Beth Barrow

The Nerdy Birders in the field spotting a red-cockaded woodpecker's nesting site.

Linda May

The Nerdy Birders, left to right: David Hollie, Zack Barrow, Jake Dedeker and Christopher Burns

Four seventh-graders from Ringgold, Ga., have raised $2,761 in pledges for the Ivory-billed Woodpecker Research Project at the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology.

"I was astonished when I opened their letter and couldn't wipe the smile off my face," said Ron Rohrbaugh, project director, who received the letter in June.

The students, who call themselves "The Nerdy Birders," may be amateurs -- but they tied for the grand prize in Georgia's inaugural Youth Birding Competition in April. The group identified 100 bird species while raising funds for the ivory-billed search effort. The competition was sponsored by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.

For their effort, teammates David Hollie, Zack Barrow, Christopher Burns and Jake Dedeker each were awarded new binoculars. The students also took top honors in raising the most money for a conservation cause of their own choosing.

"We decided we wanted to raise money for the welfare of a bird," said Hollie. "And of course the first thing that came to mind was the ivory-bill project."

Aside from some adult supervision, the young birders relied on their own instincts and sharp eyes. Rohrbaugh said their enthusiasm for birding and the ivory-billed project, in particular, is an admirable mix of passion and service.

"The Nerdy Birders prove that everyone can make a difference," said Rohrbaugh. "This is a significant contribution to our ivory-billed woodpecker work, and my hat is off to these fine young birders. I hope that one day they can see an ivory-billed woodpecker and remember the important role they played."