Watching the birdies

The Port Aransas Education Foundation sponsored two teams of students who took part in the Great Texas Birding Classic on Saturday, May 2. The foundation also helped buy 12 pairs of high-quality binoculars for students. Birders, both children and adults, compete in the Birding Classic for the highest number of birds species recorded. Above is a student team that called itself the Ospreys. The Ospreys identified 59 bird species. In front, from left, are Cindy Russell, Sabrina Cody, Cole Longanecker, Michael Forsberg and Hailey Zollars. In the rear is the team's leader, Beau Hardegree. Below is the Birding Elementary Spotting Team (B.E.S.T.), which found 70 species. From left: Charlotte Ramsden, leader Julie Findley, B.J. Grimes, Hank Brennan, Patrick Watson and David Lancaster.