The American Birding Association has just announced that NCIOS member Dakota Outcalt has won (in a tie with a young woman named Megan O’Brien) the “Writing Age 10-13″ category of the Young Birder of the Year competition. Other categories were photography, field notebook, illustration, and there is an “overall” category. Age groups are 10-13 and 14-18 in each category. The best work submitted will be featured in a future issue of BIRDING magazine. Many of the young birders who submit work to this contest are extremely talented, thoroughly engaged in birding, and work hard on their skills. The competition can be very stiff.
Good work, Dakota!

Barbara Williams