Thursday 27 December 2012

Happy Holiday Birding

I am heading out on the road one last time this year.  I've been busy with the holidays at home and haven't been out chasing since the Rough-legged Hawk.  Sue and I did spend Christmas Day birding at Humber Bay East and James Gardens, but mostly I've just been home and deciding how to finish off the year.  I was unable to book any flights with my air miles to take me anywhere where I could get 9 more species this year, so 600+ will have to wait for another year.  Most of the flights I could book from Toronto would have me leaving on December 30 and returning sometime in January.  No thanks, Aeroplan.

The only flight I could get with my air miles, was from Baltimore to Miami.  So I will drive down to Maryland,(there is a Tufted Duck there), and on to Miami where maybe the Western Spindalis will hang around just for me.  I would also like to see a White-crowned Pigeon.  On the way back I will check out some birds in New Jersey and perhaps be in the right place at the right time for a Dovekie.

There has been no sign of the Smew that visited Whitby Harbour this time last year.  That would have been a great bird to end the year with, since it was the first bird I chased, last January 1.  Oh well.  Another year in another place perhaps.

Humber Bay East: 



Backyard birding:




Back Yard Squirrelling?

 Christmas Cheer from Amber and friend...


1 comment:

  1. OK then, you'll have to go into a pet-store and photograph 9 types of exotic bird! That way, you can say with honesty "I saw 600 species!" and THEN you can tell the story of the '591' and the ones that got away!

    Happy Christmas, and an awesome New Year.

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