Kurt Muenz writes:

My friends at Avian Haven, the bird rehabilitators in Maine  are planning a trip to New Jersey later this week. They need to release a Chimney Swift and 2 Barn Swallows — none left in northern New England — and will also be transporting 1 or 2 owls to The Raptor Trust.

The swift is to be released at the Ridgewood, NJ migration staging roost that I’ve been monitoring and reporting on.

As to the Barn Swallows, I’ve been asked to try to identify sites in Bergen and nearby NY/NJ counties where they are still being seen, the more the better. So please keep an eye out for Barn Swallows and email  any sighting reports to me (elkumu@aceweb.com).

Here are the tallies as of August 31 in the Meadowlands Big Year contest for 2013.

Congrats to all for competing. We hope you are having fun near to home, and seeing lots of great birds.

Keep in mind that some birders are in the Meadowlands all the time, and others get here occasionally, so their birdage may differ drastically.

If your name’s not on the list, please e-mail Jim Wright at jim.wright (at) njmeadowlands.gov. It’s still not too late! Sign up now!

Here is the leader board as of  August 31:
1. Chris Takacs: 187, (2012 reigning champion, ineligible for prizes
in 2013 as a result, lives in district)
2. Mike Newhouse 184 (NJMC, setting a target number for competitors.)
3. Ray Duffy, 172 (in district)
4. Jackie DeMarco, 157 (out of district)
5. Mike Wolfe, 150 species (out of district)
6. Dennis Cheeseman, 145 (out of district)
7. Jim Wright,  141  (NJMC staff, ineligible for prizes)
8. Mike Turso 131 (out of district)
9. Julie McCall, 127 (in district).
10. Oliver Stringham, 125  (in district)
11.  Roy Woodford 121 (out of district)
*12. Rob Fanning 114  (*totals as of July 31, out of district)

Link to Big Year totals last year at the end of August  is here.

For a hundred dollars and the game (as the saying goes), name that tune. Photographed at DeKorte Park this spring.