We now have tallies through September for the folks involved in the Meadowlands Big Year competition.

Congrats to all for competing. We hope you are having fun close to home, and we hope you are seeing new species again now that the fall migration is in full swing.

If you're name's not on the list, please e-mail Jim Wright at jim.wright (at) njmeadowlands.gov. 

The leader board as of Sept. 30 follows below (just to heighten the suspense).  Also posting the standings as of Aug. 31 …

1. Chris Takacs:  189  (lives in district; counting birds within district boundaries, not district towns)
2. Mike Newhouse 188 (NJMC naturalist, setting a target number for competitors)
3. Ray Duffy:  167 (lives in district)  
4. Doug Morel: 154 (out of district)
5. Ramon Gomez 150 (out of district)
6. Julie McCall: 147 species  (lives in district)
7. Dennis Cheeseman: 132  (out of district)
    Jim Wright: 132 (NJMC staff)
 9. Roy Woodford: 119 (out of district)
10.Rob Fanning: 113 (out of district)
 11. Lillian Rivera: 113 (out of district)

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Here were the totals as of the end of August:

1. Chris Takacs:  174  (lives in district; counting birds within district boundaries, not district towns)
2. Mike Newhouse 173 (NJMC naturalist, setting a target number for competitors)
3. Ray Duffy:  158 (lives in district)  
4. Julie McCall: 142 species  (lives in district)
5. Doug Morel: 141 (out of district)
6. Ramon Gomez 143 (out of district)
7. Jim Wright: 131 (NJMC staff)
8. Dennis Cheeseman: 128  (out of district)
9. Roy Woodford: 119 (out of district)
10.Rob Fanning: 112 (out of district)
11. Lillian Rivera: 109 (out of district)