Nature Conservancy Photo Contest Celebrates Duck Stamp

UPDATE: Just an FYI. I started to enter this contest and then I noticed that you have to submit your images high resolution on Flickr. That makes it kind of easy for someone to take your high resolution image, print it out and do whatever.

Calling all photographers and digiscopers:

In honor of the federal Duck Stamp contest being held in Minnesota this year, The Nature Conservancy is conducting a digital photography competition to highlight the beauty of our native prairies.

They're looking for inspiring, spectacular nature photography that represents the prairie wildlife and landscape native to Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota.

The Nature Conservancy in Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota 2008 Prairie Photo Contest (the “Contest”) is open to ALL photographers at least 18 years of age, except employees of The Nature Conservancy and the immediate families of such employees.

Cash prizes will be awarded, with a top prize of $250. The top ten photographs will be put on display.

Contest Deadline

Submit your photos by Tuesday, September 30, 2008, 11:59 p.m. Central Daylight Time. Photos must be uploaded and submitted by this time; no late entries will be eligible.

Get the details here.

Whoopsie! This Year's Duck Stamp Is Bound To Be A Collector's Item

From the Minneapolis Star Tribune:

Millions of federal Duck Stamps, designed by a Minnesota artist, are affixed to an accompanying card that has a toll-free number that errantly directs callers to a phone sex service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) said this afternoon.

The correct number is 1-800-STAMP24 (1-800-782-6724). The wrong number, 1-800-872-6724, translates to 1-800-TRAMP24. Callers to "Intimate Connections" are warned that they must be 18 years or older.

Rachel Levin, a USFWS spokeswoman, called the misprint "an unfortunate typographical error" that her agency "really regrets," but the agency will keep selling the stamps with the naughty number because reprinting costs are too expensive.

The correct toll-free number is for people wishing to order additional Duck Stamps. All waterfowl hunters age 16 and older are required to buy and carry the current Migratory Bird Conservation and Hunting Stamp, commonly known as the Duck Stamp.

The USFWS will continue to sell the self-adhesive stamps -- 3.5 million were printed under an independent contract -- with the incorrect phone number, Levin said.

The stamps were produced by Ashton Potter Ltd., of Williamsville, N.Y. On its website, the company says, "Since 1991, Ashton Potter has successfully become a key private sector supplier to the United States Postal Service over four successive multi-year contracts." A message left with Ashton Potter's president has yet to be returned.

She said reprinting costs would run about $300,000, and "that's a lot of money we could be putting into" conservation.

"The stamp is perfectly usable," she said. "It will just be a lot more interesting for people now."

There is no similar error involving the stamps that require moistening. Both types have been on sale since June.

The 75th edition duck stamp features artist Joseph Hautman's depiction of a pair of Northern pintail ducks. The Plymouth man's artwork was chosen last October in a contest.

"Oh, no," said Hautman, who added that he was unaware of the error. It's just an accident, I hope."

Hautman said he understands why the USFWS would not want to pay for reissuing the stamps, but he said he's unsure whether that is the right decision.

The sale of the stamp raises about $25 million annually to fund wetland habitat acquisition for the national Wildlife Refuge System.

More than $700 million in Duck Stamp money has been used to acquire 5.2 million acres of habitat across the country, the Interior Department said. There are 548 National Wildlife Refuges across all 50 states and U.S. territories.

Thank You To Everyone Who Bought A Duck Stamp

The happiest press release in my inbox all week:

"As part of a suite of wetlands acquisition and conservation grant approvals, the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission today approved $4 million to purchase more than 18,000 acres of prime prairie wetland and associated grassland habitat for the Glacial Ridge National Wildlife Refuge in northwestern Minnesota – one of the largest purchases ever using dollars generated from Federal Duck Stamp sales and import duties on firearms and ammunition."

Read the full press release here, there are several other projects in other states including Maine, North Carolina, and Oregon. It mentions that it's going to be great for many types of waterfowl, but several bird species besides waterfowl will benefit from it as well. It's such a treat to get something in my inbox about bird habitat that is POSITIVE. So, if you purchased a duck stamp--I thank you and this is an example of what your dollars are doing.

Thanks.

Stamp Uses

Paul Baicich found a new way to use your Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation [Duck] Stamp while in North Dakota. Perhaps I'll do this with my old stamp when the new one come out this month.

Duck Stamp Holder

The Georgia Ornithological Society is selling the Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp (aka Duck Stamp) and holder for $15.

If you recall, I got schooled by Paul Baicich that these tags fit easily on binoculars and make very little noise and don't get in the way of your bird viewing pleasure. For those who still aren't convinced, they do also make great zipper tags.

This is one of the cheapest, most effective purchases you can make to buy up habitat for all kinds of birds. And with the decline in duck hunters, birders really need to step up to the plate on this one. Over 98% of the money for the stamp actually goes to purchase habitat and less than 2% goes to administrative costs, this is very worthwhile.