At last (I say this a lot!) I have got around to picking the mystery photo winner for January. The bird was correctly identified by at least 40 folks and after picking a name out of the "hat" , the winner was Murray Honick of Murrells Inlet, SC. He wins a $30 Ventures gift certificate as well as a copy of the new and improved Redshank Software's Avendex Birding data of the Carolinas.
The bird was indeed a Purple Sandpiper (without its bill showing!) that was taken by Will Cook at the Oregon Inlet Jetty in NC. The new bird is already up and running - again without a head, so good luck with your inspired guesses this month. Remember that this year we are running a "monthly marathon" and the person with the most correct monthly entries at the end of 2006 will be in the running for a $100 gift certificate. One more point - anyone who has already sent in a an entry this month, can you please re-send it? My 'puter has done something very strange and all my e-mail subfolders have been emptied! If anyone can shed a light onto how this could have happened, please contact me. Thanks very much Simon