Crunch time

Such a whirlwind of activity these days! The birds are moving here and there, and so are the humans who like to find and enjoy them.

The World Series of Birding will take place this Saturday in New Jersey. In other states, birders also are doing Big Days -- which might range from 12 to 24 hours -- as part of "birdathon" fundraisers, earning money per each species identified and putting those pledges toward conservation efforts.

As WildBird editor, I get to attend the World Series, cheering on our sponsored team, Zen Zugunruhe. The four-man team -- Glen Davis, Matt Garvey, Dave Hedeen and Tait Johansson -- plans to compete again in the Cape May Island limited geographic area with hopes of once again winning the Cape Island Cup. Go Zen!

This year, I also get to experience the event from a different perspective, shadowing Team Zeiss and spending 24-plus hours with Stephen Ingraham and Catherine Hamilton. Look for updates via our Twitter accounts! You can search for other birders' tweets by using the hashtag #wsob.

Right now, my movements are restricted to the office while finishing WildBird's July/August issue, the annual birds of prey issue. Tonight, though, I'll fly -- well, not me personally -- from Southern California to Motor City and then the City of Brotherly Love, where Stephen will collect me for the adventure.

Best wishes to all the peripatetic birders, and good luck with your competitive quests!