tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33273288012449509172024-03-11T10:24:07.898-04:00Accidental Big Year 2013A Medium Year reluctantly morphing into a Big Year...Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12852470264664628180noreply@blogger.comBlogger117125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3327328801244950917.post-18817202469927935162014-01-15T21:10:00.002-05:002014-01-27T15:24:17.248-05:00SURPRISE!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm writing this from the comfort of a new year. 2014. A year that doesn't involve counting above 700, carry-on luggage, wearing dirty laundry or dealing with stubborn Aleutian plumbing.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Last year was full of surprises - an erupting volcano, a car crash, being eaten alive by ticks in Minnesota, and the biggest surprise of all - discovering there's no prize money for doing a big year. Seriously! And so, I suppose it was only fitting that the end of the big year ought to be a surprise too. A surprise, that is, in the form of an actual surprise party last Saturday. Well, it wasn't entirely a surprise: Gerri's terrible at keeping secrets. Especially a secret that involves her baking a lot of cakes for a mysterious and nebulous *other* party, while simultaneously cleaning the house and texting furtively. But after expecting a surprise birthday party a couple weeks before, I'd Iearned not to get my hopes up. And so, I went out for drinks with my friend Bill, and returned home late enough to assume that it wasn't going to happen.</span></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">"Gerri. Why are there so many shoes? Have you been on a massive shoe-buying spree?"</span></i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">There were an awful lot of shoes. And in the next couple of minutes, after the cries of "surprise!" had died down, I </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">was met by a house full of dear friends and the relief that all those shoes belonged to other people.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>Surprise Party - good food and good company.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The biggest surprise was meeting Jeff and Liz Gordon of the ABA, who'd flown in from Colorado. And my friend Jay, who'd driven (!) from Cinncinnati that morning (13.5 hours) arriving only 15 minutes before I did. In all the crazy chasing of 2013, I don't think I ever drove that far. I was thankful for all the driving practice his big year gave him. It was great to see Jay, as well as lots of local birding friends, and friends from my previous job. Thanks to Gerri, Bill and Jackie Campbell and Jim McCoy for organizing the party. Great job!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>Talking to Jeff Gordon (center), President of the ABA</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Gerri had printed pics from my blog, so we were surrounded by all these birds - the stars of the big year. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">While I wanted to circulate and chat, I also wanted to work my way through these pictures. I'd never seen them all together, and the effect was mesmerizing. Like seeing childhood friends after years apart. Each picture was not only a bird, but a story, an adventure. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The next day, Jeff and Liz returned, with local birding friend Jim McCoy, and we talked about birds and birding. Jay and I were interviewed, and were honored to reveal the ABA's Bird of the Year…</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">(And yes, I did see this bird in 2013!)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">And so, it's January 2014, and I'm still dealing with the fame and fallout of a (successful) big year. I guess I shouldn't be surprised how much interest this has generated - but I still am. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">So far, I've made front page on the <a href="http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2014/01/02/sighting-bird-species-neil-hayward-turns-north-america-biggest-big-year/z7VTGVfZ8rJ7dREb1VquUO/story.html" target="_blank">Boston Globe</a> and the <a href="http://homernews.com/homer-news/local-news/2013-12-31/birder-achieves-big-year-in-homer" target="_blank">Homer News</a> (in their 50th anniversary issue!) as well as appearing in <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/01/02/birding-sport-big-year-citizen-science/4261529/" target="_blank">USA Today</a>. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I've done a live interview on <a href="http://www.rte.ie/radio1/mooney/programmes/2014/0110/497013-mooney-friday-january-10th-2014/?clipid=1391715" target="_blank">Irish National Public Radio</a> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">as well as an hour long interview for the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MoreThanBirds" target="_blank">More Than Birds</a> podcast. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">And - I'm giving a talk in April for the local Brookline Bird Club. And I wrote a guest blog for Leica's <a href="http://travelingtrinovid.com/guest-blog-posts/big-year-big-skua/#.UtbhwiipV94" target="_blank">Travis the Traveling Trinovid</a>. He's a pretty witty pair of binoculars - although my cat wasn't so impressed...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>Khiva Cat is not amused. </i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>Unlike the inanimate object next to her, s</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>he does not have her own blog. </i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The interviews have helped me make some sense of last year. It's forced me find logic and reason, when at times both were severely lacking. In some ways, it's easier to apply that logic with hindsight - that knowing the end somehow gives a sense of inevitability to the story. It certainly never felt like that at the time, though.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>Sitting in a TV studio in Boston, live with Dublin.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">One of the questions I've been asked is "what was the hardest part of the big year?" Perhaps the obvious answer was the physical nature of it - the travel, the exhaustion, being away from home for so long. But, especially towards the end, I became aware of the psychological discomfort. I didn't really commit to a Big Year until April. If you'd asked me then what my target was - I'd have told you, "umm…too see some birds" rather than an actual number. As April gave way to May, and the blog took on a life of its own, I was thinking 550? 600? 650? Passing each target required a ratcheting up of the bird expectation dial. And the run up to 700 was shear adrenalin (and frustration - the biggest number of misses last year seemed to happen between 699 and 700!) For big year birders 700 is the holy quail (I mean grail - wow, how did I miss that for a blog title?) Before this year, only 12 people had ever seen more than 700 birds in the ABA region in one year. I was number 13. I crossed that threshold in late August. That meant I still had over 4 months left.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>"Birds on a wire." A cookie interpretation by Gerri.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Big years are spectator sports. I didn't know that at the beginning. I started a blog - mainly for my own benefit, to immortalize my own experiences, to remind myself in years to come with grainy, out-of-focus digiscoped pics. I mean - who else would read this stuff and how would they even find it? But somehow they did. I started getting comments, followers, hundreds of views per day, and when I was wearing my Red Sox hat in the field, recognition. "Are you that guy doing the big year?" Or more worryingly, "Are you the accidental person?" Invariably, they were disappointed that I wasn't as funny, as attractive or as tall in real life.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>Rufous-necked Wood-rail - Christmas tree ornament - a gift from Marcia Poling.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>One of the 3 provisional birds I saw in 2013.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">And so, with over 4 months to go, there was only one obvious goal after exceeding 700: the record. Sandy Komito's solid 748 species from 1998. A year of the <i>El Nino </i>effect and the best birding Attu - perched on the western end of the Aleutian chain - had ever seen. Heck - there was even a movie and book about that year. What did it mean then, that on the pace I was on, I might accidentally stumble towards that record? </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">And suddenly the world was watching. What started as a personal accident, was now a public spectacle - with near daily updates. And that, for me, was the hardest part of the year. Not the driving, flying, or sleeping in tiny, cold cars. But dealing with the expectation and the hope. Because now, for the first time, I could fail at this. Before, it was just about the experiences - the birds and the writing. Now, there was a binary result - I'd either beat the record, or I'd fail. I was in the unusual position of seeing almost 750 birds in a year, traveling the country, meeting some pretty cool people, and somehow failing at a public goal I'd never really set myself.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>A gift from Lynne Miller brought to to the party by Liz Gordon.</i></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>Great Skua decoration - see pic below.</i></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">As the year marched relentlessly on, and fall turned to winter, I was thinking a lot about John Vanderpoel. He narrowly missed the record by 4 or 5 birds back in 2011. I carried his list with me wherever I went. I knew what he'd seen on which days. And although I've never met John, only communicating by email, I felt like I knew the man from his birds, and from his travels. I was walking, driving, flying in his footsteps. I knew which birds he'd seen and which he'd painfully missed. By late fall based on John's 2011 pace, I thought I could get to </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">735 - behind John and behind the record that so many had started to think was now in play. I wondered what it must have felt like for John - to succeed at a big year and yet perhaps to fail at the end. To come so close, and to know that a few birds here and there might have made a difference to the history books. (Do big years even fill the tomes of history? Probably not. Wikipedia, I guess, then.)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>Great Skua Christmas ornament - by Marcia Poling. A gift from Lynne Miller.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>Seen on Dec 29th off Hatteras, this would be my last bird of the year.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Another popular question: "What would you do differently?" The obvious answer is: start at the beginning of the year (I can't stress now how important the "year" part of "big year" is!) Or do some proper planning *before* the big year. The annoying truth is that the best practice for a big year is actually doing a big year. Which wasn't much consolation for me as I knew I wouldn't be doing this again anytime soon (big reveal: there will be no <i>accidentalbigyear2014</i> or even <i>deliberatebigyear2014</i>!) And so, for much of last year, I would look back on all those birds at the start of the year - Citrine Wagtail, Gray Heron, Spotted Redshank, Siberian Accentor etc - that could have made the difference between a record and finishing second or third. They haunted me at night. The frustration of putting in so much time, and effort and resources and to know that if I'd started at the beginning, I might have actually beaten the record. I'm thankful that I had such a great Nov and Dec that they seem less important now. (I'm no longer having dreams about Citrine Wagtails with knives in spooky houses where the lights don't work. Just the regular nightmare now with the White-cheeked Pintail maniacally laughing at me.)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">But really - I wouldn't change a thing. I think the only way my big year was going to happen was if it was accidental. If I'd planned it back in 2012, and really thought about what I'd be doing - all the travel, expense, days away from home - I'd have booked a flight to Nepal and climbed Everest instead! (Or, more likely, Mount Washington, which unlike Everest has a rather nice range of commemorative car stickers.) And while I missed a few birds, I had the type of year of which many birders can only dream. And non-birders. A lot of the latter came along for the ride, excited about the places and birds I was seeing. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>Finally - an ABA hat of my own! Thanks Jeff and Liz!</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Another surprisingly tough question: what number did you end up on? After keeping such meticulous lists on my blog, it should have been a fairly straightforward question. It wasn't. It's my fault there are various numbers floating out there in the media write-ups. Even several days into 2014 I was still pondering that profound big year philosophical question: Aplomado Falcon - to count or not to count?</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Aplomado Falcon is on the ABA list - but it really isn't. After being extirpated from the south in the 1950s, its reintroduction program (dating back to the 1980s) hasn't been successful enough for Texas to add it back onto its list (the population is being sustained even now by additional releases.) It's theoretically possible to see the bird as a natural vagrant from Mexico. That was Sandy Komito's argument in 1998. And faced with potentially breaking the record in 2011 and knowing that every bird counted, John Vanderpoel counted it too - arguing that that would make his list comparable to Sandy's. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">When I saw the Falcon, back in April, I wasn't thinking about Sandy's record (or John) and so didn't add it. But now, at the end of the year, I had to make a decision - since my number would likely tie or set the new record. I received lots of feedback - most of which was along the lines of, "Add the damn bird!", "Sandy did and so did John. The top two big year birders did - so you should too for comparison purposes." and, "Just add the damn bird." I wasn't happy with the argument. And if I'd easily overtaken Sandy, I probably wouldn't have added it - I'd love to have set a new precedent, a new era, where Aplomado Falcon doesn't exist. But that was a luxury I couldn't afford - I couldn't predict how many of my provisionals would be accepted - and so, I added the (damn) bird. It would bring me to my final number: 747+3. One provisional accepted would tie the record, two would beat it. And so the Aplomado Falcon was here to stay.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>Owl Cup Cakes - made by Jackie Campbell</i></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">So far I'm enjoying 2014. I was worried about the come down - how do you suddenly switch from big year mode to non big year? From the adrenalin of constantly chasing, hoping, dreaming to the mundane? To be honest, I don't think I've come through it yet - I'm still clinging to 2013 through interviews and articles that 2014 hasn't really become much of a reality. But when it does - I think I'll be fine. I'm still checking NARBA and eBird daily - reassuring myself that I didn't miss anything by a few days and the technicality of a new year. (I didn't.) I'm already planning a trip to Hawaii - my Christmas present to Gerri for putting up with so much last year. (And yes - I hear they have some pretty cool birds there!) </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>Scarlet Tanager - from Steve Grinley and Margo Goetschkes.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Perhaps one of the more recurring questions I got through the year from the "fan base" (which by the end of the year had doubled to an impressive 4), was "When's the next blog post coming out? Why don't I know where you've been and what you've seen?" If trying to see over 700 birds in a year isn't hard enough - try doing that while effectively writing a book. And sleeping. Something had to give. The blog became both the bane of my big year, and its greatest salvation. I relished all the time I spent out in the field, alone with birds and nature. Constantly honing my skills, always</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"> something new to </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">learn. And the blog gave me permission to relive those moments, to step back in time, to see it from a different perspective. It was like reading a detective novel, and already knowing who did it. Reworking it allowed me to see and appreciate details I'd overlooked at the time. Writing about places and history and birds forced me to learn about them properly - and greatly magnified my own pleasure and understanding of what I was seeing. But, like the birding, it wasn't easy. Each post was predictably the same - there was a bird, I was chasing it, I either saw it or I didn't. How do you write that same story - over 100 times - and make it interesting? The posts weren't long, but took a surprising amount of time and thought. I understood now exactly what Mark Twain had meant when he said, "I didn't have time to write a short letter so I wrote a long one instead." </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">With the blog, I wanted to entertain and educate. I wanted to capture a moment that I knew was ephemeral - and that if I didn't catch it, and pin it down, it would quickly wilt and wither into the past, lost among all those other half-remembered days. And so, while birding, or driving, or on the edges of sleep, I'd be rehearsing the next post, hoping that I hadn't run out of ways to tell the same story. I'd like to think I didn't.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>Boston Globe - essential reading for cats.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">What should have been apparent from the seemingly endless blog posts was that a big year involves more than one person. Specifically, I couldn't have done it without the support of Gerri - who, among other things, successfully kept both our cats alive and drove me back and forth to Logan Airport at cruel and unusual times of the day. A big year is a long time - even if you don't actually start in Jan - and it would not have been half as much fun if I hadn't met some very talented, funny and generous people along the way. Some quick shout outs. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Thank you: Jay Lehman, for your terrible puns and constant friendship; for Hans de Grys for convincing me to go to Nome and making me laugh so much when I got there (and for awarding me an 11 on your proprietary hard-core birding scale); to Chris Hitt for lively discussions, good meals, your superb meta blog <a href="http://slowbirding.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">slowbirding</a>, and for generally keeping me on my toes all year; to Debi Shearwater, for showing me the Pacific and not attacking me with a knife; for Brian Patteson and Kate Sutherland for an awesome end to the year; to Aaron Lang, for showing me the beauty of Alaska; Paul Lehman for your generous time, expert advice and general good humor; and Scott Schuette and Doug Gochfeld on the Pribilofs for finding so many great birds; </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">to Sean Walters in Colorado for my only Long-eared Owl of the year, and probably for being the first to predict the record attempt; to John Puschock for being a funny guy with a bassoon; and to </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Jon Baker, my biggest (and probably only) fan in Wales. T</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">here are way too many others I need to thank. You know who you are. Thank you!</span></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Which brings me to the end. It's no longer 2013. The accidental year is over. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I'm not sure what to do about this site. I'll continue to write about birds and birding, but not sure whether that should be under the banner of the 2013 blog. And in a de</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">sperate attempt to cling further to the recent past - I'm considering turning 2013 into a book. Although given how slow my blogging has been I wouldn't hold your breathe!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"> Whatever happens next, I'd like to thank everyone that was a part of the big year experience - whether you were birding with me, finding birds and posting them, putting up with me snoring next to you in coach class, or sending supportive messages on the blog. Or just reading the blog because you had nothing else better to do. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Thank you for reading.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Neil</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>BIG YEAR LIST: 747</b> <b>+ 3</b> provisional (Rufous-necked Wood-rail, Common Redstart, Eurasian Sparrowhawk)</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12852470264664628180noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3327328801244950917.post-76086758232446502352013-12-28T23:00:00.000-05:002013-12-29T23:45:54.608-05:00COOKING WITH SKUAS<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"What can I get you, sir?"</i></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Umm. I'll have the Great Skua, please. I believe it's medium rare. And I'll have a side of Tropicbird. Oh wait - that's probably out of season. Albatross?"</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At least, that's what I'd like to say. But I don't, because (a) I'm hungry, (b) it's the only place in town that's open, and (c) they're about to close. I'm also wearing a Red Sox cap, and I don't want to give them another reason to not serve me. And so I play it safe.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"I'll have the grilled tuna."</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm back in Hatteras, North Carolina. It's my 4th time to the Outer Banks this year and Great Skua is on my big year birding menu. (And yes, they are medium rare.) And while I'm eating my non-skua dinner (and apparently forgetting the advice about not drinking alcohol the night before a boat trip) I'm thinking about the next day - a pelagic trip on the Atlantic looking for the only currently chaseable bird in North America that I haven't seen this year - the Great Skua. And like many of the trips this year, I'm nervous. Will I see the bird? Will everyone else see it except me? Will I fall overboard? Did I leave the iron on back home? Is tuna normally this tough, or did I *actually* order the skua?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I should also mention that I have new traveling companion on this trip - Travis (the traveling trinovid.) I've been birding with him already this year - in Barrow and Adak. He's also doing a big year (he's over 600), and keeping a blog <a href="http://travelingtrinovid.com/" target="_blank">here</a>. Travis - I should mention - is a pair of Leica Trinovid binoculars. After having a blast with him earlier in the year, I was very happy to be asked to look after him for the final week.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Travis (on the left.) Looks like he ignored the no drinking rule too. </i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>(And what's that? The remains of a Skua dinner?! Typical!)</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And so the next day - today - starts like most potentially great birding days with what never feels like enough sleep. And while it's still too dark to actually see any birds.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>6:30am. </i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Hatteras, NC.</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Brian and Kate preparing the Skua - our boat for the day.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are 7 of us on the boat. As well as <a href="http://www.patteson.com/" target="_blank">Brian Patteson</a>, the captain, and Kate, chief chummer and bird spotter, there's Lynne Miller (of the ABA), Nate Swick (birding superstar and ABA blogger), and Bruce Richardson - who has a ton of experience birding Australia as well as the US. <a href="http://jaysbigyear2013.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jay Lehman</a> and I are the big year birders on board, with only days left in our quest.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Lynne and Bruce. Both hoping for a Great Skua lifer today.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As the sun peaks over the watery horizon, the ocean in all its splendor and horror is quietly revealed to us. An ocean that is completely bird-free. But not for long...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Whoa! Where did all those gulls come from?</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It always amazes me how fish offal and beef fat can transform a completely dead, bird-free ocean into a gull feeding frenzy. You have to respect a creature that can not only smell beef fat from a great distance, but then fly over to investigate and pick fights with other gulls just so that it can eat the disgusting stuff. (A not dissimilar phenomenon can be seen in the UK with humans at kebab vans on a Friday night.)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Chum - beef fat and fish parts. Just add gulls.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As well as the many Herring Gulls that are now trailing the boat, we start attracting other species too...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Black-legged Kittiwake (immature) - a nice surprise and a state bird for Nate Swick</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Manx Shearwater - dark upperparts with bright white underparts</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Northern Gannet. Preparing to dive-bomb into the sea.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As well as the birds, we also spot a </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hammerhead Shark and Loggerhead Turtles.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Loggerhead Turtle. One of a pair. </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Notice the barnacles on its back.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We're having a great time - we've seen a very impressive range of birds and sea creatures. The screaming cacophony of gulls continues to flap, dive, glide, beg and even use my shoulder as a bathroom (that's lucky, right?) In fact, the gulls are doing everything except what they're being fed to do: attract a Great Skua.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Skua is the only bird name derived from the Faroese language. And no, that's the not language used by Ancient Egyptian rulers. Think further north: the Faroe Islands - a rocky archipelago belonging to Denmark that's actually closer to Norway and Scotland. Great Skuas breed there, as they do in Iceland, Norway and Scotland (where they're called Bonxies.) They're large, heavy gull-like birds, that are chocolate brown. They winter in the Atlantic Ocean and survive on a piratic lifestyle - harassing gulls and gannets, scaring the hell out of them until they drop their food, which the Skuas greedily scoop up.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"Damn it! This map doesn't have Skuas on."</i></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Despite the season and the snow I left behind in Boston, out here at least, it's a beautiful, balmy day. Blue skies. Warm breeze. I'm just thinking about putting on some sun block, and whether I really did leave the iron on, when...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"skua"</i> </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It starts so softly that I first think it's that's voice in my head, the one I'm mentally practicing for when I spot one and can shout it out. Or that I'm mentally willing someone else to shout. And then again, much louder...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"SKUA! Dark bird, white in the wing."</i></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The shouting is coming from Nate, and he's pointing at the back of the boat. This is it. It's really happening. (Must pay attention!) Kate immediately gets on the bird. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"Going left. Below the horizon. Going away from the boat."</i></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm not on the bird. Did she say away from the boat? Still not on the bird. Away doesn't sound good. Maybe this is all we're going to get? What if I...and then I see it. A dark speck moving left.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Great Skua (in red circle).</i> <i>Enjoy!</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's a terrible view, and I'm aware that Jay is not on the bird. Hey you ungrateful Skua! Come and check out all the gulls we've been feeding! And then, it's almost like the bird hears my thoughts. It banks and starts beating its heavy wings in our direction. We watch as the bird circles and starts chasing gulls. Even without my binoculars, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I can see the bright flashes of white in the wing</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. As the light hits its back I can see the beautiful gold flecks. And, like a July 4th pyrotechnic display, I can hear </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"oohs" and "aahhs" coming from some very happy birders around me. </span><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Great Skua. Oooh! Ahhh!</span></i> </div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Great Skua. Notice the large amount of white at the bases of the primaries, </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>and the gold flecking on the chocolate brown upperparts. </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>The bird is large and very heavy with a powerful bill.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The sense of relief is palpable. It's a life bird for Bruce and Lynne, and an important year bird for Jay and I.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Very happy big year birders: Jay Lehman and Neil Hayward</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Great Skuas are not as accommodating as their cousin, the South Polar Skua. They generally creep up on gulls, then sneak away just as fast. They have little curiosity about boats, and once found, don't stick around for long. Apparently (and thankfully) this bird didn't read the guidebook. We were treated to an amazing show - we watched the bird for several minutes as it flew round in circles, landed on the water, chased gulls, and, in one final and incredible gesture, flew right by the boat. (Thank you!) I've seen Great Skua in Massachusetts twice, and this was by far the best view. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We continue chumming all the way back to shore, which brings in some new birds, including a Sooty Shearwater:</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Sooty Shearwater</i></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />as well as large numbers of Lesser Black-backed Gulls - a very uncommon bird anywhere else:</span>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: italic;">Lesser Black-backed Gull. Yellow legs, dark gray upperwings.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And as we get closer to shore, we start seeing pelicans:</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Brown Pelican - immature top, adult below</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thanks to Brian and Kate for a wonderful day. They have such an amazing record for finding difficult birds like the Great Skua. It might look easy, but it's not: there's years of experience involved and knowing where and when to chum. Thanks for delivering again!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Happy birders aboard the Skua!</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>From left: Nate Swick, Lynne Miller, Bruce Richardson, </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Jay Lehman, Brian Patteson, Neil Hayward. Front: Kate Sutherland.</i></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Six hours later, Jay and I are toasting champagne at Chris Hitt's house in Chapel Hill. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What are we celebrating? To big years! Chris did one in 2010, and Jay and I are just finishing one in 2013. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Great Skua was big year bird #746 for me - and very possibly the last bird of the year. There was a lot of excitement today about beating the ABA big year record - set by Sandy Komito in 1998 (who - perhaps ironically for the day - had SKUA as his license plate.) He saw 745 birds, plus 4 that were new to the ABA region (745+4.) Three of those would eventually be accepted by the checklist committee giving him a final total of 748 (745+3.) I started the day on 745+3 and ended on 746+3. Have I beaten the record? Maybe. (It would be nice!) But none of my provisional birds (the 3 species new to the ABA - <a href="http://accidentalbigyear2013.blogspot.com/2013/07/rufous-necked-woo-hoo-rail.html" target="_blank">Rufous-necked Wood-rail</a>, <a href="http://accidentalbigyear2013.blogspot.com/2013/10/common-redstart-1st-for-aba.html" target="_blank">Common Redstart</a> and <a href="http://accidentalbigyear2013.blogspot.com/2013/12/ptarmaggedon-final-days-on-adak.html" target="_blank">Sparrowhawk</a>) have been voted on yet, so I'll likely not know definitively until next year.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So. Back to the champagne: to big years! It's fun to compare big years - and even more fun to potentially set a new record (especially one held for 15 years.) I never set out to break a record, and the person I was competing against most of the year was myself. Could I plan things better? (Yes.) Could I be better at identifying birds? (Hell yes!) Could I have done things differently? (Absolutely.) Could I have seen more birds? (Yes - hint: start at the beginning of the big year.) Could I have had more fun, met more amazing people, seen more spectacular places, learned more about myself? Probably not. That's what the big in big year means. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And so, to a big year! They don't come much bigger than this.</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12852470264664628180noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3327328801244950917.post-73128370735592935542013-12-25T23:00:00.000-05:002014-01-27T15:22:58.589-05:00CHRISTMAS TREE BIRD COUNT<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"Painted Bunting!"</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What?<i> </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"Red-headed Woodpecker!"</i></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm at home, enjoying the Christmas holiday - one of the few holidays that I've been lucky enough to spend at home this year. Gerri is very excited and is doing some indoor birding. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"There! Right next to the Polar Bear!"</i></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Polar Bear? Home is Cambridge, MA. Not the Arctic Circle. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And the unusual rarities are made of glass and not feathers. Gerri's been busy decorating the tree with reminders of my Big Year. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyEe5cOK38Ez228BsV3TNxV6teV2PI-iN0bkE4X4vHYI07dBnC1CjDkdqE99d7XvJTbHZaDWApri6ngfAJZ-jCih63HJzes0Mb_6OhBeqmNycUq9GQuENNls8BwUDH7CW61fpW02u0sFMg/s1600/RHWO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyEe5cOK38Ez228BsV3TNxV6teV2PI-iN0bkE4X4vHYI07dBnC1CjDkdqE99d7XvJTbHZaDWApri6ngfAJZ-jCih63HJzes0Mb_6OhBeqmNycUq9GQuENNls8BwUDH7CW61fpW02u0sFMg/s1600/RHWO.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Red-headed Woodpecker. One of the first birds I saw this year (Jan 10th) -</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>near the Museum of Fine Arts. Quite a rarity for Boston.</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihrKECZNAEBN3HDpJQcwkPvqTTwWZgvT7DfbCh1_2UC_hVfpqZ1XBjWWFqmEdAiWU3ltrAbSJQUABjF4tAMV2jrm9QhVJxrAxXN3zzVs8-NwB4tMJ6H3sP9einSWGmvARRWg1i4iyIcg0h/s1600/PABU.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihrKECZNAEBN3HDpJQcwkPvqTTwWZgvT7DfbCh1_2UC_hVfpqZ1XBjWWFqmEdAiWU3ltrAbSJQUABjF4tAMV2jrm9QhVJxrAxXN3zzVs8-NwB4tMJ6H3sP9einSWGmvARRWg1i4iyIcg0h/s1600/PABU.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Painted Bunting. Always a fun bird to see - </i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>and a life bird for Gerri on one of our spring Florida trips.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm appreciating the slower pace this week, after the racing back and forth to Alaska over the past month. It's great sleeping in a bed rather than a car / plane / airport. And I'm appreciating eating proper food (apparently, cranberry scones from Starbucks are not proper food.) Also - having more time to check out social media and catch up on communications has shown me just how big this year has been for many people who've lived vicariously through this blog. For birders seeing familiar places and birds, or new places and dreamed-of rarities. And for non-birders, who've hopefully caught a glimpse of what makes birding so special.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7f9R_LFAOCGHTi1FSubcvy_AqVgcu0C1vT9XQ6n2yoTOWsn98jAcSC-xGnPnEUGFx5SNVDWFddBr2RCbJ6fWxWwC9pX1mLlEv2SAOawTV2AyizK-H9UqqMIsFmHHYoGzQ7RKxD0zeNDcP/s1600/Polar+Bear.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7f9R_LFAOCGHTi1FSubcvy_AqVgcu0C1vT9XQ6n2yoTOWsn98jAcSC-xGnPnEUGFx5SNVDWFddBr2RCbJ6fWxWwC9pX1mLlEv2SAOawTV2AyizK-H9UqqMIsFmHHYoGzQ7RKxD0zeNDcP/s1600/Polar+Bear.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>OK. Not a bird. But seeing a family group of Polar Bears in <a href="http://accidentalbigyear2013.blogspot.com/2013/10/barrow-birding-on-top-of-world.html" target="_blank">Barrow</a>, </i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>the most northern city in the US, was definitely one of the highlights of my year.</i> </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Blue Jay. One of the many Jays I saw this year: Gray, Green, Pinyon, Steller's, </i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Scrub-jays (Florida, Western, Island) and Mexican. </i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>And, of course, the Whiskered Jay of Ohio (<a href="http://jaysbigyear2013.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jay Lehman</a> - my Big Year buddy for the year.)</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And - importantly - the Big Year is not over yet! </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I still have a week left, and there's one bird in the country that I still need and that's chaseable - Great Skua, a large brown piratic bird of the Atlantic Ocean. It makes its living by stealing food out of the mouths of gulls (which is pretty impressive / amazing / disgusting if you've ever seen what gulls eat, plus all that gull saliva.)</span></span></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Owls - if there's any useful advice about doing a Big Year (apart from "don't!")</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">then it's get all the owls before the end of June, while they're still calling.</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of my favorites was watching a <a href="http://accidentalbigyear2013.blogspot.com/2013/05/arizona-its-on-way-to-minnesota.html" target="_blank">Northern Pygmy-owl</a> eating a lizard in Arizona.</span></i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">been in touch with <a href="http://www.patteson.com/http://www.patteson.com/" target="_blank">Brian Patteson</a>, and he's very kindly agreed to run a trip out of Hatteras, NC, on Dec 28th. Brian has had excellent success finding this bird in the past - and Hatteras has become one of the best places to see Great Skuas. And - </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">if we needed any more luck, then we're heading out in a boat called Skua. I'm happy that Jay Lehman is on the boat (he's searching for Gray Partridge over Christmas - presumably scouring pear trees) - as well as Lynne Miller and Susan Jones (both of the ABA) that I met in St. Paul this year. And Bruce Richardson who've I've yet to meet. And, of course, Kate Sutherland will be on board chumming birds in and doing a great job of spotting and identifying distant specks on the horizon. </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Ummm...of course, the Blue Madeupbird?</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>The similar and distinctly less blue Ring-necked Pheasant ended up taking a long time. </i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>I eventually caught up with them in Eastern Colorado.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Cedar Waxwing. The last Waxwings I saw were Bohemian - hundreds of them in Anchorage, AK. </i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>But...I was too busy looking for a <a href="http://accidentalbigyear2013.blogspot.com/2013/11/a-dusky-dawn-in-alaska.html" target="_blank">Dusky Thrush</a> to pay them much attention.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm also looking forward to spending time with <a href="http://slowbirding.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Chris Hitt</a> in Chapel Hill. After completing his own Big Year in 2010 (704 species in the Lower 48) he's become the expert of Big Years, and has been a good friend and supporter this year. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Porcupine. (Really Gerri? Looks more like a hedgehog to me.)</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>I was stuck behind a very slow-driving porcupine in Rice Lake, MN this May.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>An hour later I got Golden-winged Warbler. </i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Two hours later, I got a body-coating of ticks.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Whale. I spent 14 days at sea this year, and saw many whales - the most </i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>amazing of which was the Blue Whale, seen on <a href="http://accidentalbigyear2013.blogspot.com/2013/08/699.html" target="_blank">Debi Shearwater's boat out of Monterey</a>.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Even after a year of being on the road, I'm still excited about the next chase. While North Carolina could well be the last trip of this year, I'm hoping that there'll be some feathered reason for me to dash off after Hatteras to an island off Alaska, up a canyon in Arizona, or on a ferry to the Dry Tortugas of Florida. Anywhere - just as long as the bird isn't a <a href="http://accidentalbigyear2013.blogspot.com/2013/12/florida-return-of-nemesis.html" target="_blank">White-cheeked Pintail</a>!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Happy Holidays to everyone that's been reading this blog - and thank you to everyone that's been following online. And a big thank you to Don Crockett for putting together this gadget that's keeping me awake at night...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>(from 2014 - it's stopped now - but was counting down the </i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>days, hours, minutes and seconds)</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And thank you Gerri for all your support this year. Thanks for a wonderful Christmas, for all the wonderful bird ornaments (who'd have guessed that no-one makes Rufous-necked Wood-rail Christmas ornaments - surely a great business opportunity for the ABA?)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"Now - where can I hang this cat?"</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Gerri modeling the Big Year Tree.</i></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12852470264664628180noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3327328801244950917.post-40499349065539000472013-12-19T13:20:00.000-05:002013-12-26T15:48:43.549-05:00BIRTHDAY BUNTING<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's my birthday. My 40th birthday. I'm sprawled across four seats in Seattle airport doing a good impression of sleeping (good enough to fool anyone but the person actually wanting to be sleeping.) Not how I expected to be celebrating the day - but not an entirely atypical day for me this year. As I'm drifting in and out of consciousness I'm thinking about the previous day. In Alaska. A day that began and ended in the dark...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I arrived in Anchorage yesterday at 1:30 am after a long day and 3 flights from Fort Lauderdale. It's my third time to Alaska in the past 4 weeks, and I'm still stupidly surprised that it's cold here in the winter. It's -6F. (Although if you adjust for the "Florida Clothing Factor" that makes that brings it down to around...umm.. well...bone-chillingly cold degrees Fahrenheit.)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I was headed to Homer where a Rustic Bunting was found a couple of days ago coming into a feeder. I was there in the spring with <a href="http://www.wildernessbirding.com/" target="_blank">Wilderness Birding</a>, before heading out to the <a href="http://accidentalbigyear2013.blogspot.com/2013/05/the-art-and-architecture-of-pribilofs.html" target="_blank">Pribilofs</a>. Aaron Lang drove us the 4+ hours from Anchorage to Homer which gave me more time to gaze out the window - a good thing: it's one of the most beautiful drives in the country.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The road runs southeast from Anchorage along Turnagain Arm - a branch of the Cook Inlet that forms the north coast of the Kenai Peninsula. Ancient, enamel-capped mountains of the Kenai Range reflect in the icy-cold waters below. Beluga whales play here in the summer. The hillsides hide bears, Dall sheep and moose. This time though, in the middle of the night, it just looked dark. And lonely. And cold. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>Alaska. In the winter. In the dark.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">There's snow blowing across the icy road. The occasional truck materializes from a bend and temporarily blinds me with its beams. Otherwise, I have the whole road to myself. It takes all my concentration to stay awake and navigate each turn. I'm reminded of the dangers of not doing so as I pass vehicles buried in ditches of snow.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">It's still dark when I pull into the Two Sisters Bakery for breakfast (sunrise here is about 10:30)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I've been driving all night, except for a quick 15 minute nap on a pull-out that turned into an epic 2 hour slumber. I needed it.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Homer is a pretty artsy place. If there are hipsters in Alaska then they're here. And if they're here then they're sipping lattes and eating granola at the Two Sisters Bakery.</span></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">"The bunting's only 2 minutes away!"</span></i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I'm met by Aaron Lang who picks me up in his monster truck. I'm very happy to see him again. I had a wonderful time on his Wilderness Birding trips in Alaska this year - to remote Gambell out in the Bering Sea, and here in the Kenai Peninsula. Aaron is not only a great guide who knows his birds, but he's a fun person to hang out with. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The promised two minutes later brings us to a house in northern Homer. A gaggle of well-wrapped birders is standing on a snow bank peering into a neighboring yard below. Welcoming waves and a few <i>"it's still here!</i>"s and <i>"we're looking at it now!"</i>s bring an immediate sense of relief. The almost 2 days of travel to get here will be worth it.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">We climb up the snow bank and position ourselves to look down onto a deck. We can hear juncos "zit, zit" ing about on the deck and in the trees. They're after the seed that's liberally scattered across the snowy floor. I'm following directions for the bird, <i>"right of the planter"</i>, <i>"left of the two juncos"</i> - until my magnified vision alights on a fat, stocky bird, almost horizontal in its posture. Its reddish color and striking face pattern confirm its identity - Rustic Bunting!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>Peekaboo! Rustic Bunting hiding on the deck.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>Notice the slightly raised crest on the back of the head and the pale lower mandible.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I watch as it hops around, greedily sucking up the sunflower and assorted bird seed. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>Rustic Bunting (left) with Junco (right.) Notice the strong white lines on the face: the supercilium streaking back from the eye and the submustachial stripe from the bill. The flanks are streaked in red, and the folded wings have two white bars. The small white square at the back of the face is typical of Rustic Buntings.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">It's lucky to be alive after making the unplanned crossing of the Bering Sea. A bird like this will probably never make it back home - it's lost forever. The best it can hope for is a pleasant winter with new friends (growing up in Russia it will never have seen Juncos or American Robins) and avoiding the new predators (Sharp-shinned Hawks and domestic cats.)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">There's a blizzard warning with a large snow dump forecasted for this evening. I'm keen to get on my way before then and thank Aaron for yet another great Alaskan bird.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>Aaron Lang. Resident of Homer and owner of Wilderness Birding</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">It's light on the drive back to Anchorage which gives shape to the blind hills and curves of the night before. The waters of Turnagain Arm are icy cold and sluggishly moving …</span></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Turnagain Arm - looking across the water to the Kenai Mountains to the south.</span></i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>The Alaska Railroad parallels Turnagain Arm</i> </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Alaska is such an amazing and visceral place. As </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Janis Cadwallader, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">a birding colleague from the Pribilofs this year, puts it - the scenery is so stunning that sometimes it just hurts to look at. Alaska's painful, rugged beauty is inspiring, humbling and intoxicating. I feel so lucky to have spent so much of my year here (54 days, 8 trips) - a state in which I've seen over 50 birds that I've seen nowhere else. It's a wild place. Even in Anchorage airport...</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">My alarm brings me back to the present - time to get up from my makeshift Seattle bed. After visiting 3 corners of the US this week - California, Florida and Alaska - I'm heading home to the 4th, to Massachusetts and a birthday dinner with Gerri. My year of travel, of chasing ephemeral feathers, is almost up. But I know the memories and images will last a lifetime. And I'm still hoping there'll be a few more to chase before the new year...</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12852470264664628180noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3327328801244950917.post-90903328720181052902013-12-16T20:30:00.000-05:002013-12-18T22:00:59.669-05:00FLORIDA - RETURN OF THE NEMESIS<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've swapped the giant redwoods of Northern California for the sticky mangrove swamps of Florida. And an Asian rarity for a Caribbean one. The early morning mist is slowly lifting off a pond in Matheson Hammock Park, 10 miles to the south of Miami.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And I'm hoping the mist is the only thing coming out of the pond...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm here looking for a La Sagra's Flycatcher - a bird normally found in the moist forests and mangrove swamps of Cuba, the Bahamas and the West Indies. They're an annual winter rarity in southern Florida: I chased two in the spring and missed both. I'm hoping it'll be third time lucky today.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">La Sagra's are one of the <i>Myiarchus</i> family of flycatchers - a group of birds that look very much alike: brown head and back, yellowish-white underparts and a reddish tail. Thankfully they're easily separable by their diagnostic calls - in the case of this bird, it's a high pitched "wink, wink" (listen here at <a href="http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Myiarchus-sagrae" target="_blank">xeno-canto</a>.)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's early. The sun is barely up and birds have yet to stir. As I'm waiting for the bird, I'm reminded of another morning, back in January, waiting for another </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Myiarchus</i> flycatcher to start calling. That was the Nutting's Flycatcher in Western Arizona, near Lake Havasu. At the time, it was just a fun birding vacation. If you'd told me then that I'd end up doing a big year, I'd have laughed at you and / or used a few choice expletives. But the success of that trip, and a few trips to Canada in the winter got me thinking: if I were ever to do a big year, this would be a great start. Sure, there was a bunch of stuff that I hadn't chased - SIberian Accentor, Spotted Redshank, Citrine Wagtail, Gray Heron, etc (all birds that I'd look back later on with regret...) But still, it wasn't a bad start. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, in some ways, my accidental big year, the one I never intended, started with a <i>Myiarchus</i> flycatcher, and is almost about to end with another. Once I'd decided to do a big year, around April, I wrote up that Nutting's Flycatcher trip and intended to write up all the other early trips. But a big year is intense - being on the road over half the year, traveling almost 200,000 miles by plane, another 50,000 by car, throw in a few boats here and there, barely left me enough time to write up my current trips. Or feed my cats. Or see my girlfriend. (Order of those activities not related to importance.) Some day I'll write up that first part of the year...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"Wink."</i></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Was that it? And again. <i>"Wink. Wink."</i> Sure sounds like a La Sagra's. The bird is calling continually, seemingly moving around in the mangroves ahead of me. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I nervously edge forward, not wanting to scare the bird. And then I see it - a largish brown and white bird, sitting erect on a branch. It's the La Sagra's!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>La Sagra's Flycatcher. Brown head with (lowered) crest at the back, long bill</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>and silky-white underparts (most other </i>Myiarchus<i> flycatchers have more yellow underparts.)</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>The tail is obscured, but would show central reddish tail feathers.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's very active, mostly staying out of view in the mangroves. They're known for being skulking (many visitors have left here only hearing it) and so I feel very lucky to have seen it so well. It's very vocal, calling vociferously for several minutes at a time, and then silently disappearing for 5-10 minutes before its next recital.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">La Sagra's Flycatcher. This view shows more of the crest </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">on the back of the head, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">as well as the pale wing bars.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What a beautiful bird! And such an engaging personality. It seemed to sense me, and spent time quizzically encircling me, trying to work out just what I was doing. I wonder how surprised it would be to know that the large creature with the funny metal and glass object was admiring it, enjoying its presence, and adding it to a list of 746 other species of birds seen this year. Yeah - it would probably think that was kinda weird. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As I was about to leave, I heard a rustling in the mangroves behind me. I peered in, wondering what kind of animal this could be, only remembering foolishly at the last minute about the alligator warning. Would my big year end in the jaws of a gator? Would I ever be found? Do alligators eat Swarovski scopes or just Kowas? Would someone find my cell phone and at least prove that I'd seen the La Sagra's? Why am I wasting time asking all these dumb questions when I should be running? Wait - can't alligators out-run humans? Enough with the questions!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And then the mangroves opened emitting a dark and hungry beast. It looked a bit too dark for an alligator. And too hairy. But I guess that must be the local subspecies...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU1iFXN1AFfrwQIM5PFjRlQtr5W7lnZ25ZFiw5PdTjH5MBeXhWPGboLL4sowH5TE9vLU-smB6Tq5b6JNEatU3KHqydqk1QUkRIhXPDsCppsSVcZ6aW62ldPpuwFdCurEKU1Xlt7Jrh5nZS/s1600/cat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU1iFXN1AFfrwQIM5PFjRlQtr5W7lnZ25ZFiw5PdTjH5MBeXhWPGboLL4sowH5TE9vLU-smB6Tq5b6JNEatU3KHqydqk1QUkRIhXPDsCppsSVcZ6aW62ldPpuwFdCurEKU1Xlt7Jrh5nZS/s1600/cat.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Matheson Hammock Alligator. Hairier than your regular alligator.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>(And *possibly* not as dangerous)</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It didn't manage to outrun me as I shrieked back to the car.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This wasn't my only target stop today. There was another bird in Florida that I still needed - the White-cheeked Pintail (also known as Bahama Pintail reflecting its origin.) I'd chased this bird twice in the spring, at Pelican Island NWR. I thought it'd be fairly straight-forward - it's a duck, they sit on the water, pretty hard to miss. Wrong! This bird was only seen at one pond and only for a brief period each day. (No one had discovered where it was hanging out for the rest of the time.) There was an eBird report on Friday, from the same location, suggesting the same bird was back. Would it be third time lucky on this bird too?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pelican Island NWR is about 3 hours north of Miami and was the first national wildlife refuge in the US, established in 1903 by the executive order of the president, Theodore Roosevelt.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The pond where the duck had been frequenting was named after the recent 100 year anniversary - the Cent</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ennial Pond.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I arrived at noon, and nervously walked out to the pond. Would the duck be there this time? A quick scan across the water showed it to be the identical to all the previous times: Pintail free.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Centennial Pond - White-cheeked Pintail free. Again.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On previous visits, there had been flocks of Blue-winged Teal - with which the Pintail would associate. This time - no Teal. I waited for 2 hours, during which nothing happened. Literally. Nothing. Time for a coffee break. Maybe the change of scene would cause some change upon my return? No - same old ducks.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I ran into local birder Doug Beach who mentioned another, much larger pool with a viewing platform, "Joe's Lookout" that's often filled with Blue-winged Teal. It was a mile walk through the mangroves, but since nothing was happening here, I thought it was worth a try.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Compared to Centennial pond, this new pond was alive with birds: lots of Blue-winged Teal, Green-winged Teal, Gadwall, Wigeon, Mallard. In fact, every type of duck you could imagine in Florida, except for White-cheeked Pintail. After an hour or so of searching it was growing dark. I admitted defeat and walked back to the car. Foiled again!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As the sun was starting to set, and the sky slowly moving through a kaleidoscope of color, I was thinking that every birder needs a nemesis bird. Well - maybe "needs" is the wrong word. But we all have them - birds that just won't show for us - despite much searching and chasing and other people seeing them without any difficulty at all. For a long time this year Mountain Quail was that bird for me. Guess I have a new one now. Who knows - maybe the bird will be back more regularly before the end of the year. It there are multiple reports in the next week or so, I'll probably give it another try.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Somewhere out there a White-cheeked Pintail is maniacally laughing to itself...</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last night, I got a text from Aaron Lang (of <a href="http://www.wildernessbirding.com/" target="_blank">Wilderness Birding</a>) to say that a Rustic Bunting was in Homer, AK. It's been seen today - and apparently has been coming into a feeder since the 11th. I could stick around in Florida for another day and another try for the Pintail. But I'm not feeling very confident. WIth only two weeks left, I have to prioritize birds - and the Rustic Bunting seems like a better chance. But it doesn't come easy: it's a whole day of 3 flights from Fort Lauderdale to Anchorage - getting in at 1:25 am on Weds. Then a 4-5 hour drive. Hopefully without snow or ice. Oh - and there aren't any flights out of Anchorage on the 18th, 19th, 20th...Nothing. Yeah - it's going to get harder to do big year stuff during the holidays. Maybe I could get a ferry home? Isn't that Northwest Passage thing open now?</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12852470264664628180noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3327328801244950917.post-23531339172110165942013-12-14T20:04:00.000-05:002013-12-16T23:16:48.115-05:00LITTLE BUNTING. BIG YEAR.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The drama and excitement of Adak, of birding in the far-flung Aleutians already seems a distant memory as Gerri and I are walking around Home Depot looking for a Christmas Tree. (Unfortunately, so is everyone else in Boston, and apparently, this is something that can't be done online.) </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There's a small flock of House Sparrows working their way around the chilly lot, and, like every other flock of birds I've seen this year, I can't help scrutinizing each one for something unusual. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"What about this one?" </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"The bird on the left? Oh, you mean the tree?"</i></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As I'm driving home, trying not to strangle myself on the precarious spider-web of string winding through the interior of the car that's hopefully holding a 7-foot Balsam Fir to the roof, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I reflect on the change of pace to my big year. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At this point, I'm in a holding pattern: waiting for something to turn up. I've been checking <a href="http://narba.org/" target="_blank">NARBA</a> (North American Rare Bird Alert) and state listservs every few minutes. I'm turning into a nervous wreck waiting for my next birding fix. How much more relaxing it was finding our own birds in Alaska!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So - what do I have left for the rest of the year? What birds are still possible?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Probable (0)</b></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After cleaning up on McKay's Bunting, Whiskered Auklet and Whooping Crane recently - this category is effectively over. I've seen all the common north American birds (Code 1 and 2) with the exception of Common Ringed Plover. (I didn't go to Gambell in the spring, and I wasn't able to chase the one in MA (!) in May. This is a bird that isn't going to make a winter appearance.)</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, any new birds will be rarities (code 3,4 or 5)</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Possible (2)</b></span></span></div>
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<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Great Skua.</i> This is a bird that's regular off Hatteras, NC in the winter. I'm talking to Brian Patteson about running a trip later in the month - which is how <a href="http://www.bigyear2011.com/pelagic-trip-122911/" target="_blank">John Vanderpoel saw his Great Skua back in 2011</a>. But - bad weather can easily cancel these trips.</span></li>
<li style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>La Sagra's Flycatcher</i> - almost a regular winterer in Florida (I chased two and missed both there in the spring.) The question is, will one turn up before the end of the year?</span></span></li>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Improbable - but not <i>wholly</i> impossible (10)</b></span></span></div>
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<li style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Smew - Canada? No, probably not.</span></span></li>
<li style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Masked Duck - could be found in Texas during the Christmas Bird Count?</span></span></li>
<li style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ivory Gull - another bird I missed by not going to Gambell, AK in the spring. Also, we didn't find one up in Barrow. Still - one could turn up in the north-east. Newfoundland?</span></span></li>
<li style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Taiga Bean-goose - 'tis the season for geese.</span></span></li>
<li style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Graylag Goose - a repeat of the 2011 Graylag in Canada would be nice!</span></span></li>
<li style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hook-billed Kite - I tried last month at Anzalduas where one had been seen. They didn't breed in TX this year (the drought isn't helping.) My best chance would be to devote several days to hanging around Bentsen, Santa Ana, Anzalduas. The problem is I'm running out of "several days."</span></span></li>
<li style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Smooth-billed Ani - probably extirpated in Florida now, but there's usually one or two hanging around. Somewhere?</span></span></li>
<li style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Brown Jay - could come into the feeders at Salineno for the winter.</span></span></li>
<li style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Falcated Duck - the CA bird could return to Colusa for the 3rd winter.</span></span></li>
<li style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Little Egret - ok. Not very likely. But there was one last December in MA.</span></span></li>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm at 742+3, which means I guess it's about time for me to start talking about the ABA Big Year record. I've tried to focus on my own big year, but it's getting harder to do that as I'm closing the gap on Sandy Komito's record of 748 (745+3) set 15 years ago. If the birds turn up, and I can get there fast enough, I could conceivably set a new record. The reason I'm trying not to get *too* excited is that I don't want to feel like I've failed if I don't break the record. Seeing almost 750 birds in one year can't be a failure. Heck, seeing over 600 is pretty darn good. Plus all those wonderful experiences that I've written about here - of far-flung places across this continent. I'm excited to be chasing the record - but that's not why I'm doing a Big Year. (But don't worry - that doesn't mean I'm *not</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">*</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> going to try - I'm committed to chasing everything now until the end of the month.)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I guess I should also start talking about Aplomado Falcon. I've had lots of questions and comments about the countability of this bird. I've seen the bird. John Vanderpoel counted it, somewhat reluctantly, arguing that Sandy did, and so, in the interests of a fair comparison of big year lists, he should do the same. Why the controversy? Well, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Aplomado Falcon was essentially extirpated from the US by the 1950s (mainly through habitat loss.) A reintroduction program started in 1993 and birds are still being released today to support this population. The reintroduced birds are </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">not countable by Texas, and thus the ABA (similar to California Condors - the reintroduced birds are not countable.) However, the bird can occur as a natural vagrant (from Mexico), but with so many released birds, it's impossible to tell a genuine (and extremely rare) vagrant from the much more common uncountable birds. Realistically, any Aplomado Falcon is likely to be a released bird or descended from one - and thus not countable. I'm still thinking this one through. It seems odd to include a bird on my big year list but not on my life list. I guess it depends on how close to the record I get! I'm hoping it's not all decided by an Aplomado Falcon!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm saved from resolving this mental pondering by the phone...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"Probable Little Bunting. Humboldt County, California."</i></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That's John Puschock calling and he's just put me out of my nervous state of waiting. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It feels good to spring back into action - to flex those well-tuned logistic muscles and plan a chase. And as I'm preparing to head out for California, I get news that a White-cheeked Pintail is in Florida - at Pelican Island NWR. This is almost certainly the same bird that I chased *twice* in the spring and missed. Maybe this is my chance for revenge? </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Little Bunting is a small bird of the Eurasian taiga, breeding in conifer clearings. And although it would be an ABA life bird for me, I've actually chased and seen one as a kid in the UK. It was coming into a feeder and I was struck by the delicate eye-ring, and the burnished face color. But that was over 20 years ago. It was about time to see another!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's late when I arrive at Oakland Airport. Late enough for the predictably-bad traffic that snarls around interstate 580 to have unsnarled itself. I'm on the road by 11:30pm. I have 300 miles ahead of me - roughly 6 hours. I make the first 200 miles before I need to pull over and sleep. I've become an expert at reclining the front seat of the car, finding a position that's just about comfortable enough to sleep in, and staying warm when it's in the 30s outside. (A looted US Airways blanket is the secret!)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Beep. Beep. Beep.</i></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm awoken by my 5 am alarm. Time to get back on the road. It's a dark road that winds through the redwood giants. As the trees encroach on the edges of the fog-draped road it takes all of my concentration to make each turn. I'm leaning forward, inches from the windshield, trying to find the way.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I pull into McKinleyville around 8:30am. The fog is lifting off, revealing a bucolic scene on both sides of Fischer Road - grass, cows, lazy egrets. I can hear the honking of (Cackling) geese in the background, and Killdeer calling and flying around, trying to make up their mind just which side of the road has the greener grass.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB2k_QXcmmNOghO023jqaeZhPAzuUODoJhP-Q1HFjobtKmZItCGxYcvfvwDxbW9eoVhAhx1WNCuvZu2TnYPsNfR3lvWagwVCNUlMX1aIu9e13PEPmL8r3dj2BYJ09OSsl8urHZRnDq8OfB/s1600/LIBU+site+03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB2k_QXcmmNOghO023jqaeZhPAzuUODoJhP-Q1HFjobtKmZItCGxYcvfvwDxbW9eoVhAhx1WNCuvZu2TnYPsNfR3lvWagwVCNUlMX1aIu9e13PEPmL8r3dj2BYJ09OSsl8urHZRnDq8OfB/s1600/LIBU+site+03.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Fischer Road, McKinleyville, CA. Humboldt County.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm happy to see that there are birders here. And even happier to see that they're all intently looking in the same direction: the bird must still be here!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH5XDhe9BRDnxDOa9UPAA04GG0rXE9_1VRhRAFn2Zs2tdGuxp1ZrOOAcfCqQFELvWT_z8C66vNCs308BjJk-lGMZpYtkRHXB9iV1q8RnqDih7owVwLozuA-zP460121kEpP5xrFMC-1pul/s1600/LIBU+site+05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH5XDhe9BRDnxDOa9UPAA04GG0rXE9_1VRhRAFn2Zs2tdGuxp1ZrOOAcfCqQFELvWT_z8C66vNCs308BjJk-lGMZpYtkRHXB9iV1q8RnqDih7owVwLozuA-zP460121kEpP5xrFMC-1pul/s1600/LIBU+site+05.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I jump out of the car, and quickly locate the focus of their attention: a small sparrow-like bird with a richly-burned face. It's moving through a thicket of thistles.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Little Bunting! The bill is long and pointed. </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>The nape (back of the neck) is gray, like a Clay-colored Sparrow.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's pretty active, and soon leaps up - emitting a distinctive "zick" - into the air and circles the field. As I'm wondering if this first view will be all I get, the bird seems to read my mind, banks, and flies back. This time posing on a wire fence:</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Little Bunting. Notice the bright red-brown cheek and supercilium.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>The tail is forked with white outer edges (very obvious in flight.)</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Phew! What an absolutely stunning bird. I'd forgotten just how beautiful they are - and how rich the chestnut wash on the face is.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Although it's always an easier drive back after you've successfully seen a bird, I still had to fight the urge to sleep. Thankfully, I had a lot to think about. I'd received news of a La Sagra's Flycatcher in Florida - one of my "possibles", right on cue! I'm heading to Florida tomorrow morning - now with potentially two birds I need.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And with only 2 weeks left of my big year, the race is on...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>BIG YEAR LIST: 743</b> <b>+ 3</b> provisional (Rufous-necked Wood-rail, Common Redstart, Eurasian Sparrowhawk)</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>NEW YEAR BIRDS (1):</b> Little Bunting</span></span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12852470264664628180noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3327328801244950917.post-1408162326133490332013-12-09T12:32:00.000-05:002013-12-15T01:12:41.141-05:00PTARMAGGEDON - FINAL DAYS ON ADAK<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b>ADAK: days 3-5</b></i></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"Small dark alcid!"</i></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's Saturday morning, day 3, and John Puschock is telling me to look in his scope. And in the middle, bobbing up and down on the bumpy water of Kuluk Bay is indeed a small dark alcid. It's tiny - and entirely black. Scrunching up my eyes, trying to wring more detail out of the bird, I can see a hint of a crest.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"Looks good!"</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After sea-watching yesterday and not seeing any Whiskered Auklets, I wasn't feeling optimistic. At all. Whiskered Auklets spend their entire year in the Central Aleutians. They like the narrow passes between islands, where they can be found in large feeding groups. At 7-3/4 inches long, they're one of our smallest seabirds and are tough to spot. They're usually only seen from a boat. We don't have a boat, hence the pessimism and the eye-scrunching from shore.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Sea-watching. Kuluk Bay, Adak.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"There's another!"</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At this range, it's hard to separate Whiskered from the similar, though larger, Crested Auklet. We're too far to see the white whiskers on the face. Instead, we're looking for the bright white lower belly, a distinctive field mark of the Whiskered Auklet. As well as the Whooper Swans, this is the other bird that lured me to Adak. As I'm thinking of John Vanderpoel's big year, and how he saw this bird in Kuluk Bay in 2011, the tiny black dot in my scope starts running through the water, eventually clearing the surface and lifting up. The buzzy whirring wings bring it directly toward us. It banks, and flops down back into the waves. But not before showing off its bright white belly. Whiskered Auklet! Over the next hour, we spot a few more auklets, and John and I both watch as a close bird dives, again showing off its white belly. Well, that was a lot easier than I'd expected!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We leave the expanse of Kuluk Bay for a quick stop at the jetty, south of town. It's calmer here, which affords some great views of a couple of other alcid species:</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Crested Auklet - note the single white streak on the face and the bushy crest. </i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Pigeon Guillemot. At this time of year they swap their </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>mostly black breeding plumage for mostly white winter plumage.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With our two targets nailed down, we'll have more time to spend looking for rare ducks (Smew, Spot-billed, etc) and to see if anything is coming into the feeders. Unfortunately, it also gives us more time to talk about the Zombie Apocalypse. No, sadly that's not the local hoppy brew served at the ASBAG (least you forget - the Aleutian Sports Bar And Grill.) Rather, an idea for luring tourists here: the hundreds of abandoned houses would make for a great backdrop to a Zombie weekend. We could hire actors to pretend to be zombies and scare the hell out of willing horror junkies. (And no - we did not suggest that some of the locals could play the zombie roles without any makeup or training.) As we're driving round the ghost town that is Adak, it really is pretty spooky...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Ptarmaggedon? Or just some innocent ptarmigans following us around?</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Pet Cemetery.</i> </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What was that? I'm thrown back in my seat as the driver stamps on the brakes. Wasn't that...wait, didn't I just see a...? But that's impossible. We were joking about the whole zombie thing, right? Right?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We're standing outside a yellow buiding. Well, the wall would be yellow if it hadn't been completely blown off, exposing a doll's house of rooms beyond. The wind is whistling through exposed beams, and a light fixture is slowing swinging back and forth. Back and forth. There's a rattling sound coming from the floor. We turn to look at each other, wondering if it's too late to make a dash for the car. And then the floor slowly opens up. It's too late - we're frozen in fear as an undead being emerges from the rubble, right in front of us...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Zombie Apocalypse Now - here's one coming up through the floor!!!</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's an ugly creature, violently listing from side to side. And then it turns to face us...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Even scarier from the front!</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Oh, wait. That's John. Always did have problems separating John from the undead...Still - the zombie theme park is a pretty good idea. Where else can you see rare alcids and the undead?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">OK, I hear you - enough with the Zombie stuff already. Back to the birds... </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the most beautiful birds I've seen this entire big year winters here in Adak. It's a small goose, with an unusual patterning. The Emperor Goose breeds in coastal Alaska and winters on the rocky shores of the Aleutians.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Emperor Goose - candidate for most beautiful bird of my Big Year.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>(Two young on left, adults on right)</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Notice the separation of colors on the neck - white at the back, dark on the front. </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>The latter extends to the lower mandible on the bill, which is also dark. </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>The silvery-gray edging to the body creates a spectacular scaly effect.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A typical day on Adak is spent driving around the freshwater lakes and ponds looking for ducks, and around the large Clam Lagoon for shorebirds and geese. After our initial sighting of Whooper Swans on Haven Lake on Friday, we see these birds every day for the rest of our trip - and even once flying over town, honking loudly, the sound after which they're named. We also keep an eye on the feeders and bird seed...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Adak National Forest. </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Bird free during our trip despite copious amounts of bird seed.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I brought one hanging feeder with us, which we placed in a lonely tree sheltered by a decaying brick building.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As we're driving back to check this on Saturday afternoon, I'm suddenly forced back in my seat as John steps on the gas. No zombie apocalypse this time. He must have seen something on the feeder. But why are we driving so quickly? What did John see?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"Accipiter" </i>he shouts, keeping his eyes laser-focussed on the sky ahead. <i>"But there *are* no accipiters here. This could be..."</i></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We pull up to the feeder and spot a large bird rounding the building. We jump out of the car. It's immediately obvious this bird is an accipiter (a hawk with large rounded wings and straight barred tail.) It's flapping as it's gaining height and putting distance between us. And it has a bird in its talons - probably a Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch, the most common visitor to the seed we've put out. We watch as it flees towards the edge of the harbor, finally disappearing behind a warehouse. It does not emerge from the other side.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Accipiter - with prey. Photos by John Puschock.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The size of the bird seems right for Sharp-shinned Hawk or possibly Cooper's Hawk, but not for Goshawk (which would be considerably larger and heavier in build.) But the tail seemed too long for Sharp-shinned or Cooper's. The proportions seemed off for an American accipiter. As we rush over to investigate the other side of the warehouse, we're acutely aware that we're chasing history - what could be the first record of Eurasian Sparrowhawk. Not just for Adak, or Alaska, but for North America. (There are two or three sight reports from Attu, at the far western end of the Aleutian chain - but no definitive accepted records.)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As we round the corner of the warehouse, Jay spots it. <i>"It's flying away!" </i>We lose the bird. Damn! And as we're about to get back in the car, John spots the bird above us - gaining altitude. As John and Jay are snapping away, I'm again aware of the long tail on this perfectly-silhouetted raptor. And the flight style - rapid wingbeats, alternating with glides. The bird climbs higher and higher, eventually drifting off towards the abandoned quarry. We do not relocate the bird that evening. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Silhouette of accipiter - photo by Jay Lehman</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Do we have enough documentation to convince a rarity committee? John and Jay have photos (<a href="http://www.zbirdtours.com/photos/adak_accipiter.htm" target="_blank">see here for full set</a>.) Most are backlit. We're hoping that we can find the bird again the next day - Sunday - our final day on the island. It's exciting seeing a potential first for the ABA (I've already seen two this year: <a href="http://accidentalbigyear2013.blogspot.com/2013/07/rufous-necked-woo-hoo-rail.html" target="_blank">Rufous-necked Wood-rail</a> and <a href="http://accidentalbigyear2013.blogspot.com/2013/07/rufous-necked-woo-hoo-rail.html" target="_blank">Common Redstart</a>) but there's a selfish part of me that wishes it were something more common / more tickable, like Eurasian Kestrel or Hobby - something easier to identify without the added scrutiny of a first record. Unfortunately, you don't get much choice when it comes to random rare birds!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've written a lot about birds, and zombies, but what about where we're living? What's it like?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well, we've been staying in a lovely 2-bedroom house with a well-equipped kitchen, laundry, TV, full bathroom. Compared to the Pribilofs this is luxury indeed. There's only one problem - the first evening some idiot dufus (who's apparently doing some kind of accidental big year - whatever the hell that is) managed to block the toilet. Half an hour of violent plunger action not only failed to unblock the toilet, but made the problem worse: the contents of the toilet disappeared down one drain only to pop up out of another - the bath. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"Guys, we have a problem."</i></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The good news was that we had a second toilet (but not shower.) The bad news - it soon transpired that this toilet was also blocked. The bath and both toilets clearly shared the same blocked drain. (Which I have to stress was having blockage issues *before* we arrived.) And thus began our regular early morning trips in the dark to the Mexican restaurant to use their outside bathroom - the one where the light doesn't work, so you not only </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">need </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a flash light, but the headlights of the car illuminating you through the tiny window.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Our Adak home.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We were ever vigilant in our search for bathrooms during the day. Including, no less, at the Aleutian Sports Bar And Grill...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Seems like the ASBAG has the same problem. And no - I did not break this one.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>(And no - they don't sell ASBAGs for this purpose...)</i></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Umm...that's probably enough of that. More than enough. Moving swiftly on...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We returned to the feeder the next morning, but found only feeding Gray-crowned Rosy-finches.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>The large </i>griseonucha<i> subspecies found in the Aleutians</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We checked the other bird seed locations. At one, we saw the flash of a white rump - Brambling! A rare Asian finch - and a life bird for Bill. For Jay and I, this had become a somewhat regular addition on our Alaska trips this year. We'd even seen one in Vancouver, BC. We edged up for better views when a large bird of prey shot out from behind a building seemingly plotting a direct course for the feeding birds. The Sparrowhawk! It immediately spotted us, banked and flew off. We lost it behind the abandoned houses. This time, we did not catch up with it, and was the last time we were to see the bird. We would have to make do with the photos from the previous day. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The surprise sortie did however give us some closer views of the bird. I could clearly see (brown) barring on the underside - very different from the vertical streaking on American accipiters. Again, the tail was noticeably long. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The reason that we had more time to search for the Sparrowhawk that final evening was because our plane was delayed. Apparently it had left Anchorage, and then turned round. "Mechanical issues." As the departure time kept creeping back later and later, I was worried that I'd miss my connecting flight out of Anchorage that night. But at least the flight wasn't cancelled. When that happens, they usually don't have a replacement flight - you just wait for the next scheduled flight - which, with only 2 flights a week to Adak, would be 4 days away. That happened to John Vanderpoel in his big year. He was out here for a week.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"Cancelled."</i></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We were speechles. Another 4 days on Adak! Without a shower! Or toilet! More evenings in the ASBAG! It was a somber scene in the airport. An airport with somewhat unorthodox facilities...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Abandoned foosball table. Adak airport.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>(apparently the locals don't have the balls to play it anymore)</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Although maybe this (the *airport*) wasn't the safest place to hang out...</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"Hmm. Mr Gun doesn't like cancellations. </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Mr Gun would like the flight rescheduled for tomorrow. Wouldn't you, Gunny?"</i></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We were lucky. We found out that Alaska Airlines were putting on another flight the next morning. (Thank you, Gunny!) We weren't stuck here - and did manage to get out. </span><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Leaving Adak.</span></i> </div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As we were climbing into the plane the next morning, stealing a last glimpse at the mountainous tundra, I reflected on what a successful and fun trip this had been. I was sad to leave. I'd seen some amazing birds here - two of which were new for the year, as well as a potential first for the ABA that was still out there. And my first ever Zombie! But seeing the Aleutians was special. Being at the edge of America on these wind-swept islands was an incredible experience. And as I've noted previously, one of the great things about a big year is spending time with fellow birders. I'm so happy I got to spend more time with fellow Big Year birder and friend Jay Lehman, who I've really enjoyed getting to know this year. (Although I still don't care for his puns - but he'd probably tell me that I'm too Jay-ded...) And it was great meeting Bill Sain from Texas - who got some pretty good life birds here. And a big thanks for John Puschock for making this trip possible. John runs trips throughout Alaska (<a href="http://www.zbirdtours.com/" target="_blank">Zugunruhe Tours</a>) - he's a master of logistics, bird finding, oddball humor and he makes the best quesadillas I've had all year. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Next year: Zombie apocalypse, anyone?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Flying off into the sunset</i></span></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12852470264664628180noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3327328801244950917.post-65096311877382632072013-12-06T21:00:00.000-05:002014-01-27T15:19:41.705-05:00THE ALEUTIANISTS: WHOOPING IT UP IN ADAK<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b>ADAK: days 1-2</b></i></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Aleutian Islands are strung out before me, like volcanic pearls on a giant string necklace, separating the Pacific to the south, from the cold and foggy Bering Sea to the north. According to the native Aleuts this is where the sea breaks its back - the ring of fire that nimbly steps out from the Alaskan peninsula on its 1,200 mile sweeping march west across the desolate sea to Russia, to the Kamchatka peninsula.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6RJO7iMJedK2yb201JLIzhtk_aorCxrpaCMVPMtgPX8wQmawISw2ZFWHxyu2pvrTDecfdk1rtKr5rsjaQa_fVj_2SOGT7FsNUwbuWNun6eTHoSw1zgnAYWfSV8FJ6X3WDDXENu8wwBxl6/s1600/Aleutians+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6RJO7iMJedK2yb201JLIzhtk_aorCxrpaCMVPMtgPX8wQmawISw2ZFWHxyu2pvrTDecfdk1rtKr5rsjaQa_fVj_2SOGT7FsNUwbuWNun6eTHoSw1zgnAYWfSV8FJ6X3WDDXENu8wwBxl6/s1600/Aleutians+2.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As I gaze down on the mountains and volcanoes, and their futile vertical struggle to escape the relentless sea, I think of my own struggle this year, to see as many birds in North America as possible. A campaign that has taken me to the furthest cardinal points: icy Barrow in the north, Newfoundland to the east, and the sunbaked Dry Tortugas of the south. And so it's fitting that as I near the end of this year I'm heading to Adak, the most westerly town in North America - an island that the international date line swerves to avoid. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm coming to the edge of America to look for Whooper Swans - a rare Asian swan that sometimes winters in the Andreanof Islands (the group to which Adak belongs.) And the Whiskered Auklet - a tiny black seabird with a comical crest and white whiskers that lives here year round, and is found only in the central Aleutians. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm here with <a href="http://zbirdtours.com/" target="_blank">John Puschock</a>, who has years of experience guiding on Adak, Bill Sain from Texas, and fellow Big Year birder <a href="http://jaysbigyear2013.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jay Lehman</a>. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmlbBRmcv4xkPMESHAwAWFcqWBx99iLR8-hmbOAeTZ3lMbFw0LPbw1331C5K68pCMLqHteLxqidG0C6ipaxjy7tioFJ3uKHXBEIPUa8ARU6wHi8pIyKTf8nXuEVfMe5w18WO3ALxSFOYea/s1600/Airport+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmlbBRmcv4xkPMESHAwAWFcqWBx99iLR8-hmbOAeTZ3lMbFw0LPbw1331C5K68pCMLqHteLxqidG0C6ipaxjy7tioFJ3uKHXBEIPUa8ARU6wHi8pIyKTf8nXuEVfMe5w18WO3ALxSFOYea/s1600/Airport+3.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Welcome to Adak - "Birthplace of the Winds"</span></i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are 16 miles of "roads" in Adak, and after picking up our rental car we spend the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">first evening exploring those to the south. Over the past couple of weeks, locals have reported seeing 4 Whooper Swans flying between various lakes in this area. The bad news is that the island is full of lakes - the swans could be anywhere. The good news is that if they are here, it shouldn't be too hard to spot giant white birds.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The scenery reminds me of the Pribilofs - wind-swept tundra with decaying celery plants. Only here, the horizons swell up with imposing mountains and volcanoes.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Adak - tundra, mountains and rain clouds. </i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>WIth 263 rainy days per year, </i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Adak is the second-rainiest inhabited place in the US, after Hilo, Hawaii. </i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We only have a few hours before sunset, and after trying a bunch of lakes, we fail to locate any giant white birds.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>No swans here.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We do however find lots of smaller white birds - Rock Ptarmigan. They're molting into their white winter plumage, which without any snow cover yet makes them currently fairly obvious...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As the sun sets on our first evening here we head to the Mexican restaurant - which apart from the bar seems to be the only place to eat in town. It's helpful if you've been here before, otherwise it's pretty hard to find in the dark...</span><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Adak - not known for its street lighting</span></i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Despite not finding the swans in our first couple of hours here, we're in a jubilant mood (they have beer here.) We're at the edge of the American world - who knows what exciting birds are awaiting us?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>The Aleutianists: </i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>John Puschock (still eating), </i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Neil Hayward, </i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Jay Lehman and Bill Sain</i></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />The next morning - and our first full day here - starts with another loop to the south, again looking for swans. While successfully not spotting any, we stop along the way to put out bird seed...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Ummm...John - I think we're gonna need a bigger feeder. </i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>(The store had sold out of the larger swan-size feeders.)</i></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are no naturally-occuring trees on Adak - it's too exposed and windy. But there are some introduced coniferous trees. The biggest concentration is at the Adak National Forest...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Adak - where 3 trees make a forest.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"We'll try Haven Lake next," </i>says John. <i>"They've had swans there in the past."</i></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'd be more excited about the last part, if John hadn't said the same thing about every other swan-less lake we've spent the morning visiting. I'm thinking a lot about <a href="http://www.bigyear2011.com/adak-day-1-121611/" target="_blank">John Vanderpoel</a> and his 2011 big year. He came to Adak in Dec, looking for the same quarry as us. His flight back was cancelled (there are only 2 flights a week in and out of Adak) which gave him a whole week here. And in that week, he did not see any swans. We have 3 days.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's a bumpy drive over the pot-holed gravel road. As we round each bend a new vista opens up, stopping the car as we excitedly scan for birds. Haven Lake is north of town, and requires a gentle rise in elevation. As we crest the top of the road, the lake suddenly appears, spread out before us. And in those initial and confusing seconds several things happen at once: I hear screaming in the car, feel the harsh application of brakes, and I see a large white bird flapping at the end of the lake. Swans! We've found the swans! There are three - an adult and two gray-colored young...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Whooper Swans - adult (left) with two young. </i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Notice the large amount of yellow on the bill of the adult.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These birds breed in northern Eurasia (mainly Russia.) </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The east Asian birds winter in China, Korea and Japan, with a few, like these, braving the harsh Aleutian winters.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Whooper Swan - adult. </i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Whoopers pair for life, and look after their young (cygnets) during the winter.</span><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Whooper Swan - adult (left) with cygnet (right)</span></i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After the initial shock and excitement of finding the swans, we're all speechless as we watch these graceful creatures effortlessly float around the lake. Meanwhile, back on land, there are some less graceful creatures...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Look - swans!</i></span> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjghHmKbA3aV8ACPQHCe4E5dLH8sq4xzb3x0ugBcNQifU2O6cAyvOXwJs5EW6m47eiXroFyMSttljiJBhq0Z1SloGPa3E3hls_rA2OGB4sxZwu_dsS0kLRivOawoD9nmG59odcL_IQiQr5x/s1600/Swan+group+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjghHmKbA3aV8ACPQHCe4E5dLH8sq4xzb3x0ugBcNQifU2O6cAyvOXwJs5EW6m47eiXroFyMSttljiJBhq0Z1SloGPa3E3hls_rA2OGB4sxZwu_dsS0kLRivOawoD9nmG59odcL_IQiQr5x/s1600/Swan+group+3.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></i></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Happy birders at Swan Lake. John's pointing at the swans behind. </span></i></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(Wait, that is his index finger, right?)</span></i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Adak played an important role for the US military in World War II. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After the Japanese took control of the western Aleutian islands of Attu and Kiska, the US Army Air Force launched attacks from a base here in Adak, and successfully reclaimed the islands. After the war, the base was transitioned to the US Navy who developed a base for submarine surveillance during the Cold War. At its peak, the city of Adak housed over 7,000 personnel and families. There was a college, a school, hospital, movie theater, pool, bowling alleys, and even a McDonald's.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The end of the Cold War hostilities prompted the Navy to close the base in 1997. The facilities were transferred to the native Aleut Corporation, and the thousands of personnel that had called Adak home left. Today it's a ghost town - except for some 80 residents that live among the ruins. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Abandoned to the elements - hundreds of houses </i></span></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">serve as reminders </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">of a once populous town.</span></i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Not much for sale in the Adak Shop these days...</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Not so fast food. A McDonald's ruin.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We celebrate our swan sighting that night at the one bar in town - the Aleutian Sports Bar and Grill. It's affectionately known as the ASBAG and less affectionately known as the ASBAG.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCUOQzsZDQpY49ONniCewwfEWFFSi5NFKaG1T6TqjghOx6t1rMkVvx2UI-c3BT4qM_7EwK0rtYynwwoB4QaJfdLEAPCUq6U7H5IGHeBDx9T-fmzvs85tjDOC6O0DoEX-9ecrF_z5EaUYKz/s1600/ASBAG+menu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCUOQzsZDQpY49ONniCewwfEWFFSi5NFKaG1T6TqjghOx6t1rMkVvx2UI-c3BT4qM_7EwK0rtYynwwoB4QaJfdLEAPCUq6U7H5IGHeBDx9T-fmzvs85tjDOC6O0DoEX-9ecrF_z5EaUYKz/s1600/ASBAG+menu.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And like the restaurant the night before, it's not an easy place to find...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinuvsrs1eaXzcCp9coqKa5P4oK2N5u0nmYjznc2rFePePv-cjbDPwxGYIaZM-2bbx0AgFsrmGSzTY4HXDGWsmpLtEjK0xoq1Bgt9hu6vXpT8CHs8xYfUHIom8U7bgs6ywoLVVpFTKRTXyO/s1600/ASGAG+outside.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinuvsrs1eaXzcCp9coqKa5P4oK2N5u0nmYjznc2rFePePv-cjbDPwxGYIaZM-2bbx0AgFsrmGSzTY4HXDGWsmpLtEjK0xoq1Bgt9hu6vXpT8CHs8xYfUHIom8U7bgs6ywoLVVpFTKRTXyO/s1600/ASGAG+outside.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Welcome to the ASBAG!</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The ASBAG has all the ambience of the 1980s except for the prices.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaxqrT21pUO7ivW4EXh9hiHnqSnrkvNF08nzxhQsxHZNaKUjKgHoWH9jjLfqgTnDr5R2rsEwOyXO0Tin_1Cs1PUVNINzWFyE9MQYrYb3jeJDCTJc7VrWhjIicHOjAtIWN9MGSA1-aHYhYn/s1600/ASBAG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaxqrT21pUO7ivW4EXh9hiHnqSnrkvNF08nzxhQsxHZNaKUjKgHoWH9jjLfqgTnDr5R2rsEwOyXO0Tin_1Cs1PUVNINzWFyE9MQYrYb3jeJDCTJc7VrWhjIicHOjAtIWN9MGSA1-aHYhYn/s1600/ASBAG.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As we're celebrating, Jay reminds me how I told him, not so long ago, that</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> "I'm definitely not going to Adak!" As this year has progressed I've found myself in many odd places that I'd never have expected. And being in Adak in the winter is definitely one of them. But with swans, good company and the ASBAG, I could be doing a lot worse!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Stay tuned for the next trip report from the edge of the world...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>BIG YEAR LIST: 741</b> + 2 provisional (Rufous-necked Wood-rail, Common Redstart)</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>NEW YEAR BIRDS (1):</b> Whooper Swan</span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12852470264664628180noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3327328801244950917.post-23648270430488193842013-12-03T18:30:00.000-05:002014-01-27T15:18:52.356-05:00PINK AND WHITE IN TEXAS<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Except for the bauxite-chewing aluminum factory and its associated body parts of pipes, towers and chimneys, it would be the perfect view: the morning light bouncing off the surprisingly bumpy waves, the sea spraying off the sides of the boat, and in the distant shallows, the shimmering mud flats. It's towards the latter that we're speeding - Jay Allison, the captain of the 22ft boat, and I. Our goal - a couple of large pink birds. Hard to miss, apparently.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is not where I expected to be today, after arriving in Anchorage on Friday and sheltering from snow in Nome on Sunday. Unplanned perhaps, but happy - yes. I'd been putting feelers out for American Flamingo - a bird I thought I'd still have a chance at this year. And then I received word that the famous mismatched flamingo pair had been spotted hanging out in Cox's Bay, a shallow inlet off Port Lavaca on the Texas Gulf Coast. They'd been seen this weekend. I didn't want to wait until after my Adak trip, and so made the quick dash south for a couple of days.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"That might be them..." </i></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jay points the boat in the direction of a couple of large pink dots. And as we approach closer, the dots start developing long necks and legs. Flamingos! Pretty hard to miss...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ZjmrLgnwsiYaJaNBnXJ4iLdC6p8tG-Nm5YkLbQxJ5SOfBDGggKgdHZxO6KCJ3HRlNMJGWuDhQ6mgNsNKVsrztCE_UPvHUJXwI-TkDx6vzPewnGYqNtagbPscizo6jkIjvZ_cy05lnyt2/s1600/AMFL+07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ZjmrLgnwsiYaJaNBnXJ4iLdC6p8tG-Nm5YkLbQxJ5SOfBDGggKgdHZxO6KCJ3HRlNMJGWuDhQ6mgNsNKVsrztCE_UPvHUJXwI-TkDx6vzPewnGYqNtagbPscizo6jkIjvZ_cy05lnyt2/s1600/AMFL+07.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Flamingos on the Texas Gulf Coast! Greater (left) and American (right)</span></i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>These birds have been reported all along the Gulf Coast since 2006 </i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>- from Tampico, Mexico to Louisiana.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These two birds are actually different species. And because both birds are banded we know something about their life histories. One bird is a wild American Flamingo (also known as Caribbean Flamingo) that hatched in 2005 from a flamingo colony at the Rio Lagartos Biosphere Reserve at the northern tip of the Yucatan. (It has a yellow band on its right leg above the knee - "HDNT".) The other bird is the larger and paler Greater Flamingo - an Old World species that breeds in Europe, Africa and Asia. It escaped from Sedgewick County Zoo in Wichita, Kansas on June 27th, 2005 (along with another bird that has not been found.) It also has a yellow band on its right leg - "492". Only the smaller, darker American Flamingo (the one banded in the Yucatan) is countable as a wild bird.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Yes - flamingos really do get their color from their food. They're born with gray feathers, </i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>which become pink through eating foods such as shrimp that are rich in beta carotene.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's not clear what gender these birds are. The two species are close enough that they could possibly breed, although flamingos typically only do so in colonies. They lay a single egg on the ground, benefiting from the protection afforded by the surrounding birds. (The Yucatan colony has over 20,000 birds!) Flamingos are extremely social birds, which explains why these two lost birds have been hanging out with each other. The Yucatan bird would be 8 years old now - they typically reach sexual maturity at around 6 years and can live 30-40 years and possibly as long as 80 years. Flamingos are monogamous.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm very grateful to Jay for taking me out in his boat. These birds are only viewable by boat - they can't be seen from land. Thank you Jay!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My flight back to Alaska isn't until tomorrow. Which gives me enough time to track down the only non-rarity in the Lower 48 that I still need this year - Whooping Crane. And they're only a 40 minute drive away.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Standing 5 feet tall, Whooping Cranes are North America's tallest bird. Unfortunately, they're also one of the rarest. A combination of habitat loss and unregulated hunting reduced an estimated 10,000 birds (when the Europeans first arrived) to only 15 adults by 1938. Facing certain extinction, conservation efforts went into protecting habitat and preventing hunting. It's been successful in stopping the decline. But there are still only a few hundred birds in the wild.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The best place to see these cranes in the US is Aransas, on the Gulf Coast, just north of Corpus Christi. It's here that almost the entire population of Whooping Cranes winters each year, after making the long migration south from their breeding grounds in the muskeg bogs of northern Alberta, Canada.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Aransas NWR visitor center. (Cranes not countable)</i></span></div>
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I head out to the Heron Flats trail, where from a viewing platform I can see across the brackish marsh.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the distance, I spot a group of cranes - Sandhill Cranes, the other (much more numerous) crane found in North America. But the gray flock of Sandhill Cranes is dwarfed by two large, white birds - Whooping Cranes...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Whooping Cranes - large, white, with black flight feathers, a red crown and black around the face. These birds are much larger than the gray Sandhill Cranes.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Whooping Cranes are no longer banded to keep track of individuals - with such a small population the risks of injuring the birds during capture are too great. Instead, they're "voiceprinted" - their calls are sufficiently unique for conservation biologists to recognize and track individuals.</span><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Whooping Crane (right) with Sandhill Crane (left)</span></i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Whooping Cranes are omnivores, though they eat a lot more animal matter than other cranes - including frogs and small birds. Here in Aransas, they're dining on the local delicacy - blue crabs.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Hey - I think I found a blue crab!</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In recent years a new migratory population has been established with breeding grounds in Wisconsin (Necedah NWR) and wintering in Florida. Since this is a completely new migration route, the birds had to be taught where to go. They did so by being trained to follow an ultralight aircraft that then made the WI-FL trip with cranes in tow. Once the adults had learned this, they were able to teach new, young birds. There are about 100 birds in this eastern population. Additional, non-migratory groups have also been established in Florida and Louisiana. Hopefully, with this diversification, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Whooping Cranes and their loud iconic honking calls (after which the birds are named) will once again be a familiar sight and sound in this country.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's been a long time since I've had two new year birds in one day. I'm very glad I had time to leave Alaska to make this quick trip. And as I head back up to San Antonio for the night, I suddenly spot another new bird. I slam on the brakes, and jump out. Thankfully, I don't flush the birds - which adopt a defensive posture, remaining eerily motionless on the grass.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Suburban Flamingo (Phoenicopterus plasticus) </i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These birds prefer residential lawns (which in the winter they often share with Suburban Dwarf Reindeer.) Although not secretive, the birds can remain motionless for hours / days / forever. Given their lack of substantial feeding, they're lightweight, and can easily blow over in a strong wind.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Unfortunately, Texas, and hence the ABA, doesn't recognize Suburban Flamingo as a self-sustaining wild species. (It doesn't help that there are no reported cases of breeding and young birds have, so far, never been observed.) So - they're not countable. Just as well I saw the real thing this morning! (And yes, I did check to see if those guys moved.)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And so tomorrow I head back to Alaska, ready to fly out to Adak on Thursday. I have no idea what's out there - there are no birders on the island. But with good company (John Puschock, Bill Sain and my Big Year birding buddy, Jay Lehman), the possibility of finding our own rarities, and even a local bar, I'm sure there'll be some good stories to tell. Although probably none involving any pink plastic birds.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>There are other good birds at Aransas too - like this Tricolored Heron</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>BIG YEAR LIST: 740</b> + 2 provisional (Rufous-necked Wood-rail, Common Redstart)</span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12852470264664628180noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3327328801244950917.post-8040118806347238152013-11-30T20:00:00.000-05:002014-01-27T15:18:17.558-05:00THE SNOW BIRDS OF NOME<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The difference between a Big Year and Medium Year is going to places like Nome. For one bird. In the winter. (Arguably, it's also the distinction between a sane birder and crazy one.) It's my fourth time to Nome this year - a tiny outpost on the west coast of Alaska, accessible only by plane (or boat.) Last week it was -2F here. I'll let you decide how crazy that makes me.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Oh, and the bird? The McKay's Bunting. A close relative of the Snow Bunting, it nests on just two remote islands in the Bering Sea - St. Matthew Island and its smaller satellite, Hall Island. Uninhabited, and accessible only by boat, these islands lie between the Pribilofs to the south and St. Lawrence Island (Gambell) to the north. Thankfully, the birds winter on the western coast of Alaska, where they're slightly more accessible. But with a global population of only 6,000 birds, they're never very common. </span>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's a beautiful morning as I leave Anchorage. I've seen the city and surrounding landscape change through this year, during my 6 visits and 50 days in Alaska. And with ice floating in the Cook Inlet, framed by snow-clad mountains, I think this may be the most beautiful time to be here.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I arrive in Nome at 11:30am - just as the sun is rising. I never see the sun though - it's low and hidden behind the leaden and cloudy sky. It reminds me of <a href="http://accidentalbigyear2013.blogspot.com/2013/10/barrow-birding-on-top-of-world.html" target="_blank">Barrow</a> on the north coast, which by now is in its long sun-less winter.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Snow came late to Nome this year - which also delayed the arrival of the buntings. And so, as I entered town, I was happy to see the place blanketed in snow. Walking round Nome brought back happy memories of the <a href="http://accidentalbigyear2013.blogspot.com/2013/06/theres-no-place-like-nome.html" target="_blank">spring</a> - birding with Hans de Grys and Abe Borker and his father. It brought a smile to my face thinking of the fun we had here - some of the most treasured memories I have of this year. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9XXN9zk1ARR0pupCnRngtmuEPxLmP4S5u17Oq4luyTnGPcascXAV9ebgMXu4caf_LyWuNiVKy5LAODB-GKe0lUdRu0ruvgT67ut-VEgOMDnDTCCeLCej9TDuUxfgA4-i8cwIWgBUl625H/s1600/Nome+Church+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9XXN9zk1ARR0pupCnRngtmuEPxLmP4S5u17Oq4luyTnGPcascXAV9ebgMXu4caf_LyWuNiVKy5LAODB-GKe0lUdRu0ruvgT67ut-VEgOMDnDTCCeLCej9TDuUxfgA4-i8cwIWgBUl625H/s1600/Nome+Church+2.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The McKay's Buntings have been most reliable at Icy View Subdivision - a small residential area about a mile out of town. It's</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> surrounded by grassy tundra which attracts the Buntings - both McKay's and Snow Buntings. And apparently some of the homeowners put out seed to attract the birds.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I take a cab from the airport out to Icy View. It's a loose collection of about 100 houses...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Icy View Subdivision. </i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>At the corner of Fore and Aft Drive, and Round the Clock St.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">...some of which are pretty funky...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">...some even more funky...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">...and others that don't look much like houses at all...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I walk around looking for birds. Apart from the omnipresent Ravens, there aren't any. It's cold, windy and it's started to snow. After an hour, I'm exhausted. I haven't seen any white birds, and there don't appear to be any feeders. I start rethinking my plan - maybe I should have brought birdseed? Maybe I'm too early and should have come later in the year? Maybe...and then my search image whizzes by - 4 white birds flying over my head! They head out to the grassy tundra and then disappear. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My binoculars are covered in too much snow to get a good view of the birds flying away.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> But they looked almost entirely white to me. McKay's?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And then I notice a tiny pile of seed husks outside one of the houses - that's probably where the birds flushed from. Someone is feeding the birds. Or rather did - there doesn't look like much left. I move to the other side of the road, and wait - hoping for the birds to return. The first thing to return is the homeowner, looking slightly confused at this guy standing outside his house, in the cold snow, with a telescope.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"Are you looking for the snow birds?"</i></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yes! I reply. Snow birds are what the locals call the buntings and most people here know about these white winter visitors. Once we've broken the metaphorical ice, he tells me that the birds have only just started to appear - and come in one or two times a day. He generously retrieves a bag of bird seed and dumps a good amount on the ground, wishes me luck, and (sensibly) heads inside.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Within 15 minutes the first bird flies in. It's white. It's a Snow Bunting. This is a good practice in identification. The McKay's should have a lot less white in the wing - only at the very tips, and a whitish back. (At this time of year some of the white feathers are edged in brown, but will never be as dark on the back and wings as a Snow Bunting.)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Snow Bunting - notice the large amounts of black</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>in the folded wings and the dark back.</i></span></div>
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And 15 minutes later, I hear chirping above me. I look up and the wires are covered in white birds!...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From this view I can clearly see the tails. Snow Buntings have dark central feathers in the tail, whereas McKay's are almost entirely white. These birds have white tails!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>McKay's Buntings - notice the almost entirely white tails</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and white tips to the end of the wings...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are at least 12 McKay's and 2 Snow Buntings. Once the birds start feeding on the ground it's easy to spot the difference between the two species:</span><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Two McKay's Buntings (top and bottom birds in each pic) - white backs, minimal black in wings. Two Snow Buntings (left and right in each pic) - much darker backs and more black in the wings</span></i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Group of McKay's Buntings. Notice the tiny patch of black in the wings </i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>and tail of the lower right bird. (Snow Buntings have solid dark central tail feathers.)</i></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I watch the birds for about 15 minutes as they busily munch their way through the new seed. Without the patches of black, these birds would disappear into the snow. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>The Snow Bird of Nome - McKays' Bunting</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Before leaving (and before the sun sets - not that I ever really saw the sun) I trudged back into town and checked out the harbor. I was surprised it wasn't frozen.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was hoping for Ivory Gull - but the sea was empty - not a duck, loon or alcid in sight. Just a flat, cold expanse of sea. But a closer look revealed ghostly-white lumps moving through the water - Beluga Whales. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As I sat in the airport, checked-in for my evening flight back to Anchorage, I reflected on a great start to my Alaska trip. Heck - I could even head out to Adak tomorrow (Sunday) rather than Thurs and spend more time out there. I'd already seen both my target birds in mainland Alaska - Dusky Thrush and McKay's Buntings. That puts me, at the end of November, on 738 species + 2 provisionals. That's ahead of the pace John Vanderpoel set in 2011 (he ended the month on 743+1.) And with the long-standing record set by Sandy Komito at 748 (745+3), there was a chance that...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"We regret to inform you that tonight's flight is cancelled."</i></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It never sounds like regret. And when you're in Alaska, cancelled flights are never a surprise. And so my one-day trip to Nome now involves an overnight stay. And my plans for an early and extended trip to Adak are scuppered. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But one thing I've learned this year is that fate throws you curveballs. When one door closes, another opens. An American Flamingo was just located in coastal Texas. Maybe I'd have enough time to leave AK for a few days and swap the white birds for a large pink one?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And besides, if I didn't get to spend the night in Nome, I'd never have known that over-the-top Christmas decorations are not just the specialty of the Lower 48...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Happy Christmas from Nome, Alaska!</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>BIG YEAR LIST: 738</b> + 2 provisional (Rufous-necked Wood-rail, Common Redstart)</span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12852470264664628180noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3327328801244950917.post-89372651800250624812013-11-29T21:00:00.000-05:002013-11-30T13:19:57.461-05:00A DUSKY DAWN IN ALASKA<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It shouldn't be a surprise that it's cold in Alaska. In the winter. But the -2F that bitch-slapped me in the face as I emerged from Anchorage airport in the early hours this morning was still a surprise. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I left Boston on Thanksgiving evening. Yeah - Big Year birding doesn't (really) allow for holidays. But at least I got to spend most of mine at home; my fellow big year birding friend, <a href="http://jaysbigyear2013.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jay Lehman</a>, was stuck in Newfoundland in bad weather looking for a gull with yellow legs. (I hope he found it, as well as legs with a turkey on the other end!)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm in Alaska for at least a week. I'm heading out to Adak in the Aleutians on Thursday, with John Puschock and Bill Sain (from Texas.) I'm here early to (i) look for a Dusky Thrush in Anchorage; (ii) go to Nome for McKay's Bunting, and (iii) buy some proper clothes that will stop me from freezing to death. Seriously.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Big news in Anchorage this year is the return of the Dusky Thrush - an extremely rare Asian thrush. It's the third year this bird has wintered in a small residential neighborhood between the airport and downtown. Since it roams over a fairly large area, I was grateful for all the advice I received from local birders, especially from Dave Sonneborn. I met Dave on St. Lawrence Island earlier in the year, and he helped me find the <a href="http://accidentalbigyear2013.blogspot.com/2013/09/layover-birding-alaska-style.html" target="_blank">Stonechat</a> on a previous visit to Anchorage. Today, Dave was going to help me with the Dusky. He lives in the neighborhood, and even had the thrush as a yard bird!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Dave Sonneborn - Dusky Thrush guide for the morning.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dave and I ventured out after the sun had risen, which at this time of year is about 10am. We drove around to the sound of soft snow crunching under the tires. The trees were veiled in a frosty covering of glittering snow. And with the low, tangential light, it was an eerily beautiful morning to be out. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As we approached the area where the thrush has been seen most recently the activity increased: swirling flocks of Bohemian Waxwings buzzing around the fruit-laden Mountain Ashes, Black-capped Chickadees and American Robins. We scanned through the Robins, looking for a white-breasted thrush, with an obvious eye-brow.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was Peter Scully, another local birder, who soon found the bird, whistling for us to follow him into a small courtyard of apartments. A group of trees reached up between the buildings, and it was here that the bird was sitting, scanning its surroundings, which now included a bunch of grown men pointing various large optics at it. We watched the bird for 30 minutes as it moved silently from tree to tree.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Dusky Thrush! Clear white supercilium (eye-brow), rufous wings (and underwings) </i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>and white underparts with white-edged black breast feathers.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The face pattern and thin bill reminded me of a Redwing - another Eurasian Thrush - which was a common winter visitor to the UK of my childhood (and hopefully a visitor to my Big Year in Dec!) </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What a great start to my Alaska trip! I thought this bird might take several days of searching - and Dave and Peter found the bird in less than 30 minutes.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwYrY2KJhtmDpI1j5TjmcsVO7-nPqpYsvDt_OVKchyphenhyphenLgFvncFDB6lRRNrTKRdo4N1wzuJ2gEEeRLFwTfuDpawc3M7pxakE-cMBt1DjcIHSrb05QBVE5VX1JhmY8KFC6YTB8xXj21POthhc/s1600/HAWO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwYrY2KJhtmDpI1j5TjmcsVO7-nPqpYsvDt_OVKchyphenhyphenLgFvncFDB6lRRNrTKRdo4N1wzuJ2gEEeRLFwTfuDpawc3M7pxakE-cMBt1DjcIHSrb05QBVE5VX1JhmY8KFC6YTB8xXj21POthhc/s1600/HAWO.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"Let me in - it's cold out here!"</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Hairy Woodpecker - on the side of a house. </i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tomorrow, I'm going back to Nome. It's a favorite wintering ground for the McKay's Bunting - an even whiter version of the Snow Bunting. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thank you Dave for helping me find such a great bird - and for the fantastic meal that evening of delicious Thanksgiving leftovers. On all my travels this year, most of them alone, it's nice to share good company and good food. The perfect compliment to a cute Dusky Thrush.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>BIG YEAR LIST: 737</b> + 2 provisional (Rufous-necked Wood-rail, Common Redstart)</span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12852470264664628180noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3327328801244950917.post-23120738926936066632013-11-25T14:57:00.001-05:002013-11-25T18:46:18.077-05:00ADAK. ANYONE?<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm running out of time, and running out of places to find new birds. At least, that's how it feels. And I think I'm about to do something very crazy...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the inspirational voices this year for me has been John Vanderpoel and his <a href="http://www.bigyear2011.com/" target="_blank">blog</a>. His incredible Big Year in 2011 netted him 743+1 species. He narrowly missed beating Sandy Komito's all time record of 745+3. By mid December, John realized he needed to up the ante if he was going to beat the record. So he flew to the furthest West town in North America: Adak, a tiny island in the Aleutians - closer to Russia than Anchorage. There, he hoped to see Whiskered Auklet, Whooper Swan and any stray Asian vagrants. He came away with just the Auklet.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Which brings me to the crazy thing I'm considering - going to Adak. (OK. It doesn't sound quite sound so crazy now that John's done it!) Here's why:</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A flock of swans were seen there yesterday (seen by locals - based on distribution most likely Whoopers - which are known to winter on the island.)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. Adak is one of the few places in North America to see Whiskered Auklet.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. There have been several sightings of Smew this fall on Adak.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. How cool would it be to go somewhere that remote? In the winter?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Oh - and:</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5.There's a Dusky Thrush in Anchorage (back for the 3rd winter.) </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm thinking of going to Adak on Sunday, Dec 1st and returning to Anchorage on Thursday, Dec 5th. (There are two flights a week to Adak.) I'll be chasing the Dusky Thrush before and / or after Adak, as well as heading up to Nome to try for McKay's Bunting. Or - possibly going to Adak Thursday Dec 5th - Sunday 8th.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm posting this now, as I'd love some company out there in the Aleutians. This could be a great trip for anyone who wants to add these hard-to-get species to their ABA list, go somewhere truly remote, and see if I'm making all this big year stuff up! (Am I actually going to all the places that I say that I'm going to?)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> John Puschock of <a href="http://www.zbirdtours.com/about.htm" target="_blank">Zugunruhe Birding Tours</a> has offered to come as a guide (he's been coming to Adak since 2004, but never in the winter.) Plus - there's a sale on air miles with Alaska Airlines. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> If you're interested in coming, drop me a line at <a href="mailto:opororniswarbler@gmail.com">opororniswarbler@gmail.com</a></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Whiskered Auklet (photo by John Puschock) - Adak, Alaska.</i></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12852470264664628180noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3327328801244950917.post-74373502013910670142013-11-21T18:11:00.000-05:002014-01-27T15:16:39.950-05:00RUFOUS AND SAGE - WINTER COMES TO ARIZONA<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I didn't think to check the forecast before flying to Arizona yesterday. It's always hot there, right? Wrong! Driving highway 17 north towards Flagstaff, the mercury </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">dipped below freezing. I'd be needing my hat and gloves for this bird - a renowned skulker that could take hours of standing around and waiting. In the cold. Yes, my gloves - I did bring them, right?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Word came in on Tuesday of a pair of Rufous-backed Robins at the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cameron Trading Post in northern Arizona. Not only was the number unusual (they're usually singles) but also the location - while they're rare in southeast Arizona, they're extremely rare this far north. Rufuous-backed Robins live in Mexico, and annually cross the border into the US - in very small numbers. This was a bird I was hoping for (one of the more expected winter rarities) but one that's often so secretive and shy, that it's hard to successfully chase.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And so my recovery from driving the many miles of Canada at the weekend lasted only 2 nights. Not risking any delay, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I flew out to Arizona the morning after the report and</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> pulled into the Trading Post mid-afternoon, less than 24 hours after the birds were first seen.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirtbMY2136IUw42466I4rQySC9in-1Fyc4NB4KQatL0xHbtyxR9tJrQn-YDNYAHhuFjKxUWTpkYzuHoxmTan_ERadflPJUG8z50srw0vARXv3ZRV4UDU-zMlveFDK8RojSaCeIjrYUsNhM/s1600/Cameron+Trading+Post.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirtbMY2136IUw42466I4rQySC9in-1Fyc4NB4KQatL0xHbtyxR9tJrQn-YDNYAHhuFjKxUWTpkYzuHoxmTan_ERadflPJUG8z50srw0vARXv3ZRV4UDU-zMlveFDK8RojSaCeIjrYUsNhM/s1600/Cameron+Trading+Post.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Cameron Trading Post, AZ. Cold and overcast.</i></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There were no birders in sight - just straggles of tourists, here to buy Native American arts and presumably to warm up.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The birds had been in a small flock with American Robins - in the east side of a courtyard. It didn't take long to locate the courtyard...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">or the Robins...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFoouauJ3nCM0Yx5MZrfF6Pvbb8f_RNSMM87DWCDNJ0Uku7A3kPWdhi8RmEhI1BRHwu_Ylff8AmbG92FnqyRVdn0wdIXnrLW4YDSQqcVmkwqs6saFkKW3jdFtzBtSptsl2oViCFSpg_tgg/s1600/AMRO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFoouauJ3nCM0Yx5MZrfF6Pvbb8f_RNSMM87DWCDNJ0Uku7A3kPWdhi8RmEhI1BRHwu_Ylff8AmbG92FnqyRVdn0wdIXnrLW4YDSQqcVmkwqs6saFkKW3jdFtzBtSptsl2oViCFSpg_tgg/s1600/AMRO.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>American Robin - what a beauty! </i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>(Technically a Thrush, not a Robin, but probably too late to change that now...)</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And as I was settling in for the long wait (which, with only 2 hours to sunset, wouldn't be that long) I saw movement in the Russian olive against the perimeter wall. It was a thrush - with a rufous back!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4dhzLT8BfTspEIWqGlJ9gLHK0-xLkz4q3sdnw5pRGHIex0FcQvZY4vGa5xirDaraeYwGik9KNpP-wbXq3Tk9u7W5xgvC27loZ7gW9PEa3d07UI40sdXB0VeblPK62gAPxTBMUzPprm0qp/s1600/RBRO+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4dhzLT8BfTspEIWqGlJ9gLHK0-xLkz4q3sdnw5pRGHIex0FcQvZY4vGa5xirDaraeYwGik9KNpP-wbXq3Tk9u7W5xgvC27loZ7gW9PEa3d07UI40sdXB0VeblPK62gAPxTBMUzPprm0qp/s1600/RBRO+1.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Rufous-backed Robin (also technically a Thrush!)</span></i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And then, remarkably, the bird hopped down onto the lawn and into the open. I had amazing views of a normally very reclusive bird...</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Rufous-backed Robin. Lacks the white eye-arcs of the American Robin, </i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>has more streaking under the chin, and an obvious rufous back.</i></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I watched this bird for 5 minutes. It was nervous and cautious and I felt privileged that it trusted me while it went about its important business (tossing leaves aside.) A really stunning bird! I hardly noticed the cold (and no - I didn't bring my gloves!)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I drove to Phoenix last night after seeing the Robins, ahead of a threatening snow storm. I was up early today, ready to track down my last code 1 bird of the year - Sagebrush Sparrow. The ABA assigns each North American bird a code based on how populous they are. Code 1s are the most common; code 5 the least. (Well - code 6 is technically even less common: that code is reserved for extinct or locally extirpated birds.) </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I arrived at the "Thrasher Spot" as the sun was rising. An hour southwest of Phoenix, in Buckeye, the sage and creosote habitat is a popular place to find desert birds. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>The "Thrasher Spot" - Buckeye, AZ.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In fact - I was here in January this year, and undoubtedly saw Sagebrush Sparrow then. But that was before Sage Sparrow was split into Bell's and Sagebrush - and since both species winter here (Bell's are vastly outnumbered by Sagebrush) </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had to come back to make sure I saw the right one. (I saw Bell's in San Diego back in <a href="http://accidentalbigyear2013.blogspot.com/2013/10/bells-boobies-and-pipits-fun-birding-in.html" target="_blank">October</a>.)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>The desert - sage and (distant) creosote.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is such a beautiful area to wander around (and hopefully not get lost.) Despite the arid conditions, the place is full of life. It wasn't long before I saw a thrasher run across the sandy desert floor, from one sage bush to another. A Bendire's Thrasher...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh29qMsT8afLBNFFKKPU5I34TFLP3IuhzCm0r-2VBMmFdpCQX9aCKS-5HXLW-CNKyreWAphvSKxTGK9wF9BJeHEI-MWVse0tG-UMHj9zftYlDPJ5wwdWYcMkRlIwqO77oNRrZ-kq0RSvleW/s1600/BETH+7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh29qMsT8afLBNFFKKPU5I34TFLP3IuhzCm0r-2VBMmFdpCQX9aCKS-5HXLW-CNKyreWAphvSKxTGK9wF9BJeHEI-MWVse0tG-UMHj9zftYlDPJ5wwdWYcMkRlIwqO77oNRrZ-kq0RSvleW/s1600/BETH+7.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1PpdVbWNTFS-Je92VR4nYo1FG4IbzIEsD1amchOM7XbPS5D2BWxDKen154UcB6TVhJPSogrLsezN0EfcPonn7M2qm5_7V6I0e0rsuTm9v6OPT5qzgxhQYqY3HpkX4JMB-HsEUQ2PRG3UI/s1600/BETH+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1PpdVbWNTFS-Je92VR4nYo1FG4IbzIEsD1amchOM7XbPS5D2BWxDKen154UcB6TVhJPSogrLsezN0EfcPonn7M2qm5_7V6I0e0rsuTm9v6OPT5qzgxhQYqY3HpkX4JMB-HsEUQ2PRG3UI/s1600/BETH+2.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Bendire's Thrasher - pale undertail coverts, orange eye and short curved bill.</i></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">...as well as a stunningly pale Le Conte's Thrasher - that was too fast for me to (photographically) catch.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And then the sparrows started appearing - running around like little thrashers. Occasionally I'd see one dart across the ground out of the corner of my eye. And then they'd call - a thin, high-pitched "tseet" from some impenetrable sage bush. And even more rarely, they'd sit atop the sage and survey the surroundings. Apart from one Bell's Sparrow (the Mojave subspecies - <i>canescens</i>), which a thick dark malar stripe, these guys were all Sagebrush Sparrows...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkdHnslDYFYjetunKh6UZ_94ShNNggt2QqpEKqTZYnUXGHrU_4cSmylTqBAc4mNzbbNHOzApjoW7IxqE2SJ3vyisaRpEi6wSoeU4jV0aGfqOvFw9CYo7krWLXqvpsowT7TG4kNAydt9SVE/s1600/SAGS+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkdHnslDYFYjetunKh6UZ_94ShNNggt2QqpEKqTZYnUXGHrU_4cSmylTqBAc4mNzbbNHOzApjoW7IxqE2SJ3vyisaRpEi6wSoeU4jV0aGfqOvFw9CYo7krWLXqvpsowT7TG4kNAydt9SVE/s1600/SAGS+4.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Sagebrush Sparrow. Thin, pale malar stripe, and extensive streaking on the back.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Compare to the nominate race of <a href="http://accidentalbigyear2013.blogspot.com/2013/10/bells-boobies-and-pipits-fun-birding-in.html" target="_blank">Bell's Sparrow</a>.</i></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyx20P54BDna3wLAg9YOpGJnJdBhfDnPygcHOq79RfLFbZ1kFashnIbxTpkQYvzA8f2AnAeC6MLeAwGbL-w2MKsKxtQBJnmkcHvcRyZG0u0pI8jJ0MipXvCq1JVOxH09cl_-8XTHcv_bkk/s1600/SAGS+7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyx20P54BDna3wLAg9YOpGJnJdBhfDnPygcHOq79RfLFbZ1kFashnIbxTpkQYvzA8f2AnAeC6MLeAwGbL-w2MKsKxtQBJnmkcHvcRyZG0u0pI8jJ0MipXvCq1JVOxH09cl_-8XTHcv_bkk/s1600/SAGS+7.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Nibbling on the sage. Not the strongly streaked back.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And after successfully finding my way back to the road, I headed to the airport. I was on my way home after a very successful trip to Arizona: two new birds! </span><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Say's Phoebe - always a fun bird to see in AZ</span></i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>BIG YEAR LIST: 736</b> + 2 provisional (Rufous-necked Wood-rail, Common Redstart)</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>NEW YEAR BIRDS (2):</b> Rufous-backed Robin, Sagebrush Sparrow</span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12852470264664628180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3327328801244950917.post-25443333342520683312013-11-18T16:00:00.000-05:002013-11-25T11:39:18.700-05:00NOVA SCOTIA. NOVA GOOSE.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is my last day in Canada. I flew in this morning from </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Newfoundland </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">to Halifax, where I picked up the rental car that I'd left there 2 days ago. I'm on the 4pm ferry this afternoon from Digby across the Bay of Fundy to Saint John, New Brunswick (where my car is) and then the long drive back home to Boston.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But first - there's a certain Pink-footed Goose to chase. It was re-found yesterday </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">in Truro, Nova Scotia. It was swimming in the</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Salmon River</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> with a </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">flock of Canada Geese and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a rare Barnacle Goose</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. It's only an hour from Halifax, and I'm hoping the bird is still there.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Salmon River, like many of the rivers draining into the Bay of Fundy, has a tidal bore: an incoming tide of water that travels up a river against the flow. There's even a viewing platform here. It's mainly</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> a summer touristy thing, but it does provide a useful lookout for me, and the roof provides some relief from the increasing amount of rain that's starting to fall.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Salmon River, Truro. What a bore!</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As soon as I arrive, I spot a large gaggle of geese - sitting on the water. Good news! At least, it's good news for the first 2 minutes, after which I've scanned the birds and concluded there's no Pink-footed Goose here. (Or the Barnacle with which it has been associating.) These birds had originally been found almost a month ago, and have been seen feeding in fields over a large area. I prepared myself for a long day. Maybe I wouldn't be on that ferry back home today.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I head back to the car, ready to start the wild goose chase, when I hear honking. I turn around, and see geese coming in to land, joining the existing swimming geese. These ones are new. Maybe the Pink-foot just flew in?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I run back to the bore platform and start scanning quickly. Canada Goose, Canada, Canada, Canada...Barnacle! (Yes!)</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9m7_Z7reXeBgc0bcXF4LjZbOiLHEJsUO3jEXN0_Q7OnWrr_HBxqTL2R6PLfmDP4gWj-EdfPjFDWKo3mZbodEoguJlvk_3bo-8PoD95J9ZyYWCtylgfSq4h3Mrv4Jy3fx4OyLvHNOxFgKK/s1600/BARG+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9m7_Z7reXeBgc0bcXF4LjZbOiLHEJsUO3jEXN0_Q7OnWrr_HBxqTL2R6PLfmDP4gWj-EdfPjFDWKo3mZbodEoguJlvk_3bo-8PoD95J9ZyYWCtylgfSq4h3Mrv4Jy3fx4OyLvHNOxFgKK/s1600/BARG+1.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Barnacle Goose - center right. Noticeably smaller that the surrounding Canada Geese, </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>with solid black breast, white face and silvery-blue wings.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After losing the Yellow-legged Gull <a href="http://accidentalbigyear2013.blogspot.com/2013/11/pink-feet-and-yellow-legs-in.html" target="_blank">yesterday</a>, I don't stop too long to enjoy the Barnacle but keep scanning. And as I'm running out of geese towards the other end of the flock, I spot a large, gray-brown goose. With pink feet!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Pink-footed Goose! Pink feet, small pink bill, dark head (like the <a href="http://accidentalbigyear2013.blogspot.com/2013/11/oie-de-la-toundra-tundra-bean-goose.html" target="_blank">Bean Goose</a>), </i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>silvery-gray wings and slightly larger that the Canada Geese.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Phew! Big Year nemesis no more! After chasing this bird in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and two days ago in <a href="http://accidentalbigyear2013.blogspot.com/2013/11/pink-feet-and-yellow-legs-in.html" target="_blank">Newfoundland</a>, it's a relief to finally catch up with it. (And this was the bird that caused Jack Black's character so much trouble in the Big Year movie.) That's 3 rare and beautiful geese this week in Nova Scotia - Tundra Bean-goose, Barnacle Goose and Pink-footed Goose. I hadn't planned on coming up to Canada this late in the year - but logistically, driving up from Boston and taking the ferry was pretty simple. I'd love to come back and see the place in the summer. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As I'm sitting on the ferry across the Bay of Fundy, between scanning for non-existent Great Skuas I check online for bird news. Nothing to chase. But for once, that's good news. I could do with a few days of rest at home. But not for too long. Soon there'll be another rarity discovered. And who knows where that will take me?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>BIG YEAR LIST: 734</b> + 2 provisional (Rufous-necked Wood-rail, Common Redstart)</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>NEW YEAR BIRDS (1):</b> Pink-footed Goose</span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12852470264664628180noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3327328801244950917.post-48509677088510712822013-11-17T17:00:00.000-05:002014-01-27T15:15:28.718-05:00PINK FEET AND YELLOW LEGS IN NEWFOUNDLAND<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm met in Newfoundland by a welcome and familiar face...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5U4ulvFQrRvU0ukIgJ6oTiALWzMm9Q5DDTrSW4xeDuQmy23Y_RkUN6M9HWb6V_13teJHrvzW1MOrvpoSk1Qy27Dc1ulnejiFoU137OTDOTxRP0sLVPBiITnOgXZdDEuo1liQcIFlakG2u/s1600/Queen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5U4ulvFQrRvU0ukIgJ6oTiALWzMm9Q5DDTrSW4xeDuQmy23Y_RkUN6M9HWb6V_13teJHrvzW1MOrvpoSk1Qy27Dc1ulnejiFoU137OTDOTxRP0sLVPBiITnOgXZdDEuo1liQcIFlakG2u/s1600/Queen.jpg" height="320" width="286" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Welcome to Canada!</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>(St. John's Airport, Newfoundland)</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And by a name that sounds familiar?</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVPFBpHIpR2pn3S6_uKTvPvQIxIIm5VtRhGV5grbcYD9ZVNV3SvVvhyphenhyphenp3_G727EIn8h8r85a8VPbC39kgZUvSCT4TUiRU4zxu4_V0ucYEzqOJFq0zk8LRYCRM9gehSlhDrZjDv6OYtuGHy/s1600/Hayward's.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVPFBpHIpR2pn3S6_uKTvPvQIxIIm5VtRhGV5grbcYD9ZVNV3SvVvhyphenhyphenp3_G727EIn8h8r85a8VPbC39kgZUvSCT4TUiRU4zxu4_V0ucYEzqOJFq0zk8LRYCRM9gehSlhDrZjDv6OYtuGHy/s1600/Hayward's.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Apparently, the local Hayward clan sells furniture.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>(To match your local private jet?)</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Newfoundland, which I quickly discover is pronounced new-fen-LAND (stress on the final syllable) is </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Britain's oldest colony. In 1497 John Cabot (actually Giovanni Caboto - he was a Venetian) under Henry VII claimed the island for the English. And in 1583 it was added as a Royal Charter under Elizabeth I. But, of course, like most parts of the British Empire there were people here before it was "discovered." The native Beothuk were here long before the British, but after confrontation, disease and bad luck, finally died out in the 1800s. And 400 years before the British, the vikings, under Leif Eriksson, were regularly fishing here, and had settled an area they called Vinland. Newfoundland was the last province to join Canada, doing so only in 1949.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />And, more than 500 years after John Cabot, I'm here! Admittedly, on a slightly less important mission: I'm tracking down a couple of birds. They could both be long gone: a Pink-footed Goose that was seen on a town pond a week ago, and a Yellow-legged Gull that was found a month ago.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Day 1 - Saturday</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The goose chase takes me through the barren interior of the island, out to the north coast. The forests, lakes and open highlands remind me of the stark beauty of Scotland.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTUlBWqiU95yM_R0LhOgUeJKIOE77hZWtv9lJA1CU8uflJ23WyxE-ndlH-zf-q3lX4VAXANp5qNQWYtDdH5s3EX9Sdl_FU9o2o-MFHvGBqO4lE5LhYeQb0R2GrRRoN_oh_Y7ZUMKN0r2HC/s1600/NL+lake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTUlBWqiU95yM_R0LhOgUeJKIOE77hZWtv9lJA1CU8uflJ23WyxE-ndlH-zf-q3lX4VAXANp5qNQWYtDdH5s3EX9Sdl_FU9o2o-MFHvGBqO4lE5LhYeQb0R2GrRRoN_oh_Y7ZUMKN0r2HC/s1600/NL+lake.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After a lengthy drive, I finally arrive at Bonavista. Allegedly the site of John Cabot's first landing, he exclaimed, "O buon vista!" (Oh, happy site!) I navigate the haphazard, medieval streets before finally finding the pond. A quick scan shows there's no goose. It's a long drive back to St. John's. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's not a happy site.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV3ncHMRgJCpP4mL_R0pYRLAz_12ogUjVYP4qSuzMTwlqIDST10ZyI5TS6gdQC8Smn-UCEXSvyCFZ7r2h8imIhR6dvh1hqogbHNCwTnRWZTzi_7XS29sHrQ1FE34eOzZvNWtgDOLryydv4/s1600/Pond+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV3ncHMRgJCpP4mL_R0pYRLAz_12ogUjVYP4qSuzMTwlqIDST10ZyI5TS6gdQC8Smn-UCEXSvyCFZ7r2h8imIhR6dvh1hqogbHNCwTnRWZTzi_7XS29sHrQ1FE34eOzZvNWtgDOLryydv4/s1600/Pond+1.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Old Day's Pond, Bonavista.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Could have been a happier site.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Newfoundland was settled largely by the British (more than </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">50% of the population claim British and Irish ancestry) with numbers bolstered by Loyalists fleeing the American War of Independence from the south. And this is evident in the accents, which originate from the West Country in England (Cornwall, Devon, Dorset) and Southeast Ireland. Since the pockets of habitation here have remained largely isolated (a functional road network is relatively new) so too have the accents. Locals can tell the origin of anyone on the island as soon as they open their mouth. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To me, the accents are thick, rapid and with a gentle Irish lilt. And while I don't understand everything that's said to me, I am happy to be in a place where mine is not the only unusual accent!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And it's not just the accents that are British - the architecture is too - like the brightly-colored row (terraced) houses of the capital, St. John's.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNTd9bBzXnomRE3haW78oOgEypLNd0JEVIyjZPb3T88jzPBSLPMjb9D-Eq29QpmQtS-1cfug0m6nQ2vfBgHXHGCeGd1kVJb5kuafM98n_0bMEX699uLBFtCRlRXKHqjGq2pe_sjdAT-JHZ/s1600/NL+street.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNTd9bBzXnomRE3haW78oOgEypLNd0JEVIyjZPb3T88jzPBSLPMjb9D-Eq29QpmQtS-1cfug0m6nQ2vfBgHXHGCeGd1kVJb5kuafM98n_0bMEX699uLBFtCRlRXKHqjGq2pe_sjdAT-JHZ/s1600/NL+street.jpg" height="227" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>The streets of St. Johns climb steeply up from the harbor</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Day 2 - Sunday</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />After striking out yesterday, I'm hoping today will be more successful. Today's chase is Yellow-legged Gull, a European bird that breeds around the Mediterranean Sea. It's about the size of a Herring Gull, with bright yellow legs, and a back that's intermediate in gray between Herring Gull and Lesser Black-backed Gull. And Newfoundland is the best place to see this bird in North America. In recent years there's been one or two birds wintering in St. John's. Except last year, when there were none. And then this year, on Oct 21st, <a href="http://brucemactavish1.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Bruce McTavish</a> found and photographed one. It has not been seen since.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Local birding guide, <a href="http://birdtherock.com/" target="_blank">Jared Clarke</a>, thinks the bird's still here - there just aren't many people out looking for it. Despite being very busy with kids, soccer practice, and chasing the island's first Virginia's Warbler, he put together a detailed list of places for me to check for gulls - </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">centering around Quidi Vidi Lake. This is a loop that takes me past all the local sightseeing attractions: the local dump, the golf course, the Fishing and Ocean department, as well as the lake itself.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My first stop is Quidi Vidi Lake, which is full of gulls - mostly the small, round-headed Iceland Gulls...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx85R93YCeeh3nG8A2Jjf_UwVQAGKCeOzc9n1ovwW8kYa6tofRWy9y-anjpKf_Xa5aHdtajeFNVGwi-o_NZCyP1rBJZHzw5yXqtlI6Cw6N_DxxiYeS0d2MiZ_SCsCPqOordizASMFGOyik/s1600/ICGU.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx85R93YCeeh3nG8A2Jjf_UwVQAGKCeOzc9n1ovwW8kYa6tofRWy9y-anjpKf_Xa5aHdtajeFNVGwi-o_NZCyP1rBJZHzw5yXqtlI6Cw6N_DxxiYeS0d2MiZ_SCsCPqOordizASMFGOyik/s1600/ICGU.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>First winter Iceland Gull (born this year!)</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">as well as up to 10 Black-headed Gulls - a European Gull that's rare elsewhere in the ABA region...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyDf1dHuncXai0rMio8CPP3Snb-ia_lsJ8hnCEvBpr_APHbOas9YYLNoBxa9cqMWFL5Y6q-QJ2IqIIbRAiS2Za9u56dpvlLTr-GD87unVfCO3XaLl9-PDVLheThqxjc75XAmYipMnXQnNJ/s1600/BHGU.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyDf1dHuncXai0rMio8CPP3Snb-ia_lsJ8hnCEvBpr_APHbOas9YYLNoBxa9cqMWFL5Y6q-QJ2IqIIbRAiS2Za9u56dpvlLTr-GD87unVfCO3XaLl9-PDVLheThqxjc75XAmYipMnXQnNJ/s1600/BHGU.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But no Yellow-legged Gulls. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The roofs on the brightly-colored houses of Pleasantville are full of gulls this morning - but they're all Herring and Great Black-backed:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHeFyspFRbFCGaSM4NJE8RqTyKJYM1PknTn-dOAaL-1Cr4sjDKY66b_TJ8qjpcLlirE3C61Bq2USy7t6-xzrp8fpgxuY33J5E9dysjMh30zGzuizdWDs7A2rHQkfcx0M7G-zaB2atGyekD/s1600/Rooftops+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHeFyspFRbFCGaSM4NJE8RqTyKJYM1PknTn-dOAaL-1Cr4sjDKY66b_TJ8qjpcLlirE3C61Bq2USy7t6-xzrp8fpgxuY33J5E9dysjMh30zGzuizdWDs7A2rHQkfcx0M7G-zaB2atGyekD/s1600/Rooftops+2.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Pleasantville - just north of Quidi Vidi Lake.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Would have been a lot more pleasant if the gulls had yellow legs!</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I spend the morning following the rest of Jared's gull route and come up empty. I retire to Coffee Matters, which is my (excellent) caffeine stop for the day and access to the outside world (I'm using their wifi since I have no cell reception here.)</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwdSakG-QpLR8p3oNIWIezyR9qa0SlalLUR2394i2PcPhZ2-bL6dmcmLzH1BTrjIJyvBF-sVESQntArEYvsbd7QBn9FPMAkxmMUJJoLeXEmhruu4eh1gsWIK7lX3Khu3vw193CVPSHbGwh/s1600/Coffee+matters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwdSakG-QpLR8p3oNIWIezyR9qa0SlalLUR2394i2PcPhZ2-bL6dmcmLzH1BTrjIJyvBF-sVESQntArEYvsbd7QBn9FPMAkxmMUJJoLeXEmhruu4eh1gsWIK7lX3Khu3vw193CVPSHbGwh/s1600/Coffee+matters.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Coffee Matters. Sure does!</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The afternoon is a repeat of the morning's gull search. I see a lot of gulls, just none with the right leg color. Maybe Bruce's bird last month was a one day wonder? </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On my way to Quidi Vidi Lake this morning, I drove past an apartment building whose roof was covered in gulls. They were the first I saw today, but since they weren't on Jared's list, I drove straight past. After checking all the sites this morning, I went back before lunch and did a brief scan with my binoculars - all Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls. This afternoon, I went back again, hoping for some new arrivals in the gull mix. (There weren't.) And then, on a whim, late in the day (3pm) with only an hour or so of light remaining, I went back again. This time, I got my scope out, hoping that I'd missed some subtlety on a Yellow-legged Gull (I hadn't.) But I did see something interesting: the head of a Herring Gull! It was peeking over the top of the roof. Of course - there were gulls on the other side! </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After what seemed an inordinate amount of time, I managed to find somewhere to park on the other side of the building with a view of the roof. And I could see there were plenty of gulls on that side. I got out, raised my binoculars, and the first bird I saw was a classic Yellow-legged Gull! It had all the field marks for which I'd been desperately searching all day: bright yellow legs, white head, and gray back (darker than the surrounding Herring Gulls.) Wow - I couldn't believe it. I'd found the bird! Perseverance really does pay off!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I went back to the car to get my scope (to photograph the bird) when I heard gulls screaming above my head. And even before I looked back to the roof behind me, I knew they were the same gulls. My heart sank as I saw the roof was now devoid of gulls. They circled overhead, and then slowly drifted out towards the harbor. I waited for them to return (they didn't.) And while the gulls were probably heading off to roost for the night, I reflected on my incredible mix of luck - in finding the bird, and then immediately losing it! It had probably been there all day. And within seconds of my arrival, it disappeared for the day. And while I was upset not to get what would have been a great photo, I was happy that my trip here had been worthwhile.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Rutledge Manor Apartments.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Home to a Yellow-legged Gull. Honest!</i></span></div>
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I met up with Jared later for a celebratory beer, and thanked him for providing such helpful suggestions. Without his confidence in the gull still being here, I probably wouldn't have come. And then I headed off for an early night. Tomorrow, I'm flying back to Nova Scotia. And remarkably, during one of my (many) coffee breaks today, I discovered that a Pink-footed Goose had been relocated to Truro, NS - only an hour from Halifax! Maybe I'd make up for yesterday's wild goose chase?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>UPDATE:</b> My recent trip to North Dakota for the Sharp-tailed Grouse made the news! The Grand Forks Herald wrote a <a href="http://www.grandforksherald.com/event/article/id/278236/publisher_ID/40/" target="_blank">story about my trip</a> and interviewed Dave Lambeth and I. I'm sure the folks of North Dakota are raising their eyebrows at such a pointless endeavor. Either that, or they're preparing for the Big Year tourist industry!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>BIG YEAR LIST: 733</b> + 2 provisional (Rufous-necked Wood-rail, Common Redstart)</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>NEW YEAR BIRDS (1):</b> Yellow-legged Gull</span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12852470264664628180noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3327328801244950917.post-91605918422565807712013-11-15T15:30:00.000-05:002014-01-27T15:14:51.283-05:00OIE DE LA TOUNDRA (TUNDRA BEAN-GOOSE)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I came home from Texas for only one night before the Big Year Bug attacked and forced me out the door. (Gerri still refuses to believe in the bug - she thinks it's just a lame excuse to never be around to do anything useful around the house. But yes - a Big Year *is* the ultimate excuse for getting out of, well, any kind of responsibility!) This time I'm on a drive north (in my own car!) to the Canadian Maritimes. There's a Tundra Bean-goose in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, and recent reports of Pink-footed Goose and Yellow-legged Gull from Newfoundland. There's nothing in the Lower 48, so it's a good time to disappear off the cell phone grid and into Canada.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Saint John is the largest city in New Brunswick and the port for the Nova Scotia ferry. I arrived here yesterday after a 6.5 hour drive from Boston. I have the evening to enjoy the colonial architecture, a fantastic Monkfish dinner, some decent local beer, and see the "world-famous" tides. Yes - the Bay of Fundy has the highest vertical tidal range in the world (over 50 feet from low to high tide.) And if you have 12 hours to sit and watch you can see them in their full glory. I settle for a quick 5 min peek at the water and imagine the rest.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Welcome to New Brunswick!</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I leave my car at the ferry terminal this morning (it's much cheaper to rent on the Nova Scotia side than take my car over) and climb aboard the <i>Princess of Acadia</i> for the 3 hour crossing. We're going too fast for me to stand outside without risk of losing my baseball cap / whole body to the sea. I stay inside, while scanning through the windows for Great Skua.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwbMN3lkvufrcRzpGdgM8YTBYpv2pv-0G0G_hT_AQtqVi4QhE8pl6mDLd0NaKkMq0ecQxoNgcE1S4R3cJIIlR7Xu96jkUGQAvqAoNFWgRQR84uh8kWHwGAK51pPjyAXQvtisJeecL1x_Eq/s1600/Ferry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwbMN3lkvufrcRzpGdgM8YTBYpv2pv-0G0G_hT_AQtqVi4QhE8pl6mDLd0NaKkMq0ecQxoNgcE1S4R3cJIIlR7Xu96jkUGQAvqAoNFWgRQR84uh8kWHwGAK51pPjyAXQvtisJeecL1x_Eq/s1600/Ferry.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>The Bay of Fundy. A Great Skua-free zone.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">New Brunswick is the only Canadian province which is officially bi-lingual (Quebec is only French, the others only English.) This means that many of the signs and notices are in English and French. Although some of the translations seem unnecessary...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Seasickness bags.</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Not quite sure how the French language bags differ from the English language ones? </i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Bean Goose is no longer one goose - but two. In 2007, the species was split into two: the larger, longer-necked Taiga Bean-goose, and the smaller Tundra Bean-goose. Both breed in northern Eurasia and both are (very rare) vagrants to north America. The regular reader of this blog will remember that I've already chased a Tundra Bean-goose this year (at the <a href="http://accidentalbigyear2013.blogspot.com/2013/10/wild-goose-chase.html" target="_blank">Salton Sea in California</a>) and missed. I'm more hopeful for this bird: it's been seen every day since Nov 8th on a golf course right next to the main road. And as I dock in Digby, Nova Scotia, only an hour from the bird, I get word that it was seen this morning. Woo-hoo!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But first - I have to navigate my rental car. This one (a Toyota Corolla) has a nifty gadget for opening the windows. I believe this new technical advance is called a "handle" - you rotate it and the window opens. Like magic! No more exhausting pushing of a button. Can't wait for this to catch on in the US...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>A Canadian improvement on the window button. </i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Simply rotate! </i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I arrive at the golf course. There's no goose. I drive up the clubhouse to scan the links. No goose. Please not another wild goose chase! I return to the road and meet another birder who has reached the same conclusion: no goose.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And then a helpful golfer comes over. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"You guys looking for the goose?"</i></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now, these are not entirely surprising words to come from a non-birding golfer. This bird has been on TV - it made the local news. (I'm guessing there's not a lot of news in Yarmouth, NS.)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"There's some geese on the back side - near a pond."</i></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And so we drive over to the other (northeast) side of the course. And near a small pond, we spot a group of geese on the green.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They're all Canada's - black neck, distinctive white face patches...until a dark brown goose waddles out. It's the Bean Goose!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5chDP6ME0gONbZJpjOOGlmbmbRWyX9vYwBma-Hp4Hhakx-K8lNpO8BfQJquDxh7uHO_owrUkxV95hgpj_gqH2-VUEvYB4alPliK-a1zAn9HLd7W0Ek4V9QBoOUKHhI2urwNRtszTwgbXk/s1600/TBGO+09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5chDP6ME0gONbZJpjOOGlmbmbRWyX9vYwBma-Hp4Hhakx-K8lNpO8BfQJquDxh7uHO_owrUkxV95hgpj_gqH2-VUEvYB4alPliK-a1zAn9HLd7W0Ek4V9QBoOUKHhI2urwNRtszTwgbXk/s1600/TBGO+09.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Tundra Bean-goose. Notice the bright orange legs and orange band on the bill. </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>The head and upper neck are dark brown, lightening towards the belly. </i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Soon, they're all in the pond, swimming...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Tundra is the smaller of the two Bean Geese splits. The neck and bill are shorter then the Taiga Bean-goose. The bill also has an obvious grin patch, like a Snow Goose.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>The "grin patch" - an external gap between upper and lower mandibles</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The British Ornithological Union (BOU) recently split the Bean Goose into a further species - yet to be recorded in the ABA region...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>The Mr Bean Goose</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What a stunning bird (the Tundra - not the Mr Bean!) And driving 8 hours with a ferry ride (almost) makes up for the failed wild goose chase to the Salton Sea.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm hoping this isn't the only successful wild goose chase this weekend. I'm flying up to Newfoundland tomorrow morning, where I'm hoping that a certain Pink-footed Goose seen last weekend is still there.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>700 CLUB UPDATE:</b> While I'm writing this, I'm very happy to report that <a href="http://jaysbigyear2013.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jay Lehman</a> has reached 700 for his big year. Congratulations Jay! I first met Jay on Debi Shearwater's boat in Half Moon Bay back in <a href="http://accidentalbigyear2013.blogspot.com/2013/07/big-year-birders-on-boat.html" target="_blank">July</a>. I spent a lot of time with Jay in Alaska, and while a lot of our big years have been spent in remote places, often alone, I've enjoyed the times where our schedules have overlapped and I've got to spend time with him. He has a wealth of birding knowledge which he's graciously shared and which has helped my own big year efforts. One of the great things about doing a big year is not only the birds that you see, but also the people. And I'm very happy to have met Jay. Congrats on the 700, buddy!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Jay - hard at work as usual, looking for birds. (Barrow, AK)</i></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12852470264664628180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3327328801244950917.post-80698420554108249372013-11-13T13:52:00.000-05:002013-11-21T16:54:32.921-05:00SPROOG'S PIPETTE<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After a long day yesterday driving to and from New Mexico, I'm happy to be on my way back home this afternoon - but not without first trying for one last bird: Sprague's Pipit.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sprague's Pipit is a bird that breeds in the northern prairies - from North Dakota and Montana north into the grasslands of Saskatchewan and Alberta. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They're much easier to find this time of year, when they come south to Texas for the winter. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Superficially similar to the more widespread American Pipit, these birds have a distinctive scaled back, open face pattern and paler legs. And - more importantly - when they're flushed they have a very distinctive flight call - <i>squeet, squeet</i> - rather than the sharper <i>pip-pit</i> of the Americans. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm at Travis Lake, just west of Austin. Texas is suffering from its second worst drought in recorded history - which explains why I'm standing on the bottom of the lake. A few years ago this whole area was underwater. Now there's a lot more grassy habitat for pipits, and a lot less for the Coots that are bobbing up and down in what's left of the lake.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"Lake" Travis</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I start walking around the grassy areas near the shore. Sprague's Pipits like really short grass - short enough that if you're lucky enough not to flush them first, you can see them pretty well. I'm dressed more for New England than for Texas - the cold front from yesterday is still chilling this part of Texas.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's not long before I flush a flock of American Pipits - <i>pip-it, pip-it.</i> They're in more open rocky habitat - not ideal for Sprague's. I move on, working the more grassy areas. But after 3 hours, and no Sprague's, I'm starting to worry about missing my flight.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The landscape here is deceptive. It's such a flat open area that it's difficult to tell where I've walked and where I haven't. As I'm heading back in the direction of the car, I find a large grassy area that I'm sure I haven't seen before. It looks ideal for ... <i>"squeet, squeet". </i>Four birds suddenly jump into the air right in front of me. From the call I immediately know they're Sprague's. They circle around above - giving me brief views of their streaked backs and bright white outer tail feathers - and then fly off. I follow their undulating flight to another grassy area, and head over there, mentally calculating how much time I have before I need to leave (not much!)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And just as I approach the area where they dropped in, they're up again. Calling, bouncing around in the sky, and finally flying off too far for me to follow. I'll have to make do with the calls and flight views.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As I'm driving to San Antonio airport I'm thinking about how great Texas has been to me on this trip - 4 new birds in 4 days: Amazon Kingfisher, Rose-throated Becard, Streak-backed Oriole and today's Sprague's Pipits. Just when I thought my big year was starting to sag, this was a welcome boost. And at 731 (+2 provisionals) I've moved into 3rd place on the Big Year leader board - tying <a href="http://bobsbirds.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Bob Ake</a> who saw 731 species in 2010 (the same year <a href="http://slowbirding.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Chris Hitt</a> saw 704 in the Lower 48.) Only two people have seen more species in one year - <a href="http://www.bigyear2011.com/" target="_blank">John Vanderpoel</a> (743+1 in 2011) and Sandy Komito (745+3 in 1998.) </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But before I start getting carried away with records, and realizing there's no prize for 3rd place (or any place!) I have a plane to catch. Thank you Texas (and New Mexico) for some great birds!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Welcome to Texas!</i></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12852470264664628180noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3327328801244950917.post-29756576937828336742013-11-12T18:00:00.000-05:002013-11-20T20:47:10.415-05:00STREAK-BACKED ORIOLE (and UFOs and MUPPETS)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Whoosh, whoosh. Whoosh, whoosh. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I wasn't expecting to use my windscreen wipers on this trip - through the desert of West Texas. Nor was I planning on having to find my hat and gloves. The outside temperature is a chilly 40 deg. And while it's early morning, the desert sky is black, darkened by a cold front moving in from the north.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Rain and strong winds in Fort Stockton this morning.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I got as far as Fort Stockton in West Texas last night. I could barely keep my eyes open - and so found a motel and passed out. I'd been driving for 8 hours straight, through 550 miles. The further I got, the more nervous I became - I knew I'd be adding these on again in the return direction. What if I miss the bird? I could almost feel how unpleasant that trip would be. My sense of foreboding only grew as the temperature dropped into the 30s, and the tumbleweeds were blown across the road with increasing force.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Welcome to a chilly New Mexico!</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I pulled into Rattlesnake Springs at 9am. This is where Bob Nieman found the Streak-backed Oriole 2 days ago. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Rattlesnake Springs - part of the Carlsbad Caverns,</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>southeast New Mexico.</i></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bob was kind enough to draw up a map showing where to look. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And now that I'm here - it's clear to me that it's a large area, and that the parts where the bird has been seen are dense and impenetrable. Several birders yesterday were on their hands and knees trying to look into the thick tangle of Russian olives and hackberries. They were rewarded with brief views of various Oriole body parts. Or, more commonly, no views at all. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Cottonwoods towering over the Russian Olive thicket.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As soon as I arrive at the east end of the thicket, I hear a rattling call. I'm barely in search mode yet - more of a "scoping out the area" mode. It takes a couple of seconds for me to register the call - and to realize that this must be the bird. *Where* it is though - I have absolutely no idea! After 15 mins, it's clear the bird has either moved on, or is hidden in the dark thicket. I put out some orange slices, hoping to attract the bird (they don't), and continue along the creek and round the thicket. After 1.5 hours of literally seeing no birds, I spot a bird flush from low near the ground. It's the size of an oriole, and in the dim light has an orange wash. But like the heard bird earlier, I frustratingly lose this one too.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's midday now and I'm getting desperate. I'm confident that the bird is still here and that I've encountered it twice - but not in a very satisfying and (importantly!) tickable way. I'm sure the weather isn't helping - the tall cottonwoods above me are shaking violently in the wind, sending what's left of their golden leaves to the ground. Maybe I should come back tomorrow?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And then I hear a Hooded Oriole. And then a Song Sparrow. I've been here for 4 hours and seen and heard only one bird and now two are singing?! Across the creek I spot the birds: a couple of newly-arrived birders - they're playing tape, presumably hoping to attract the oriole. I head over to join them - which involves circling the thicket and climbing over the annoyingly high barbed-wire fence (that's almost cost me my jeans several times today, as well as threatened to test the validity of my tetanus vaccination!) As I approach, they're walking away from me, and raising their binoculars. I follow their gaze, and incredibly see a bright red / orange bird sitting at the top of a dead tree. The oriole! They've found the oriole! </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It flushes and flies off to the north, back towards the road and away from the creek. We follow the bird and quickly relocate it. It's calling - that same rattle I first heard - and it's clearly visible as it moves through the brush...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Streak-backed Oriole. Red / orange head, orange body, thick straight bill with black around the base and on the bib. Flight feathers show white edging. Black tail. The back is greenish-orange, and has little chevron marks which give the bird its name.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Once the excitement and relief dies down, I learn the names of the two birders - Jeff Cohen and Steve Smith. They're from Roswell, NM, and the founding members of the <a href="http://ufoofroswell.com/" target="_blank">UFO birding group</a>...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>I know - a photo of Jeff and Steve would have been </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>more interesting </i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>than their business card!</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I thanked them for their help. We were all excited by the amazing views - especially as our expectations on this bird were so low.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And that's it for me. It's 2pm, and I'm ready to make the 7 hour drive to Austin - I'm going to try Lake Travis for Sprague's Pipit in the morning before heading home. It's certainly a much easier drive having seen the bird!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Thankfully I'm not doing a Muppet Big Year.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>(Kermit's pretty easy, but the Swedish Chef hasn't been reliably seen for years)</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>BIG YEAR LIST: 730</b> + 2 provisional (Rufous-necked Wood-rail, Common Redstart)</span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12852470264664628180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3327328801244950917.post-23776777599253398662013-11-11T19:50:00.000-05:002013-11-22T18:44:36.151-05:00BEAM ME UP, SCOTTY - IT'S A JEAN-LUC BECARD<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the annoying things about owning a smart phone is that you're always checking it. At least I am. It's addictive. Maybe there's a new bird somewhere? Maybe someone's reading my blog? Maybe Jay Leno is trying to get me on his show? Maybe my lazy cats have finally learned how to text and tell me what they're up to? </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today I'm at Anzalduas (again) looking for Hook-billed Kites (again.) It's a beautiful day. The only sounds are a lone fisherman casting his line into the murky Rio Grande, and the occasional vvrrooooom of a border patrol boat.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>The Rio Grande. Because of a weird bend in the river, </i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>this is one of the few places where you're actually looking north into Mexico.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Oh yes. My cell phone. Gotta keep checking...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Rose-throated Becard. </i></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Oh. Wow. That's totally on my hoped-for list. At Santa Ana. That's less than 30 minutes away! As I'm folding up my scope / running to the car / looking for car keys / trying not to drop stuff (seriously), I'm thinking about the occasional luck I've had this year. It's really magical when things are aligned, and you find yourself in the right place at the right time. Although before I get too carried away, I have to remind myself that the right place is still 30 minutes away, and I haven't seen the bird yet.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I arrive in the parking lot at Santa Ana (without a speeding ticket) and spot a couple of birders. They haven't seen the bird since it was first spotted. But they're still looking. Then I meet the guy who found the bird - Bob Behrstock. I'd never met Bob before, despite sitting in his Arizona back yard all day! He graciously allowed me to come see his Plain-capped Starthroat this summer while he was out of town. His partner Karen is an avid (and extremely talented) gardener, and has created a really spectacular native collection of desert plants. I really enjoyed meeting her (and seeing the Starthroat - eventually!) and I was happy to finally meet Bob. I even got to chat to Karen on the phone - and was happy to hear she's reading my blog!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While not seeing the Becard, I also ran into another famous birder - Mary Gustafson. Mary runs the <a href="http://rgvbirds.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Lower Rio Grande Valley Rare Bird Alert</a>, and it was her message to the Texas listserv that had me speeding here (thank you Mary!) As the day continues to warm, Bob and Mary eventually leave, replaced by new birders hoping to see the Becard.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I spend the next couple of hours walking around not seeing anything. It's a fairly small circuit - around the parking lot and HQ building, but the vegetation is thick and dark. There's not much movement anywhere, except for a roving group of Groove-billed Anis. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As I'm beginning to give up hope, I decide to take a side trail that I hadn't taken before. It loops around the back of the bird feeding area, and dead-ends at some picnic tables. It's a very short trail that forces me to quickly turn around and return. And as I do so, something catches my eye - a barely perceptible movement above me. The light's bad, but I can make out the silhouette of a bird. And </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">even before I get my bins on it, I can tell from the structure - large head, thick neck, dark cap - that this is it - the becard! It's silent, and moves slowly and secretively. Occasionally, I see a flash of the stunning rose color on the throat (it's a young male.)</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj75hLO4Q0f7x9VBrOPmjOolTQPIz1cXDMsT6m35MGYj82aZC8mNK_5MBtPIuM1zcyRXiv4_dgXZsLfRSMuEIH66NuZD35bMeg957JH9MNMPre9a8854HdYnYDNnsmN5339QpDMp0UVvOo0/s1600/RTBE+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj75hLO4Q0f7x9VBrOPmjOolTQPIz1cXDMsT6m35MGYj82aZC8mNK_5MBtPIuM1zcyRXiv4_dgXZsLfRSMuEIH66NuZD35bMeg957JH9MNMPre9a8854HdYnYDNnsmN5339QpDMp0UVvOo0/s1600/RTBE+1.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizBPQQ7mcWZY5qkz6Rh8pZmpwQFm3OhK8MjULh_bXYtjlXk-_Cc8RjWzz7F0IF_xFfSY3U0UDJw6oMR8AT2DHKn9JstSHUD2P9arAlC436yo0LZrZb7eWMCBRrED_1fs3CtdAxj-HXPwuj/s1600/RTBE+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizBPQQ7mcWZY5qkz6Rh8pZmpwQFm3OhK8MjULh_bXYtjlXk-_Cc8RjWzz7F0IF_xFfSY3U0UDJw6oMR8AT2DHKn9JstSHUD2P9arAlC436yo0LZrZb7eWMCBRrED_1fs3CtdAxj-HXPwuj/s1600/RTBE+2.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Rose-throated Becard - dark cap, large head, rufus-brown back, and bright rose throat.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>A common breeder in Mexico south to Panama, and rare breeder and visitor to the US.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What a stunning bird! And well worth the wait. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I call Mary - who's just arrived back home, and alert the other birders present before leaving. I return to Anzalduas - for another Kite-free Kite search. And a </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">quick walk through the grassy field again shows there's no Sprague's Pipits today. It's a great park, and there are a couple of nice birds...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB0_pOwZJXT6mB8rtFQcUa4jeaMlX1myt400TBiE3j6MYDOWabk-4fqANCgWPTgM09NLHc1y3IAcxY4nFrcYjTiGfRq8gviNdrmMJJzJTVgBm6xIRwRj_yEXR-awqNEePDKqTlpMsoUM1u/s1600/ROSP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB0_pOwZJXT6mB8rtFQcUa4jeaMlX1myt400TBiE3j6MYDOWabk-4fqANCgWPTgM09NLHc1y3IAcxY4nFrcYjTiGfRq8gviNdrmMJJzJTVgBm6xIRwRj_yEXR-awqNEePDKqTlpMsoUM1u/s1600/ROSP.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Roseate Spoonbill</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Muscovy Duck - probably a domestic bird.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>But maybe the children should be playing somewhere else?</i></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have no return ticket home and no real plan for what to do next - so really, no different from much of my year. But there's a very tempting Steak-backed Oriole in neighboring New Mexico. It was found yesterday, but was extremely difficult to see and relocate. For most birds I've chased (or not chased) this year - I have a sort of mental algorithm based on pros and cons. Here's my thought process for this bird:</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Pros:</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. It's a really beautiful bird</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. It's a life bird</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. It's a Big Year bird</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Cons</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. It's an 11 hour drive from here</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. I might miss it</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. I have to drive back after seeing or not seeing it</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. It's in the same general area as the <a href="http://accidentalbigyear2013.blogspot.ca/2013/08/birding-slump.html" target="_blank">Blue-footed Booby that I missed</a> </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5. It's an 11 hour drive from here</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And before I talk myself out of it, I get in the car and start driving north. It's 4:20pm as I leave McAllen. It's going to be a very long evening and night, with just the lingering thoughts of the becard to keep me company...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>BIG YEAR LIST: 729</b> + 2 provisional (Rufous-necked Wood-rail, Common Redstart)</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>NEW YEAR BIRDS (1):</b> Rose-throated Becard</span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12852470264664628180noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3327328801244950917.post-1869903485439007492013-11-10T18:00:00.000-05:002013-11-17T16:07:51.857-05:00AMAZON PRIME - NEXT DAY DELIVERY IN TEXAS<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After my hastily- (and arboreally-) booked flight to San Antonio landed at 11pm last night, I started the drive down to south Texas. I only got as far as Kingsville (about half way) before I was starting to fall asleep. Since my Big Year budget doesn't quite stretch to hiring a chauffeur, I </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">decided to stay in a motel (rather than drive the remaining 2 hours and sleep in hotel VW Passat.) </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I wake up early this morning, excited and nervous about the Kingfisher. As I'm getting my morning coffee at Starbucks (yeah, I'm back to generic brands here) I check my email - and there's a post saying the kingfisher is currently being seen. Phew! Although I haven't actually seen the bird yet, some of the anxiety and nervousness dissipates. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The bird was found yesterday by Jeff Bouton on highway 100, just south of Harlingen. It's clear I've arrived at the right place: a line of about 30 cars parked on the side of the road with a police detail. And importantly, there's a line of about 50 birders all looking in the same direction. After parking, assembling scope, (and reminding myself not to drop anything this time), I walk over to the group. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifZTM5SVyvfMMUolZK5z24GjzZQyazTGFOHSWlmSYBbOM19bucUwCWCDRlVgGQT5XxlOIoz_yM3KARYNMfxkKNcB81Pg7Xph67VhIGqOonALYBNsleUOQLdjKQeqh4zf6iPkTcYG-GXQJx/s1600/crowd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifZTM5SVyvfMMUolZK5z24GjzZQyazTGFOHSWlmSYBbOM19bucUwCWCDRlVgGQT5XxlOIoz_yM3KARYNMfxkKNcB81Pg7Xph67VhIGqOonALYBNsleUOQLdjKQeqh4zf6iPkTcYG-GXQJx/s1600/crowd.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"It's here. In the scope. Take a look."</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Which I do. And there it is! An Amazon Kingfisher! Sitting in the shade at the edge of the water.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP7rPDN_2h3CnJazRUmf5PQYqOAXTmt2Cp_J6njGlUYIXMMn3NtyQtbeQYXn8h-wMGXquFJ0A8WDTdnPmNTLbrQLz0DC4Hruexwe8n6DULD1zAz_2Dp75h8_G5j_1zFu9l7KL2x3lGOcNV/s1600/AMKI+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP7rPDN_2h3CnJazRUmf5PQYqOAXTmt2Cp_J6njGlUYIXMMn3NtyQtbeQYXn8h-wMGXquFJ0A8WDTdnPmNTLbrQLz0DC4Hruexwe8n6DULD1zAz_2Dp75h8_G5j_1zFu9l7KL2x3lGOcNV/s1600/AMKI+5.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Amazon Kingfisher (female) San Benito, TX</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's a female - it lacks the warm chestnut breast of the male. Although superficially similar to the resident Green Kingfisher, it's much larger, with a massive bill, and lacks white in the wing. Amazon Kingfishers are normally found from southern Mexico south to northern Argentina. This is only the second record of this species in the US, after one (also a female) was found in Laredo, TX in 2010. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the past couple of days, hundreds of people have enjoyed this bird. And not just all the birders visiting for the Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival - even the local police officers are excited...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt0J28qKBm1WqaY2crv2Z7egeaLrQVPbMtiaAccXS2guFNkoWIBuWMZ1l2jsGVAtFnqiPqFfrVWfLb1_1D2cuDdIdEC2-ACvin8RcbFUL-JEAT9TlrPp31AVVhk4gvXgT1QNqMSMlP4dNk/s1600/police.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt0J28qKBm1WqaY2crv2Z7egeaLrQVPbMtiaAccXS2guFNkoWIBuWMZ1l2jsGVAtFnqiPqFfrVWfLb1_1D2cuDdIdEC2-ACvin8RcbFUL-JEAT9TlrPp31AVVhk4gvXgT1QNqMSMlP4dNk/s1600/police.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Best not tell the Border Patrol boys about this one</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The bird flies around and then disappears. I wait it out, burning in the hot Texas sun. And as I'm waiting, hoping for a return appearance I get to chat with some of the many birders who are here for the birding festival. Debi Shearwater's here - it's great seeing her on land for once! And Ron Furnish, who I met in Alaska, and is also doing a Big Year.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Eventually, the bird is relocated, allowing me another opportunity to admire the massive bill...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKSxijmA1MfMr6ijeiUqs-toiJOTHITvp9-WAATsu6pN65f1rK1k_qPFyQn1b5sFdI1W2vyvzXtV5eq2nvr6TgQLwp8N2c6HokN2HRw4YDwhJcaxgIkCdtiYKzXmKr8F7BuBF78leTvG4J/s1600/AMKI+8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKSxijmA1MfMr6ijeiUqs-toiJOTHITvp9-WAATsu6pN65f1rK1k_qPFyQn1b5sFdI1W2vyvzXtV5eq2nvr6TgQLwp8N2c6HokN2HRw4YDwhJcaxgIkCdtiYKzXmKr8F7BuBF78leTvG4J/s1600/AMKI+8.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>With this bill I should be catching tuna...</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I spend the afternoon at </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anzalduas Park which borders the Rio Grande river. I'm hoping for Hook-billed Kite - which never materializes. And despite a report of Sprague's Pipit there earlier in the day, it's decidedly Sprague's-free when I arrive. But I do run across some cool birds - including this one...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZp8F2CkBg2dCVfMqopQU0c7FGsRlsKeFHttfPxXhn3QT_f04dh-O33D_4YFEx8-HrhBZyRo0fvQEnlJ_4VLdeVyJR8ys4P-0HqOHYiEq9jDQNnhec4U703d5BnPqjI_OZGAAJM6If4LTk/s1600/VEFL+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZp8F2CkBg2dCVfMqopQU0c7FGsRlsKeFHttfPxXhn3QT_f04dh-O33D_4YFEx8-HrhBZyRo0fvQEnlJ_4VLdeVyJR8ys4P-0HqOHYiEq9jDQNnhec4U703d5BnPqjI_OZGAAJM6If4LTk/s1600/VEFL+3.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>An "oh wow!" bird. Vermillion Flycatcher.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'll return again tomorrow for another Hook-billed Kite search. And maybe stick around for another few days, hoping the end of the birding festival turns up something else exciting. And there are worse places to hang out than McAllen - where after a few trips this year, I'm already becoming a regular at MoonBeans Coffee...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>BIG YEAR LIST: 728</b> + 2 provisional (Rufous-necked Wood-rail, Common Redstart)</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>NEW YEAR BIRDS (1):</b> Amazon Kingfisher</span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12852470264664628180noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3327328801244950917.post-59701714346375715142013-11-09T18:00:00.000-05:002014-01-27T15:11:48.674-05:00QUETZAL QUEST<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After so much recent travel, I'm reminded of the passage of time as I return home to a changed Boston. The trees are slowly spurning their wasted leaves, there's a brisk chill from the north, and another season of baseball has been played (and won!) At home, my stoop still has reminders of halloween...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">... the cats are still alive (but not quite sure if they remember who I am)... </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">... and Gerri's finding time between studying to try new recipes...</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Now - where's that Sharp-tailed Grouse you brought home from North Dakota?</i></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And I even get to chase a New England rarity - across the state line in New Hampshire...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Calliope Hummingbird - a state first for New Hampshire</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But all this domestic bliss doesn't last long - barely long enough for me to unpack and then repack. The reason for my quick retreat - </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">an Eared Quetzal in Madera Canyon, Arizona. This is a bird whose looks definitely live up to its exotic name. It's a large iridescent green bird, with a red belly and bright white tail feathers. Definitely in the "oh wow!" category of birds.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Eared Quetzals are extremely shy, don't vocalize much, and live in remote, largely inaccessible mountain stream beds. All of that makes them an extremely difficult bird to find. Oh - and, somewhat bizarrely, they may exhibit an aversion to large areas of color on humans (a </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">negative chromotropic response) - especially red, white, orange and blue. Most birds are thought to be attracted to the colors found in their own species - but apparently these guys can't stand to look at anything that even vaguely resembles one of their own kind! I </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">guess that means I won't be wearing my nice red rain jacket.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>How to scare off a Quetzal</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>(I'm sure the presence of an actual bus in the canyon wouldn't help either!)</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After a late night arrival yesterday in Tucson, I'm up early the next morning ready for the quetzal quest. But before all that I stop off at </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Posada Java for my morning coffee. As I leave the coffee shop I drop everything I am carrying on the sidewalk in front of my rental car. And not just drop - more like an epic spasm where belongings are dramatically tossed into the air and fall like rain all around me. (I'm guessing Posada Java put an extra bucket of caffeine in my coffee which accounted for the above scene. Or I'm tired and jet-lagged. Or I'm just a complete idiot.) </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It must have been pretty funny if you were watching this spectacle. It was definitely less funny if you owned any of this stuff. And apparently the brand new iPhones still shatter like the old ones...</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Not a good start to the day</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My only consolation was thinking that I'd forget all about my phone (which thankfully still worked) with a sighting of the quetzal. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The bird was originally (and only) seen and heard about 1.5 miles up the trail beyond the highest parking lot. The sun hadn't risen above the wall of the canyon when I set out. It's cold, it's a steep and rocky climb, and the trees are quiet. I know I've arrived at the right place when I spot Melody Kehl. She's sitting in front of a fruiting madrone tree. The good news is there's tons of birds feeding - Hermit Thrushes, Western Bluebirds and a couple of Red-naped Sapsuckers. The bad news (of course) - is that there's no quetzal.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I decide to wait for the quetzal until early afternoon and then try for Sagebrush Sparrow (one of the few remaining common birds I still need.) As the sun moves into the canyon and warms the deeper reaches, birders come and go: always asking first if the bird has been seen, and then leaving later, quietly and dejectedly. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The lack of the quetzal continues.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Williamson's Sapsucker - a nice distraction from the quetzal quest</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I decide to venture further up the canyon. I've obviously climbed high enough where I can pick up a cell signal, as my phone pings with a text message (from Gerri - "Have you seen the bird?" - "No! But I have smashed the screen on my iPhone. Having a great day!" Taking advantage of the cell reception I check my email. I'm in complete shock as a ton of messages download, all bearing the same subject - Amazon Kingfisher! That's only the second record ever in the ABA region for this exotic, Mexican kingfisher. It's in Texas. I have to go. And quick!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's one thing getting text messages and emails at the top of Madera Canyon. Opening web pages is another. To get reception I bushwhack higher up the slope, and then end up climbing a couple of trees with phone held precariously aloft. Eventually, and without falling out of either tree, I find and book a flight. I'm leaving that afternoon, getting into San Antonio at 11pm. I can drive through the night and get to the Kingfisher site in the morning. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have enough time before my flight to give the quetzal another hour - an hour notable for no quetzals and distracting thoughts of kingfishers. On the way down the canyon I stop at the Whitehouse picnic area for the wintering Red-breasted Sapsucker - making for a 3 sapsucker day.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Red-breasted Sapsucker</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'll have to return to Arizona for the Sagebrush Sparrow now that my plans have changed. But I'm happy to trade that for the kingfisher. Now, I just need to get to Texas without dropping anything...</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>BIG YEAR LIST: 727</b> + 2 provisional (Rufous-necked Wood-rail, Common Redstart)</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>NEW YEAR BIRDS (0):</b> </span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12852470264664628180noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3327328801244950917.post-54204502551453720102013-11-06T19:30:00.000-05:002014-01-27T15:11:06.580-05:00FIRE BIRDS ON THE PLAIN<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As I approach the end of my Big Year (yes - this really is going to end soon), I'm chasing down some of the ones that got away. And Sharp-tailed Grouse is definitely one that got away. Several times. I missed them in Colorado, couldn't find them in Wyoming and I'm sure they were hiding behind trees and laughing at me in Minnesota.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Unfortunately, the best places to find these birds are in some of the most difficult places to get to: the remote plains and prairies of the northern Mid-West all the way up into northern Canada. I'd asked for suggestions on where to go for this bird - and got a lot back: from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to the interior of Alaska and back down to Montana and the western Dakotas. It was clear wherever I went, it was going to be a trek.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the end, North Dakota won - specifically Grand Forks. It won because it's *only* a 5 hour drive from Minneapolis, I hadn't been to North Dakota this year (new birding state!) and I'd get to drive through Fargo (yes, I know - the movie was filmed in MN, but still.) But mainly because a local birder, David Lambeth, all but guaranteed that I'd see them here (yeah - I know, I've had a lot of birds guaranteed this year, not all of which ended up on my list!)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It took a whole day to get here, starting early enough from Boston that I saw the sun rise for my connection in Philly...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">followed by a 5 hour drive from Minnesota, through Fargo...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Fargo, North Dakota. Not Fargo, movie Fargo</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and arriving at Grand Forks in time to see the sun set...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Yes - the sunsets really are this amazing. </i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>(It helps when you have this much sky.)</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sharp-tailed Grouse like open grasslands and were known to the Native Americans as "fire birds" or "fire grouse" due to their reliance on fire to keep their habitat open. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And like many species in this family, they're social. The males come together each spring to dance at a lek, where they hope to impress a female. And the dancing is pretty impressive - with lots of foot-stomping (up to 20 times per second!), tail-rattling and moving back and forth, or turning in circles. Add in the purple inflatable neck sacs, and it's hard to imagine how any female could resist! At this time of year though, when they're not on the leks, and their purple sacs aren't doing much inflating, they're harder to find. Which means, it's back to the basic grouse strategy: driving around and hoping to randomly run into them. Which was pretty much the plan for this morning.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I met David as the sun was rising. We headed out to the west of the city, into the cold and frosty plains.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Dave Lambeth - local birder extraordinaire and my guide for the day.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Much of this land is farmed (for corn and sugar beet) while the rest is open grassland. Dotted among the fields are Russian Olives, an invasive species. As well as breaking up the distant vistas these trees provide food for the grouse. This is where they go for breakfast - they like sitting in them in the early morning and nibbling at the berries. (What they do for coffee, I have no idea. Poor things.)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As we're driving down a dusty road, and I'm taking in this new landscape, David suddenly stops. We've scared up a flock of grouse. They're flying away from us: flap, flap, flap, flap - glide - flap, flap, flap, flap - glide. I can see white in the tail - and a tail that's very pointy. Sharp-tailed Grouse!! We're not even an hour into our search and we've already found them! Great job Dave and North Dakota! Some of them land in a nearby Russian Olive...</span><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sharp-tailed Grouse. Looking for breakfast.</span></i> </div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These birds are surprisingly large - bigger than Spruce Grouse and Ptarmigans. And yet, somehow they manage to not fall out of the trees...</span><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Hey - I think my chair is going to break...</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(Damn those Ikea Olive chairs)</span></i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Others are on the ground, and incredibly performing part of their display - necks stretched, head sticking out, foot-stomping and moving around like little wind-up toys. Occasionally one will chase another away. And as they're doing all this, I can hear the faint popping sounds of their display calls. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We check a couple of other spots during the morning, and see two other groups, bringing our total to over 50 birds. Each time we're alerted to their presence by accidentally flushing them - and seeing the fat little birds buzzing away on whirring wings. But we're often able to relocate them in a tree or on the ground.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This special habitat of grassland plains, which the grouse like so much, has been partly saved from</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> agricultural development by it's high moisture content - which in many areas is too wet to cultivate. Unfortunately, that's starting to change now as "field tiling" is being used to dry out the land making it suitable for crops. (In tiling, porous tubes are dug into the ground which collect and drain away the water.) It's a threat not only to the grouse, but to everything else that lives in this unique and beautiful habitat.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Grand Forks isn't just plains though - we also visit the local water treatment plant, which is now packed full of wildfowl, with a few lingering Franklin's Gulls and a newly-arrived Snow Bunting. But these birds won't be here for long. Yesterday saw the first snow of the winter for Minnesota, and North Dakota won't be much further behind. Soon these open spaces will be white, covered in a blanket of snow.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thank you Dave for showing me an awesome bird, and for taking me out to a beautiful part of the country. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>The grassland plains - Grand Forks, North Dakota.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>BIG YEAR LIST: 727</b> + 2 provisional (Rufous-necked Wood-rail, Common Redstart)</span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12852470264664628180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3327328801244950917.post-39709895202630175032013-10-24T12:39:00.000-04:002013-10-30T20:38:25.507-04:00GERMAN SPARROWS AND ANGRY CARDINALS<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Big Year Birding can be a dangerous sport. And today, I'm on one of the more risky adventures of the year. No - not stomping through Grizzly Bear-infested Alaskan tundra. Nor flying out in a twin-prop over a foggy Bering Sea. And not even trying the dessert at the Trident Fish Cannery in the Pribilofs. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No. Today, I'm in St Louis wearing a Red Sox cap the day after the Cardinals lost game 1 of the World Series. By 7 runs. Ouch.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>St Louis Airport. </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Apparently, they're taking this whole World Series thing quite seriously.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And why am I here? What ridiculous bird has made me venture into Missouri? Well, you can blame the Germans. Not the actual Germans. (Obviously.) But the German Sparrows.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Eurasian Tree Sparrow is the last of the exotic introduced species for my Big Year. But it's nothing like the other exciting exotics - the brightly-colored parrots, or the sweet-singing Skylarks and Mynas. And these guys didn't accidentally escape either. Rather, some German immigrants to the Mid-West wanted to "enhance" the native North American avifauna. What? Enhance? Did they think Cardinals were too boring? Did they not see the Bluebirds? And Hummingbirds? Excuse me? And what was their choice for an additional bird to add to our country? Europe's full of colorful exciting birds from which to choose - Green Woodpeckers (ooh!), Pied Flycatchers (aah!), Nightingales (oh wow!)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> But no - they chose one of the brownest, dullest birds in all of Europe, and one that doesn't even have a proper song. They chose the Eurasian Tree Sparrow.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the arguments for giving this otherwise boring bird a Green Card was that it might help the local agriculture by eating some of the (apparently) annoying insects of the Mid-West. There were only two problems with this idea: the sparrows</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(i) don't eat insects </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(ii) do eat seeds [so many of them in fact that they soon became an agricultural pest.]</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So - not such a great idea, then. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anyway, in 1870 12 birds were released into Lafayette Park in St. Louis. Since these birds came from Germany, they were colloquially called German Sparrows. Today's population of 15,000 all descend from those original 12. And despite being around for almost 150 years they haven't spread much beyond the city limits - except into neighboring Illinois and Iowa. Compare that to the familiar and ubiquitous House Sparrow - which from a similar small release in Brooklyn, NY, is now extremely common across the continent. Because the original House Sparrows came from England, they're also referred to as English sparrows. So, English Sparrows seem to have done extremely well. German Sparrows, not so much. (No comment.)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So - I'm stopping off in St. Louis on my way home from Texas. I'm in a neighborhood called Dogtown, which is only 5 miles from Lafayette Park, the original release site.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Dogtown. St. Louis, Missouri.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's the middle of the day in Dogtown, and they're aren't many people around. And I'm not sure where all the eponymous dogs are hiding either. But there are birds - as soon as I step out of the car I can hear a flock of sparrows. They're chattering loudly from a heavily-overgrown yard.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>A heavily overgrown yard!</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At this point in the year, I'm no longer nervous about sticking my head into people's yards with binoculars and a camera. (Although the Red Sox cap was probably pushing my luck.) Within 2 minutes my rudeness is rewarded with a Eurasian Tree Sparrow. And then another! And another! In fact, while there are House Sparrows here, the majority of the flock is Tree Sparrows.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Eurasian Tree Sparrow.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Bright red-brown cap with a black spot in the middle of the white face. </i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Unlike the House Sparrow, these guys show no sexual dimorphism (where the males and females look different.) At this point, it would probably be helpful for me to show a pic of a House Sparrow for comparison. In fact, I could show some from home (they make up roughly one half of my Cambridge yard list) - except since I haven't been home for weeks now, I can't. So - you'll just have to imagine them (where "imagine" now means "Google.")</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thanks for a great Sparrow, St. Louis. And thanks for showing respect to / not beating up a Red Sox fan. I'd like to think Boston would return the pleasure.</span><br />
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<i> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">St Louis - arch enemy of the Red Sox. </span></i></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(For this week, at least.)</span></i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>BIG YEAR LIST: 726</b> + 2 provisional (Rufous-necked Wood-rail, Common Redstart)</span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12852470264664628180noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3327328801244950917.post-21360880402891395222013-10-23T18:30:00.000-04:002014-01-27T15:09:24.381-05:00GOLDEN-CROWNED WARBLER<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's Wednesday, so it must be Texas.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I flew in yesterday from LAX to San Antonio, followed by a 4 hour drive south to the Rio Grande Valley. I'm here for the Golden-crowned Warbler. This is a bird usually at home in Mexico and further south. But very occasionally it ventures north of the border (at least 16 times to Texas, and once to New Mexico) - where it sometimes ends up wintering. John Vanderpoel was lucky enough to see one during <a href="http://www.bigyear2011.com/the-golden-crowned-warbler/" target="_blank">his Big Year</a>. And I was very excited to see the report of a bird during mine.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Frontera Audubon, Weslaco, Texas</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>A Golden-crowned Warbler has been here for 11 days.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>(And hopefully a 12th!)</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I stayed in nearby McAllen last night, where I discovered two things:</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(i) Green Parakeets are a lot easier to find when you're not looking for them (and don't need them!)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>I stopped on 10th St after hearing the screeching calls, and ended up seeing over 300 birds, including this pair of yellow birds (lutino mutants which lack the dark melanin.) </i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>I put many hours in during the spring trying to find these guys.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(ii) there's a very good coffee shop in South Texas:</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Caffeine!</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">OK. I know - enough with the coffee. What about the Golden-crowned Warbler?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well, I spent 5 hours at Frontera, most of it staring into the deep thicket around which the main path winds</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Dense thicket.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And in all that time I managed to find the bird once, and watch it for about 10 seconds - half of which the bird spent eating a caterpillar! This was a life bird for me, and after recovering from the initial excitement, I was surprised just how yellow the underparts were (very lemony) and how bright the central crown stripe was. It was extremely skulking, and like most observers here, I failed to get a picture. And while I'd love to have seen the bird for longer, I was very happy that I did see it; many birders have tried here and missed.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While waiting for the warbler, I did manage to enjoy some of the other wildlife here, including some of the (very many) butterflies feeding and flitting about in the shafts of sunlight</span><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Queen Butterfly - underwing</span></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW6Un9u12MVXpXIeMz8a4q8kE_scrJnG-ppmSl24yjdxvWk-gxa0IJDfxYnb3sKhf2z0_PCkyy4cktlidR9haStt9XgA0kXe1VARZKaFlheRjtGyHiuQ_rdmkvw1TvjXxRDviEErqIMHxG/s1600/Butterfly+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW6Un9u12MVXpXIeMz8a4q8kE_scrJnG-ppmSl24yjdxvWk-gxa0IJDfxYnb3sKhf2z0_PCkyy4cktlidR9haStt9XgA0kXe1VARZKaFlheRjtGyHiuQ_rdmkvw1TvjXxRDviEErqIMHxG/s1600/Butterfly+2.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Queen Butterfly upperwing - related to the Monarch Butterfly</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">as well as a Buff-bellied Hummingbird coming to a feeder</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Buff-bellied Hummingbird - a resident hummer of the Rio Grande Valley.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After coming up short on the recent Bodega Bay trip, and missing the Bean Goose at the Salton Sea, I was happy to finally get a new bird for the year. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And tomorrow - I'm hoping to add another. My trip home takes me via St. Louis. Any guesses as to what avian excitement awaits me there??</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>BIG YEAR LIST: 725</b> + 2 provisional (Rufous-necked Wood-rail, Common Redstart)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>NEW YEAR BIRDS (1):</b> Golden-crowned Warbler</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12852470264664628180noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3327328801244950917.post-87034642553015021962013-10-21T21:00:00.000-04:002014-01-27T15:08:30.824-05:00WILD GOOSE CHASE<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Despite what you might expect, a Big Year's not all jet-setting, gin and tonics, fine dining and glamor. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There's actually a lot of standing around and waiting involved</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. And it's not like you can read a book while you're waiting. Or catch up on the latest Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me. But m</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">aybe it's made me a more calm and patient person? (Hmmm. No. I really don't think it has.) </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today was a bit of a wild goose chase. No, wait, today was an *actual* wild goose chase! A Bean Goose chase. Or more of a Bean Goose wait. Nine hours of waiting for a bird that never turned up (there - I've given away the plot at the start!) I'm here with Chris Hitt, who's been birding CA and AZ recently, and who's making the wait more enjoyable. (Although an actual Bean Goose would have made it even more enjoyable.)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'd flown home from California to Boston on Saturday after being away from home for almost a month. After Alaska and several pelagics in CA (including Bodega Bay - described below) I was ready for a long weekend of sleep, coffee, watching the Red Sox, sleep, enjoying what's left of the New England fall, sleep and spending time with Gerri and the cats. But mostly sleeping. But my R&R plans were ruined as soon as I landed and turned on my stupid phone: Bean Goose at the Salton Sea! That's a good bird. It's a goose - so could possibly stay all winter (one did back in 2010-11.) But I couldn't relax this weekend knowing it was out there. [Actually - there's also a Golden-crowned Warbler in Texas that gave me even less reason to let up and rest this weekend.) </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Reluctantly, I booked pretty much the next flight back out west.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And so, I'm back at the Salton Sea - which thankfully isn't as stupidly hot as it was <a href="http://accidentalbigyear2013.blogspot.com/2013/07/i-wish-they-all-could-be-californiagulls.html" target="_blank">back in the summer</a>. (But "less than stupidly hot" is still hot!) There are lots of geese around. But apart from one Cackling Goose, they're all white - Snow Geese and Ross's Geese.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkt4CRL6mrOWyW5E0e4VZOTY-79vq3NgdTvU8fteuQre8I9eaRKMd7fF8fvQkzhNjryajAwdaDXD6YYU6rwoJNjCYh0g5eCfA8oYuCW6C6x60lwNLCfW0KxnwgqXkxIirD-rOGKg73UJpY/s1600/Field+of+geese.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkt4CRL6mrOWyW5E0e4VZOTY-79vq3NgdTvU8fteuQre8I9eaRKMd7fF8fvQkzhNjryajAwdaDXD6YYU6rwoJNjCYh0g5eCfA8oYuCW6C6x60lwNLCfW0KxnwgqXkxIirD-rOGKg73UJpY/s1600/Field+of+geese.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> Field of Geese (Snow and Ross's)</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But despite the 9 hour vigil, the Bean Goose never appears. It wasn't seen yesterday either. It's probably in Mexico by now, knocking back Margaritas. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Despite the disappointing goose no show, we did have time to see the now famous Blue-footed Boobies at nearby Obsidian Butte.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheftR-5EfNkNOgK8Avzj-XXqMtNq_KVbjAK7pWC1tU4yFdw6s5GDCV4X_dLGQ0fe80ukJ9u6Ocz6j5TJ7PK56kiSFVRM0cHcATJJmNVcIUrOAalUYrIiOvUe22-a6zv_1UTBlAaGqtMQgY/s1600/BFBO+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheftR-5EfNkNOgK8Avzj-XXqMtNq_KVbjAK7pWC1tU4yFdw6s5GDCV4X_dLGQ0fe80ukJ9u6Ocz6j5TJ7PK56kiSFVRM0cHcATJJmNVcIUrOAalUYrIiOvUe22-a6zv_1UTBlAaGqtMQgY/s1600/BFBO+1.jpg" height="263" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> Blue-footed Boobies (7 juveniles)</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Part of the recent invasion of this species from Mexico.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Other highlights were American Bittern, Roadrunner (which apparently forgot how to make the "meep meep" call that of course all Roadrunners make) and the resident Barn Owl at the Sonny Bono visitor center. Oh - and lot's of honking Sandhill Cranes, newly arrived for the winter.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Sandhill Cranes - flying into the sunset</i></span></div>
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Last week, before the brief trip home, was also a bit of a wild goose chase - the goose was a Cackling Goose, and the chase a pelagic trip with Debi Shearwater out of Bodega Bay.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZlv7F3gpYnPqaQHdE6-kpSGZWZy_VyVxa65HSvXReF5LAl7TcbFWBoTry87p_1KMdEK9x7yDwEMaO0WjOGJ5NEBL9h68gUD3TBaR-nppi6Tz4F6cdhDLtH1R5Egj_TsmGQwjRuIy_26RR/s1600/CACG+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZlv7F3gpYnPqaQHdE6-kpSGZWZy_VyVxa65HSvXReF5LAl7TcbFWBoTry87p_1KMdEK9x7yDwEMaO0WjOGJ5NEBL9h68gUD3TBaR-nppi6Tz4F6cdhDLtH1R5Egj_TsmGQwjRuIy_26RR/s1600/CACG+1.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Cackling Goose - on the Cordell Bank, more than 25 miles out to sea.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bodega Bay, in northern California, has more records of rare seabirds than any other US port - and so this was one trip I didn't want to miss. <a href="http://jaysbigyear2013.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jay Lehman</a> joined me, as well as Brian Patteson and Kate Sutherland who run the <a href="http://www.patteson.com/" target="_blank">pelagic trips out of Hatteras, North Carolina</a>.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Despite the rarity history of this place, the Cackling Goose was the rarest bird we could pull out of the proverbial hat. (</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Debi thinks this is the first Cackling Goose she's ever had on a pelagic trip in over 30 years!) One nice surprise was a Brown Booby (adult) that flew over the boat several times,</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBdhBJJPhVD4URT4fhwyWtf8v5roKlpfqI5l3QP3jDUlCRGG7mibvxXY6kJZtUQY6uK-H-ytnWQLwlMSZJbnK6YBF52vTh7-kVe9QFIRTnvGUeWOImCMXMP47TacJzhKTn026Qv8mxvX-G/s1600/BRBO+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBdhBJJPhVD4URT4fhwyWtf8v5roKlpfqI5l3QP3jDUlCRGG7mibvxXY6kJZtUQY6uK-H-ytnWQLwlMSZJbnK6YBF52vTh7-kVe9QFIRTnvGUeWOImCMXMP47TacJzhKTn026Qv8mxvX-G/s1600/BRBO+2.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Brown Booby (adult) - my first for California.</span></i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">as well as two Flesh-footed Shearwaters, and great looks at Short-tailed Shearwater on the water - a bird I've previously seen flying in the Bering Sea</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM8fc2xRG__F6wJyGbpd-kly5W6HbS_hvU9pWaut3hq43AR2H1fnNBehBSdh9nIdWboIfhlO0Yy59xyjz7xfHDTo1R5iaVwkr-nGwr5nVuRSlUQZd4gxNVru6tPKVCEkLsbXY80RHp6Zlg/s1600/STSH+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM8fc2xRG__F6wJyGbpd-kly5W6HbS_hvU9pWaut3hq43AR2H1fnNBehBSdh9nIdWboIfhlO0Yy59xyjz7xfHDTo1R5iaVwkr-nGwr5nVuRSlUQZd4gxNVru6tPKVCEkLsbXY80RHp6Zlg/s1600/STSH+4.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Short-tailed Shearwater - previously called Slender-billed Shearwater</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And another Laysan Albatross - a bird I've had on almost all of Debi's boats this year</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxZO5yj6XZHfSqdlGOQIwSQQuo22_STx0AEyryQpulREte91Rwp_cwlLHsNLWP322Nx30aZXzcfVCM3gFOCt9evsk_mlymmyOx8DOeYshlE1oJLp1ps2zQ6kDs3_N7fJfav6u6HrEXpwmA/s1600/LAAL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxZO5yj6XZHfSqdlGOQIwSQQuo22_STx0AEyryQpulREte91Rwp_cwlLHsNLWP322Nx30aZXzcfVCM3gFOCt9evsk_mlymmyOx8DOeYshlE1oJLp1ps2zQ6kDs3_N7fJfav6u6HrEXpwmA/s1600/LAAL.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Laysan Albatross. Individuals can be recognized by </i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>the unique </i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>black-and-white underwing patterns.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So new birds in Bodega, but still a fun trip.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After the Bean Goose chase today, I'm heading to Texas tomorrow for the Golden-crowned Warbler in the Rio Grande Valley. It's a very rare Mexican warbler (code 4) that could well spend the winter here - but I'm not going to risk waiting any longer. Will I get the bird? Since I'm actually writing this post after getting back from Texas I could tell you know that I...Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>BIG YEAR LIST: 724</b> + 2 provisional (Rufous-necked Wood-rail, Common Redstart)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>NEW YEAR BIRDS (0):</b> </span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12852470264664628180noreply@blogger.com3