tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3327328801244950917.post2189615688122267342..comments2024-03-11T06:41:40.050-04:00Comments on Accidental Big Year 2013: MOUNTING QUAIL FRUSTRATIONAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12852470264664628180noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3327328801244950917.post-79470750809694630552013-07-26T13:53:13.146-04:002013-07-26T13:53:13.146-04:00Hi Jon,
Thanks so much for commenting and for fol...Hi Jon,<br /><br />Thanks so much for commenting and for following the blog.<br /><br />As noted on the previous comment - I'm so sorry if I've offended you and all the WA-birders out there! My comment was a dig at my new birding friend Hans de Grys who lives in Seattle. <br /><br />I was in WA earlier in the year - before I started blogging - and loved it. I got my life Gyrfalcon at Fir Island, and went on a Westport pelagic (Laysan Albatross.) before heading north of the border for the Brambling and Bluetail. It was too snowy to make it into the Olympic Range, but given my luck, I'll probably end up there looking for Mountain Quail before the snow returns! Thanks so much for the offer of helping!<br /><br />And if you're every thinking of doing a Big Year - do it! It's a great way of seeing the country, seeing new birds, and meeting new people. And hopefully not offending too many of them!<br /><br />Thanks again for the comment, and may see you up north later this year.<br /><br />- NeilAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12852470264664628180noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3327328801244950917.post-83967307689868501272013-07-26T13:45:05.089-04:002013-07-26T13:45:05.089-04:00Oh no! I hope I haven't offended all the Washi...Oh no! I hope I haven't offended all the Washingtonians out there? It's truly one of my favorite places! My comment was directed to my new birding friend / arch nemesis Hans de Grys, who lives in Seattle.<br /><br />Wow - I didn't know about all the Cougars there. We saw Mountain Lion and Black Bear in CA, and that was scary enough. And we were *in* the car!<br /><br />Thanks for following the blog, which will be free of WA-jokes from now!<br />- Neil <br /><br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12852470264664628180noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3327328801244950917.post-46662785667958355882013-07-25T22:09:16.131-04:002013-07-25T22:09:16.131-04:00Hi Neil,
I've been following your "Accid...Hi Neil,<br /><br />I've been following your "Accidental" Big Year with interest, as one of these days (if I ever get to retire), I'd consider doing one myself.<br /><br />However, I must take exception to your characterizing my home as "Oregon or crappy Washington State"! Really??!?!<br /><br />There are populations of Mt. Quail within 30 miles of our State Capitol in Olympia, which are fairly easily seen, and readily heard. Oregon has any number of easily-birded sites for Mountain Quail, sooty grouse, etc.<br /><br />And, it only got into the 80s here today, rather than in the mind-melting 100s like in southern California. And, you can stand in the shade of a Douglas Fir and still see the birds!<br /><br />If you make it to the Seattle/W Washington area, & still need the quail, let me know & I'll run you out to the Tahuya site of a morning. There's black swifts pretty regularly up around Mt. Rainier as well. Perhaps a Westport Seabirds pelagic to get some of those missing shearwaters - especially if they're "misses" on your Calif. pelagics?<br /><br />Best of luck on your quest to 700+ ! ! <br /><br />Cheers,<br />Jon. Anderson<br />Oly WAJon. Andersonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3327328801244950917.post-67985233875574952812013-07-25T21:59:15.969-04:002013-07-25T21:59:15.969-04:00Crappy Washington? 1776 was quite a while ago. On...Crappy Washington? 1776 was quite a while ago. On the bright side, no need to target the stunning Olympic Range that simultaneously houses a robust population of Sooty Grouse in the steep box canyons and the highest density of cougars in the lower 48 - a dangerous combination that has prematurely truncated many a big year.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3327328801244950917.post-10453763051505943252013-07-25T12:04:52.885-04:002013-07-25T12:04:52.885-04:00Thanks. Yeah - Sooty Grouse was a huge bonus. Real...Thanks. Yeah - Sooty Grouse was a huge bonus. Really wasn't expecting to get that one.<br /><br />I'm going back again at the end of the month to a different spot for MOUQ. Seventh time lucky?<br /><br />- NeilAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12852470264664628180noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3327328801244950917.post-77386421019073970652013-07-25T12:03:34.413-04:002013-07-25T12:03:34.413-04:00Hi Cory,
That's typical - we were driving Hwy...Hi Cory,<br /><br />That's typical - we were driving Hwy 120 early in the morning looking for them too! <br /><br />I bet I'll be back driving that road on the evening of Dec 31st...<br /><br />- NeilAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12852470264664628180noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3327328801244950917.post-4935025368654189792013-07-25T02:49:16.254-04:002013-07-25T02:49:16.254-04:00well done with Sooty Grouse! Damn those Mountain Q...well done with Sooty Grouse! Damn those Mountain Quail.<br /><br />Loving the blog.Jon Bakerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13552071974097312217noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3327328801244950917.post-28118872192141446692013-07-25T00:41:02.301-04:002013-07-25T00:41:02.301-04:00Shoot, MOUQ can be tricky when you actually need t...Shoot, MOUQ can be tricky when you actually need them! I was in Yosemite this past weekend and had a family on the shoulder of Hwy 120 early in the morning (two Sooty Grouse too). But of course, I'm still waiting to see my first Chukar. :-)Cory J. Gregoryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00249045349844692814noreply@blogger.com