And leaving Las Vegas with 452 species.
I had a late flight out of LV last night so I had a good chunk of the day to bird around urban Las Vegas and the mountains that skirt the city. Las Vegas is birdier than one might think. They go out of their way to provide natural areas for local birds and wildlife.
From the aptly named Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve to Mount Charleston I was able to see and hear over 35 species yesterday in temperatures ranging from close to 100F down to 67F at an elevation of 8000 feet.
I am limited to typing on my iPhone now so a longer edition will follow, but the new species I added include:
Yellow-headed blackbird
Abert's Towhee
Yellow-breasted Chat
Broad-tailed hummingbird
Western Tanager
Olive-sided Flycatcher
Working on the photos while I await yet another delayed flight. Welcome to Big Year Birding :)
Wednesday, 18 July 2012
Saturday, 14 July 2012
Forked Again?
A Fork-tailed Flycatcher Has Been Reported in the Orlando Area!
And now I have to hope that this bird hangs around for a week, so I can make yet another attempt at getting a Fork-tailed Flycatcher. I've missed this infernal creature on 3 or 4 occasions this year. Either it was not about in the reported locations when I arrived, or one appeared somewhere just before or after I had left the area, or in a location I was unable to travel to at the time.
Starting Monday I will be doing a work road trip to Michigan, Nevada and New Hampshire, and finish next Saturday in the Tampa Bay area, and will have Saturday evening and part of Sunday to devote to finding that bird, if it decides to hang around and grant me an audience.
In the meantime I am home in Toronto this weekend with no birds to chase or find. There won't be time for birding in Michigan, and probably not in New Hampshire, but I will have a full day to bird outside Las Vegas, and hope to pick up a few extra birds there.
Then, after a week at home from July 24-29, I head out on the road again, just for birding. I will be down in Arizona picking up summer species along with, hopefully, lots of owls and hummingbirds. Then I will head north, pick up my car and drive through the midwest, stopping in St Louis for the Eurasian Tree Sparrow and north to Minnesota with a stop at the Sax-Zim Bog. Hopefully some local birders will come to my aid and help me in my quest for some midwest species.
Here are a few more photos from Newfoundland. Horned Lark in a parking lot; thousands of Murres, mostly Common, with a few Thick-billed mixed in; and a female Pine Grosbeak:
Thursday, 12 July 2012
Oh, and One More Thing...
The Gannets! The Northern Gannets. How many? Thousands and thousands of them. And the Black-legged Kittiwakes and the Common Murres and a handful of Thick-billed Murres. On my last full day in Newfoundland we made the pilgrimage every birder should make at least once in their lifetime, if not twice.
It was Sue's second visit, and my first to Bird Rock at the Cape St. Mary's Ecological Reserve, one of the largest Gannet communities in North America. It's located at the southwest tip of Newfoundland, over an hour from St John's, and even further if you take the scenic route, as we did. When you get to the reserve road, it's another 15 minute drive to the park and then a mile hike,(keep an eye out for American Pipits and Horned Larks in the grass), to the precarious tip overlooking the North Atlantic Ocean, hundreds of feet below. It's an awe inspiring sight when you arrive. I was in Alaska and saw thousands of Kittiwakes and other seabirds, but nothing prepared me for the sheer majesty of this bird roost.
Birds were everywhere, in the air, in the ocean, hanging off the cliff faces, and in the case of the Gannets, hundreds of them, many nesting, on Bird Rock. We stayed for a couple of hours, drinking it all in, taking photographs and then came back later in the afternoon for a second look. Though I didn't add any new birds to my year here, it didn't matter. It was worth the trip to Newfoundland. If you are a birder, even a casual birder, take time to see this. You won't regret it.
And my apologies to Catherine Barrett. I wrote yesterday's blog on my iPhone on a plane and was tired and originally, for reason's known only to the furthest reaches of my brain, called her Barbara. I have corrected the mistake and hope to never misidentify such a nice person ever again,(but, please, don't hold me to that).
And now, some photos from the trip, including, of course Gannets, but also the Purple Finch and lots of seabirds, including those adorable and loveable Atlantic Puffins!
