Bird-a-palooza

Welcome to the CNU Ornithology blog. For the 1^st activity of the blog, I would like to explain the new interactive birding activity that occupy the rest of the semester, bird-a-palooza.

Bird-a-palooza was designed to get you ornithology students to spend time in the field birding outside of class and in places we may not have the opportunity to visit during lab.

The rules for bird-a-palooza are as follows:

1. Students are to submit bird field observations online with the following information:
   

   Group name & members:
   

   Date:
   

   Location:
   

   Bird species and number:
   

   Natural history observations:
   

   
    

2. Points will can be earned by groups in the following ways:
   

   +10 points    Completion of the Quest
   

   +5 points    Documentation (w/ photo) of "target birds"
   

   +2 points    Documentation (w/ photo) of interesting birds outside of lab
   

   +1 point    Documentation (w/o photo) of interesting birds outside of lab
   

   
    

3. What the heck is the QUEST?!?!
   

   The quest is an out of class endeavor of truly epic proportions. Each week there will be a new activity that can be attempted for 10 points, however, only one group can get the quest points for a week. The first group to successfully complete the quest will win. The activity will vary and may include collecting dead birds, planning an ornithology lab, preserving specimens, or mowing Dr. Sherwin's lawn. Completion of the quest also adds +5 points to your charisma.
   

   
    

4. Every week there will be a list of "target birds". If you can successfully document these birds, you will receive +5 points per group.
   

Weekly bird-a-palooza results will be posted by me on the blog. At the end of the semester we will have a picnic and birding trip to Grandview Beach Park where the winners will receive fabulous and expensive (because Sherwin is paying) prizes.

Have fun!