Youth teams in birding competitions

American Birding Association recently announced its 2008 ABA/Leica Tropicbirds teams for the Great Texas Birding Classic and the World Series of Birding.

During the April competition in the Lone Star State, Jeff and Liz Gordon will chaperone and mentor four teenagers:

Saraiya Ruano, 17, of Colorado Springs, Colo. (team captain)
Hope Batcheller, 16, of Petersburgh, N.Y.
Neil Gilbert, 15, of Orange, Calif.
Nico Sarbanes, 14, of Baltimore, Md.

During the one-day May event in the Garden State, Michael O'Brien and Louise Zemaitis will coach and accompany four teens:

Jacob Drucker, 15, of New York, N.Y. (captain)
Ted Stiritz, 14, of Russellville, Ark.
Andy Johnson, 15, of Ann Arbor, Mich.
Matthew Daw, 14, of Raleigh, N.C.

Find more info about ABA's programs for young birders here.