Caption Contest #24

I'm pretty sure we've found a new product that's guaranteed to get rid of pesky artist/naturalists, but we need a caption from you that sells this new product to the unsuspecting public.

If you've got a great idea for a caption for this new product ad, share it here using the Comments window of my blog. I'll pick a winner on Friday, December 14, 2012. Thanks to Julie Zickefoose for being in the photo. I'm not sure if her face is revealing worry or relief.

Gentlepeople: start your caption engines!

Caption Contest #23 Winner!

Kirby the Kestrel's Appalachian Hair cuttin' corral!

That's the winning entry in Caption Contest #23, submitted, along with several other clever ones, by Robert Mortensen. Congrats to Robert for another big win. He gets a year's-worth of Bird Watcher's Digest for this prize-winning caption.

This was another hard caption contest to judge.
Some other really funny entries:

Carla said... I just know this would make great nesting material if it wasn't stuck to this human!

tommyart said...Thank goodness for the Buzz Cut... It makes it easier to find the bugs!

Alan Pulley said...Training to be a pirate is hard work!

Robert Mortensen said...Following the trail of reflecting ultraviolet light from the mammal's urine, the Kestrel finally tracks down and grasps the juvenile Homo sapien biped.

Robert Mortensen said..."What he really wanted to take with him for his first year at Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was a Snowy Owl, like Harry Potter's Hedwig. But alas, his family was so poor, nary a shirt for the lad could they afford. He had to settle for Kirby, the family farm's Sparrow Hawk."

Chris Harbard said...Marge decided to try a novel approach to rid Brett of his head-lice.

Anonymous said...Mom, he followed me home. Can I keep him?

Thanks to all who participated! And special thanks to Rondeau Ric McArthur for the image. You can read ALL the submitted captions along with the original post here.

Caption Contest #23

Yes friends, it's time once more for a Bill of the Birds Caption Contest. Send in your clever caption (using the comments interface on this blog) by Tuesday, September 4, 2012. If your caption is selected as the overall winner, you'll receive a year's subscription to Bird Watcher's Digest.

This amazing photo was contributed by my good pal Rondeau Ric McArthur who is a past winner of the caption contest here at Bill of the Birds.

Caption Contest #22 Winner!

Caution: objects seen in your camera are bigger than they appear.

The winning caption was submitted by our clever Canadian friend Rondeau Ric.

Though I have to admit that the judging committee liked several others, including:

Mark S. Garland: Even if the goalkeeper is down, I am not going to play a header.

Wendy Eller: After Jack and his friends climbed the beanstalk, they decided to attend a soccer game.

Richard: Let's see Chet Baker pop this one !!

John W.: A dragonfly with an all-yellow head ...and very close-set eyes. Nope, not in this field guide.

Erik: Anyone else's cell phone getting 5,000,000,000,000 bars?

and...

Murr Brewster: Sorry. I'm not touching this caption with a ten-inch pole.

Caption Contest #22!

Most of you know the drill by now for these BOTB Caption Contests. I mean, we've done 21 of them! For any fresh-faced newcomers, here's how it goes:

Use the Comment interface at the bottom of this post to write a silly/funny/engaging/philosophical caption for the photograph shown above, then wait around twiddling your thumbs while our panel of world-renowned caption experts debates the merits of all submissions (and guzzles huge amounts of micro-brewed pale ale, or if it's breakfast time, bird-friendly shade-grown coffee and a few pale ales). They pick a winner. If it's you, you get a fabbo prize: in this case one of the brand-new products from Bird Watcher's Digest: a optics cleaning kit.

So huff some fog on your spec lenses and clean off the schmutz so you can see to write your most bestest, funniest caption. I can't wait to read it!

Caption Contest #21 WINNER!

The Rain Crows rehearse for their upcoming gig at the nudist camp,
singing with a bear behind.

Congrats to Amy Girten for the winning entry!

Choosing a winner for these caption contests is always tough—there are so many clever entries! This time was even tougher.

First runner-up:
Alan Pulley said...That's Bill Thompson singing background, for those that may not recognize him without his shirt.

And honorable mentions to:
Beyond My Garden said...Listen to the Rain Crows. It's worth coming out of hibernation.

