAY BE MORE IDEAL
FOR YOUTH TEAMS OR THOSE MORE FOCUSED ON JUST HAVING FUN.
BUT PERHAPS THE MOST RELAXING WAY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE
BIRDING CLASSIC IS KNOWN AS A BIG SIT.
>> WE HAVE SOME SHOREBIRDS RIGHT OVER THERE.
SEE WHERE THAT BLIND IS?
>> THE BIG SIT IS A REALLY GREAT EVENT IN THE BIRDING CLASSIC.
IT IS LITERALLY BIRDING FROM A 17 FOOT DIAMETER CIRCLE FOR A
FULL 24 HOUR DAY, OR AS MUCH OF A DAY AS YOUR TEAM WANTS TO DO.
THE BIG SIT IS SOMETHING THAT LITERALLY ANYONE COULD DO.
WE CALL IT THE TAILGATE PARTY FOR BIRDERS.
>> I'M AN AMATEUR BIRDER.
>> A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE ARE NEWBIES, AND THEN WE HAVE
ONE OR TWO REALLY GOOD BIRDERS ON THE TEAM THAT ARE
HELPING EXPLAIN WHAT EVERYTHING IS.
>> MOST OF THEM ARE CLIFF SWALLOWS.
>> SO IT'S THIS WONDERFUL LEARNING EXPERIENCE.
>> SEMI-PALMATED SANDPIPER.
I'VE GOT TO SEE THAT ONE.
>> WE ARE THE TWEETING CHATS.
>> THE CHATTING TWEETS-UH THE TWEETING CHATS.
>> THEY ARE COMMUNICATIONS FOLKS, AND THEY TWEET,
THEY USE SOCIAL MEDIA.
A CHAT IS A TYPE OF BIRD.
>> A YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT.
I'M SURE IT TWEETS.
(laughs)
>> IT'S JUST A VERY FITTING NAME FOR THIS TEAM.
>> THIS GROUP IS GREAT AND THEY'RE HAVING A GOOD TIME.
>> WE'RE AN EMBARRASSMENT TO BIRDERS EVERYWHERE.
(laughs)
>> BACK ON THE COAST, THE AWESOME OSPREYS HIT THE
BIRDING HOTSPOTS OF PORT ARANSAS.
>> WE ARE AT THE LEONABELLE TURNBULL BIRDING CENTER.
LOOK HERE--FIX YOUR JACKET.
THERE YOU GO.
OKAY.
I'M HOPING THESE KIDS CAN GET TO 100.
THEY'RE THE LAST TEAM TO COMPETE.
>> WHERE'D IT GO?
>> BEING AT THE TAIL END OF MIGRATION,
IT'S GOING TO BE TOUGH.
>> IT JUST FLEW OVER THERE.
>> RIGHT NOW THEY'RE NECK AND NECK WITH MY FOURTH GRADE TEAM.
>> YEAH, THE EASTERN KINGBIRD UP THERE.
>> THERE'S AN ORIOLE!
>> ROSEATE SPOONBILL, GUYS.
>> OH WHAT IS THAT?
>> WHITE IBIS.
>> THE REDWING BLACKBIRD.
>> WE'RE GOING TO GO TO SEVERAL PLACES TODAY,
SO WE'VE STILL GOT A LOT OF TIME AHEAD OF US.
>> OH THERE IT IS.
>> BY MID-MORNING, THE QUEENFISHERS, AND THEIR KING,
ARE LOOKING FOR KINGFISHERS.
>> AS WE WERE EATING OUR BREAKFAST, A GREEN KINGFISHER
PERCHED ABOUT 20 FEET AWAY FROM US AND THEN DASHED ACROSS
THE WATER TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PONDS.
THEY'RE ON THE T-SHIRT.
WE'RE IN THE AREA TO GET THEM, SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET
ALL THREE TODAY.
>> THE TEAM HAS MIGRATED TO THE EDINBURG SCENIC WETLANDS,
ANOTHER WORLD BIRDING CENTER SITE.
>> WE'VE SEEN A LOT.
HOPEFULLY WE'LL SEE MORE.
>> IN OUR REGION HERE IN SOUTH TEXAS, THE LAST TEN YEARS
THERE'S BEEN SO MUCH DEVELOPMENT OF THESE NATURE CENTERS FOR THE
WORLD BIRDING CENTERS, SO IT'S GETTING EASIER AND EASIER JUST
TO FIND A PLACE IN YOUR BACKYARD NEIGHBORHOOD TO GO OUT
AND BIRD AND SEE WHAT'S OUT THERE.
>> KEEP GOING STRAIGHT?
