Tweeting the World Series of Birding

Part of the fun of attending this year's World Series of Birding stemmed from the increased role of social media. Many birders used Facebook, Twitter and other means to electronically share info about birds and the 24-hour competition.

Among the "tweeters" were @paloons, @aphriza, @canagica, @trbirds, @RedheadsWSB, @Team_eBird, @woodcreeper, @billtacular, @ammodramus88 and @CultureDove. (Who did I miss in that list?) Many of us used the hashtag #wsob to make our 140-character updates more searchable in the "Twitterverse."

During the 2010 World Series, I drove and rode (and catnapped) in a "chase car" that shadowed Team Zeiss: Pete Dunne, Don Freiday, Michael O'Brien, Tom Reed and Will Russell. Stephen Ingraham (@singraham) invited me and Catherine Hamilton (@birdspot) to share the driving/birding/documenting experience with him.

Stephen created a summary post with photos for his blog, and this post combines the tweets from Catherine and me (@WBeditor). Our updates began on May 13 and continued through awards brunch on the 16th, giving friends and followers a peek into the 27-year competition -- sans the sleep deprivation.

Note: The time stamps here are Pacific Daylight Time, as my Twitter account is set to display PDT regardless of my location or the time zone of the originating tweeter. Add three hours to see when we actually tweeted.

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@birdspot: I'm deep into preparations for #wsob, which means I'm speed drawing, making food, listening to tapes, packing and missing good birds in CP. 12:42 PM May 13th [CP = Central Park, NYC.]

@birdspot: Parmesan skillet bread. Having a hard time saving this for the 24hr food sahara I'm about to embark on. #wsob http://twitpic.com/1nion5 3:19 PM May 13th

@birdspot: Will trade snacks and pearls of wisdom for birds. The bacon bar I will only share for Bar-tailed Godwit. #wsob http://twitpic.com/1nofwj 6:23 AM May 14th

@birdspot: The pearls of wisdom bit of my last tweet. #wsob http://twitpic.com/1nogfs 6:25 AM May 14th


@birdspot: Naps are happening here for the team Zeiss chase team. Prepping rigorously ;) #wsob 12:39 PM May 14th

@birdspot: After big planning meet w/team Zeiss (@singraham for pics), it's off for some zzz's...except I'm awake.. #wsob #Ican'tfallasleepat5pm 4:02 PM May 14th

@WBeditor: We're off! Team Zeiss is on the move after good-luck licks from Murphy. #wsob 7:45 PM May 14th [We started driving from Basking Ridge, N.J.]

@birdspot: And we're off! Like mad mad people (just who is driving the Zeiss van?) into a gravid NJ evening (for you @WBeditor). 7:46 PM May 14th [Stephen took the first shift behind the steering wheel.]

@WBeditor: Caffeine stop! 3 Mt Dews now in hand. #wsob 8:30 PM May 14th

@WBeditor: Glorious stars! Crickets. Pinky shake w/ @birdspot. #wsob 8:58 PM May 14th

@birdspot: Hot damn nocturnal flight calls! I don't know em all but boy do I know some and more now. 10:07 PM May 14th

@WBeditor: Sussex County. A hill. Distant lightning. Cool breeze. Night migrants. 60 minutes to pick chips from darkness. #wsob 10:12 PM May 14th

@WBeditor: Will Russell gave us an A+ for decorum. Go @singraham & @birdspot! #wsob 10:23 PM May 14th

@WBeditor: Fireflies! Always a treat for this SoCal native. 10:58 PM May 14th

Courtesy of Nature

@WBeditor: Don Freiday has a lead foot! #wsob 12:46 AM May 15th

@birdspot: 4:20 am. I am eating jalapeno potato chips (forget carrot sticks). My stomach rumblings sound remarkably like the singing marsh wrens. #wsob 1:22 AM May 15th

@WBeditor: The birds are starting to wake up. This will get more fun (c: #wsob 2:23 AM May 15th

@WBeditor: At Stokes State Forest. Beautiful! I'm the driver now of the 'chase car.' Watch me keep up w/ Lead Foot Freiday! 3:12 AM May 15th

@WBeditor: Gah. I grabbed the wrong Mt Dew. This 1 is lime-flavored )c: 3:46 AM May 15th

@WBeditor: Lots of quick stops in Stokes State Forest #wsob 3:48 AM May 15th

@WBeditor: Rte 560. Bridge. All scopes on deck! #wsob 5:04 AM May 15th

@WBeditor: We're at Thunder Mtn. It's not just a ride at Disneyland. Who knew? #wsob 5:37 AM May 15th

@WBeditor: Enjoying a generous serving of GRCA today 5:57 AM May 15th

@birdspot: Driving through suburbia, looking for a mythical mountain and our team #wsob #neverpitstopinthispartofNJeveryoneknowsthis 7:59 AM May 15th

@WBeditor: Thank you @birdspot for becoming the driver when my eyes crossed. The powernap felt delicious. #wsob 10:54 AM May 15th

@WBeditor: Heislerville. Warm sun. Windy. Peeps & peeps. 11:28 AM May 15th

@WBeditor: Quote: "I am so smug right now." #wsob 12:16 PM May 15th

@WBeditor: Gorgeous weather in Cape May! Wonderful hospitality at Avondale by the Sea #wsob 1:39 PM May 15th

@birdspot: I find zee Kentucky Warbler & I am happy. I release my feet from wellies & I am happy. We head to the shore/shorebirds & I am happy. #wsob 1:58 PM May 15th

@WBeditor: Chai tea from WaWa. Mmmm #wsob 2:00 PM May 15th

@birdspot: Everything is a tick #wsob 3:46 PM May 15th

@birdspot: Cool: popup singing Northern Bobwhite while waiting to remeet team Zeiss. Not cool: endless stream of ticks, mostly Deer Ticks. #wsob 4:17 PM May 15th

@birdspot: Mammals: Shrew! Fisher Cat! Dolphins! Bear! Red Squirrel; plus usual yadayada. #wsob 5:11 PM May 15th

@birdspot: Omg tick attached to my scalp. @WBeditor saves my life by having brought tweezers. I am a changed and fearful person. 6:56 PM May 15th

@WBeditor: A rite of passage: I pulled 2 deer ticks out of my friend's scalp tonight. Eeewww. 7:16 PM May 15th

@WBeditor: Zen Zugunruhe, WildBird's team, won the Cape Island Cup again! 7th year. Congrats guys! #wsob 7:53 AM May 16th

@WBeditor: 2 teams ID'ed 228 species & tied for 1st place #wsob 7:56 AM May 16th

@WBeditor: Foundation for Avian Research & Education of NJ and Lagerhead Shrikes tied for 1st. #wsob 7:59 AM May 16th

@WBeditor: Quote: "We're ghost hunters." #wsob 8:10 AM May 16th

@birdspot: #wsob over, awards breakfast scarfed down, new friends made. now let's go birding ;) 10:24 AM May 16th

@birdspot: WSB? Team Zeiss (Michael O’Brien, Don Freiday, Will Russell, Pete Dunne, and Tom Reed) are pretty good birders. Hehe hehehe. OK need sleep. 4:13 PM May 16th