Erik said...His name must be Pooh, he's trying to pick up the honeys.

Erik also said...Which one looks slower? Which one looks slower?

cyberthrush said...Dang, ripped off again... thought I paid to see The Barenaked Ladies perform and only realized after arriving that the ticket said "The Bearnaked Ladies."

Northern Goshawker said...With the Grateful Dead no longer touring, the dancing bears have been looking for a good summer jam band and found one in the Rain Crows. Here, Cubby is chillin’ to Cotton Candy Sky.

I could easily pick a winner at random—you all are some funny folks!

I hope you enjoy these little side-trips to goofyland. I know I do! Thanks for playing everyone!

Caption Contest #21

Yes, kids, it's time once again for another Bill of the Birds Caption Contest. Use the comment interface of this blog to submit your clever caption for the photo above and, if your entry is selected as the winner, you will receive a fabulous prize: a collector's edition copy of the ultra-rare, best-selling bird book Bird Watching For Dummies autographed by the author (if we can find him and get him sobered up enough to make his mark).

Back story: This photo shows Julie Zickefoose (left) and Wendy Eller (in blue jacket) performing a Rain Crows' song during my recent milestone birthday celebration. Backing the gals were members of The Realbillies (not shown) from Athens, Ohio. There was a stuffed black bear in the corner of the stage area and a friend took this photograph with my camera. I think the image opens up a world of caption possibilities and I cannot wait to see what y'all come up with!

Deadline is Tuesday March 20, 2012. Now start bruin up some funny captions!

Caption Contest #20 Winner!

The body was dumped in an area which was guaranteed to get no foot traffic. At press time, police have yet to locate the left arm.

Wow! Jason over at OpposableChums really hit a homer with his caption. Or as perennial caption maven Erik Bruder put it: "OC brough a cannon to a pillow fight!"

Jason is the proud winner of a set of birding bumper stickers from the BWD Nature Shop.

Other entries that got numerous votes from our panel of judges (though we always like ALL of the entries):

Harley Winfrey said...
Sure he's a birding celebrity, but when you meet BT3 in person, he's just so down to earth.

Julie Zickefoose said...
Thousands attended Bill's book signing. Thousands of chiggers.

steve moore said...
Bill learns that when stretching the elastic Bino Harness to maximum length...you should never just let go.

Peggy said...
Virgin planker gets it all wrong!

John Workman said...
Noted Author and Authority on Birding Demonstrates "The Thompson Method" for Attracting Turkey Vultures.

Thanks to everyone who played. We'll post another caption contest as soon as we find the next truly goofy photo.

Caption Contest #20

My dear BOTB readers: It is time for the first Caption Contest of 2012. Please send in your clevermost caption for the image above. Use the Comments interface below to craft and deliver your bon mot.

Deadline is Friday morning, January 13, 2012 at 10:14 am. I (and my panel of very nearly ethical judges) will select a winner on that day. The winning entry gets a set of birding bumper stickers and a NEW CAR* to put them on!

Good luck and may the farce be with you.

*by "new car" we mean a Matchbox car stolen from my son Liam's overflowing toy chest in the basement. I promise to choose one that still has all four wheels fully functioning.

Caption Contest #19 Winner!

"Birding the Grassland" is brought to you in part by Sure deodorant and antiperspirant - wetness protection for men and women. When you are celebrating that life bird, never let the other birders see you sweat.

Our winner is Robert over at Birding is Fun! Congrats Robert!

It was really hard for our judges to pick just one winner. So we went with the one that gave us the biggest initial laugh.



Other strong entries:



Kate said...Oh Baird's Sparrow Gods, we beseech you. May you provide us with many close looks and breeding displays!

Kelly Hendrix said...Bill and friends trying to lure in a rare bird by doing a fancy mating display to the song "YMCA".

Erik (perennial contender) said...The "airing of the pits" made the next 7 hours in the van more bearable.

CrystalsCozyKitchen said...How the bird got the gun to hold up the birdwatchers, we may never know.

Thanks to all who played! Robert, you can pick up your winner's loot at The Midwest Birding Symposium in one month!

Until next time!