>> AND SOME TRUE NEIGHBORHOOD BIRDING IS ALSO ON THE AGENDA.
>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I LIKE IS OUR TREES ARE KIND OF SHORT,
SO YOU CAN DRIVE THROUGH AND LOOK THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOODS,
AND THERE ARE SOME GREAT NEIGHBORHOODS WITH OLD GROWTH
TREES AND YOU CAN SEE SOME REALLY GREAT BIRDS IN THERE.
>> OH, I CAN SEE THE YELLOW CROWN!
>> SO YOU CAN DO DRIVE BIRDING AS WE WERE DOING TODAY,
AND WALKING AROUND- VERY EASY TO DO.
>> OKAY, LET'S GO!
>> BIRD ON!
>> WE ARE NOT TO 100 YET.
(laughs)
I THINK WE'RE IN THE 70S RIGHT NOW.
OKAY, IF NOT A BLUE JAY, SOMETHING ELSE WE
HAVEN'T GOTTEN.
>> I HOPE WE DON'T SEE IT LIKE AT 12:01.
NOOOO!
(music)
>> DOES EVERYONE SEE A SANDWICH TERN?
>> YES--NO.
>> RIGHT THERE.
>> FROM THEIR MOBILE BIRD BLIND, THE AWESOME OSPREYS CONTINUE
THEIR COUNT, TAKING IN HABITAT FROM BEACH TO BAY
AND WOODLAND TO WETLAND.
>> NO, THAT'S THE REDSTART, IT'S GOT LIKE THE
YELLOW ON ITS WINGS.
>> AS NOON, AND THE END OF THEIR COMPETITION APPROACHES,
THE HEAT AND EARLY START BEGIN TO TAKE THEIR TOLL.
(sighs)
>> AFTER AWHILE YOU KIND OF START GETTING TIRED.
>> EVENTUALLY EVEN THE BIRDS NEED SOME REST.
(Chachalacas calling)
>> IT'S THEIR NOON FREAKOUT.
IT'S TWELVE, GUYS.
THAT'S IT!
>> WOOOO!
>> BIRD LIKE CRAZY ALL MORNING, AND THEN GO EAT LUNCH.
IT'S NICE!
(laughs)
>> LEAST BITTERN, GREAT BLUE HERON.
>> YES. >> GREAT EGRET?
>> YES.
>> IN THE FINAL TALLY, THE QUEENFISHERS DID NOT REACH
100 SPECIES, BUT THEY DID FINISH SECOND IN THE ALL-AGES,
SUNRISE TO NOON COMPETITION.
>> 86 SPECIES.
WE DIDN'T GET TO 100, BUT 86 IS STILL
PRETTY GOOD FOR A HALF A DAY.
>> SEE ANYTHING COOL, BRIAN?
>> THE AWESOME OSPREYS PLACED THIRD IN THEIR REGION
AND AGE-GROUP, SEEING 105 SPECIES OF BIRDS.
AND THE TWEETING CHATS SAW 54...
>> WHAT'S COMING IN HERE?
>> RANKING THEM FIRST AMONG THEIR REGION'S BIG SITS.
BUT THE NUMBERS MAY REALLY BE FOR THE BIRDS.
IN ITS FIRST YEAR AS A STATEWIDE CONTEST, THE GREAT TEXAS BIRDING
CLASSIC RAISED $17,000 FOR HABITAT CONSERVATION
AND NATURE TOURISM PROJECTS.
>> IT'S FOR A GOOD CAUSE, AND WE HAD FUN.
>> I REALLY ENJOY IT.
I ENJOY BIRD-WATCHING.
I ENJOY KEEPING TRACK OF THE BIRDS THAT WE SEE.
AND IT'S DEFINITELY MORE FUN, FOR US, WHEN WE DO IT TOGETHER.
>> WHAT WAS THAT?
>> IT'S A, UH, TANAGER.
>> YES IT IS.
>> IT'S TRULY AMAZING IN A YEAR'S TIME HOW MUCH
THEY'VE LEARNED.
IT'S NOT JUST GO LOOK AT BIRDS, AND "OH THEY'RE CUTE,
THEY'RE PRETTY AND LET'S COUNT THEM."
THEY LEARN THAT THEY'VE GOT A RESPONSIBILITY
AS STEWARDS OF THE ENVIRONMENT.
>> OH YEAH!
>> THEY INSPIRE ME DAILY.
THEY'RE INTERESTED, THEY'RE CURIOUS.
THEY JUST NEED THAT ADULT TO TAKE THEM OUT INTO THE OUTDOORS.
YOU GUYS READY?
THOSE WERE GOOD BIRDS.
(music)
KEEP LOOKING!
(music)