Syracuse.com - 17th annual Montezuma Muckrace set for this weekend at Montezuma Wetlands Complex

[HuntingNY-News]

Cpmpetitors take the 24-hour competition, which is a fund-raiser for bird conservation in this Finger Lakes hot spot, very seriously. The contest starts at 7 p.m. Friday night and lasts until 7 p.m. Saturday.

Birders take your mark. Get set. Go.

Ok, this weekend's 17th annual Montezuma Muckrace at the Montezuma Wildlands Complex doesn't start that way. However, the competitive birding event, sponsored by the Friends of the Montezuma Wetlands Complex, features the state's top birding teams.

They take the 24-hour competition, which is a fund-raiser for bird conservation in this Finger Lakes hot spot, very seriously. The contest starts at 7 p.m. Friday night and lasts until 7 p.m. Saturday.

Teams will be spread out throughout the 242-square-mile Montezuma Wetlands Complex, which is also referred to as the Montezuma Focus Area. It includes federal, state and Nature Conservancy-owned lands, with the largest tract being the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge.

The area was highlighted under the North American Waterfowl Management Plan as critical migratory bird habitat.

Teams register under several categories (Competitive, Youth, Low-Carbon, Family/Mentor, or Recreational) and their goal is to locate as many bird species as possible during the 24-hour period.

A record number of participants will participate in the 17th Annual Montezuma Muckrace, including the No rEgrets team from the Montezuma Audubon Center. Submitted photo 

Winning teams over the past several years have identified as many as 148 species, and collectively, as many as 192 species have been seen by the 90-100 birders on the 20 to 27 teams, in a single day.

The winning competitive team in 2012, Gallinagos, sponsored by the Cayuga Bird Club, logged 134 species. Many other birders of all ages and experience joined in on the fun under the recreational category.

This event, now in its 17th year, is made possible by over 25 sponsors, including top sponsors: Wild Birds Unlimited, Nucor Steel (Auburn), Bass Pro, Avinet, Inc. (Dryden) and Seneca Meadows Landfill.

Other contributors include: Merritt Seed, the Cayuga Bird Club, Ernst Conservation Seeds, Montezuma Winery, Marsh Creek (Geneva), Wolffys Grill, Abigails, Parker's Grill, The Brick Oven, Ducks Unlimited, Swarovski Optics, WomenMade Products, Old Lyons Hardware and the Montezuma Audubon Center.

Money is also raised through pledges sought by participants. Prizes are awarded to the team that raises the most money and to those teams that record the highest number of species.

Event organizers include the Friends of the Montezuma Wetlands Complex, N.Y.S. Department of Environmental Conservation, Audubon NY and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The Montezuma Audubon Center, 2295 Route 89, Savannah, NY will serve as the event headquarters, with participants returning to this site at the finish on Saturday to compile their checklists, grab a bite to eat, and enjoy recapping highlights of the day.

The 2012 competition raised over $13,000, which built an observation deck on a newly developed wetland area, and continues to fund other habitat restoration projects.

This year's competition features a total of 115 birders, with 27 teams. Teams in the competitive division generally have 3-4 members; recreational teams can have as many as 10 members. Winners in the competitive division get a trophy, which must be brought back year and passed on the following year's winner -- in addition to getting their pick from a table of prizes donated by sponsors of the contest.

For more information, visit the Friends website.

Friends of the Montezuma Wetlands Complex President, Chuck Gibson, can be contacted for additional information at (315) 945-2167 or at [email protected]t.

Photo caption: A record number of participants will participate in the 17th Annual Montezuma Muckrace, including the No rEgrets team from the Montezuma Audubon Center.

View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog