I did this last year, so I may as well do it again:
- Number of species seen: I did a lousy job of recording, so I don’t know.
- New life birds: 21
- First life bird: I said it would be West Indian Whistling-Duck, but that was #5. The first was Scaly-naped Pigeon (Patagioenas squamosa). I’ve now seen every Cuban endemic except for Zapata Rail, Cyanolimnas cerverai.
- Last life bird: Rusty Sparrow (Aimophila rufescens), Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico.
- Total life birds: 908
- Total ABA-area birds: 568 (no progress there)
- Total state birds: 305
- Total birds in my home city: 208
- Total birds at my place of work: 183
- Yard birds: 131
What might be my first life bird of 2007? That’s a tough one, as I don’t have any trips planned at the moment. There is a Black-backed Woodpecker a few hours from here. I don’t do much bird chasing any more, but it is near a friend’s family summer home, so we could all visit some old haunts with him. That seems the most likely bet for the moment. Of course, the nicest part of birding is the surprises that turn up right near home… Here’s wishing you good birds, close by!
Comments on this entry are closed.
How lucky you are to have seen all those Cuban endemics.
I think I might "borrow" this post for my blog if you don't mind.
Don't mind at all, Patrick.
hey, if you head up this way, gimme a call.. I may be able to pour myself into our jeep. A word about the B.B. Woodpecker though- that area has been literally overrun with birders over the past week, and a friend just visited the area and they were not there. Surprise! But I know of 3 other areas in Oscoda County (aka known as VAST unexplored forests) where they are.. 'you know who' just doesn't report them ;)
Also a Northern Hawk Owl is hanging out not far from there.. another 'unreported' bird, and I plan on keeping it that way. (Listers, sue me!)
so give me a jingle if you come up.. I know better areas to find the black-backed in.. without running into alot of ppl. (Requires some heavy-duty walking though, so I can make you a map- you'd have to drag me by a rope to get me out there right now)
Have a bird-filled year my friend..