It was Sue's second visit, and my first to Bird Rock at the Cape St. Mary's Ecological Reserve, one of the largest Gannet communities in North America. It's located at the southwest tip of Newfoundland, over an hour from St John's, and even further if you take the scenic route, as we did. When you get to the reserve road, it's another 15 minute drive to the park and then a mile hike,(keep an eye out for American Pipits and Horned Larks in the grass), to the precarious tip overlooking the North Atlantic Ocean, hundreds of feet below. It's an awe inspiring sight when you arrive. I was in Alaska and saw thousands of Kittiwakes and other seabirds, but nothing prepared me for the sheer majesty of this bird roost.
Birds were everywhere, in the air, in the ocean, hanging off the cliff faces, and in the case of the Gannets, hundreds of them, many nesting, on Bird Rock. We stayed for a couple of hours, drinking it all in, taking photographs and then came back later in the afternoon for a second look. Though I didn't add any new birds to my year here, it didn't matter. It was worth the trip to Newfoundland. If you are a birder, even a casual birder, take time to see this. You won't regret it.
And my apologies to Catherine Barrett. I wrote yesterday's blog on my iPhone on a plane and was tired and originally, for reason's known only to the furthest reaches of my brain, called her Barbara. I have corrected the mistake and hope to never misidentify such a nice person ever again,(but, please, don't hold me to that).
And now, some photos from the trip, including, of course Gannets, but also the Purple Finch and lots of seabirds, including those adorable and loveable Atlantic Puffins!
After 6 months and 11 days, I finally "found" a Purple Finch! Woo Hoo!
The conditions when we arrived in Newfoundland:
(Probably why our flight was delayed)
The Northern Gannet and child
Bird Rock - don't get too close to the edge, it's a long way down if you can't fly!
American Pipit
Ruffed Grouse
Arctic Tern with baby
Greater Shearwater
Razorbill
Two of the Atlantic Puffins
Just a small fraction of all the Atlantic Puffins
Wednesday, 11 July 2012
Purple Bird of Newfoundland
I am heading home for a few days, but had time to stop at the backyard feeder of a nice woman I met on a beach looking for a Royal Tern. We didn't exchange names, just that we were both "chasers."
That was Monday.
Yesterday evening a received an e-mail from a birder named Catherine from Goulds. She couldn't sleep and while cruising the Internet found this blog. She sent me an e-mail with an offer of help if I were still around. Alas I was leaving today, but asked her if there might be somewhere I could snag a Purple Finch on my way to the airport. She replied this morning with pretty good info: her backyard feeder!
We drove there from Branch and the little purple guy was at the feeder the moment we arrived and returned a few minutes later for some photos.
That was number 53 for the trip.
And if you haven't guessed by now, Catherine was the woman I met on the beach. How cool was that? A Big Year is about a lot of things. Of course there is the chase. The list. Finding the birds. Surviving the travel. Being away from home. But, in the end, it is about the people you meet along the way. So, even though I didn't meet you in person, thanks Catherine. No one can really do a Big Year in isolation. Without the people I've met along the way and without Sue putting up with all this craziness, I'd have never seen even 300 species of birds, let alone 446, so far this year.
54 from 500. But I am not stopping there. I am a little too crazy and there are still too many birds to find and, I hope, lots of people to help me find them.
When I hit 300 I, rather jokingly talked about starting on the second 300. So, throwing caution to the winds of fate, and at the risk of driving everyone I know and love crazy, I will keep going until day 366 of 2012, and try to see my 600 birds. It might not be probable, but Impossible is not an option.
That was Monday.
Yesterday evening a received an e-mail from a birder named Catherine from Goulds. She couldn't sleep and while cruising the Internet found this blog. She sent me an e-mail with an offer of help if I were still around. Alas I was leaving today, but asked her if there might be somewhere I could snag a Purple Finch on my way to the airport. She replied this morning with pretty good info: her backyard feeder!
We drove there from Branch and the little purple guy was at the feeder the moment we arrived and returned a few minutes later for some photos.
That was number 53 for the trip.
And if you haven't guessed by now, Catherine was the woman I met on the beach. How cool was that? A Big Year is about a lot of things. Of course there is the chase. The list. Finding the birds. Surviving the travel. Being away from home. But, in the end, it is about the people you meet along the way. So, even though I didn't meet you in person, thanks Catherine. No one can really do a Big Year in isolation. Without the people I've met along the way and without Sue putting up with all this craziness, I'd have never seen even 300 species of birds, let alone 446, so far this year.
54 from 500. But I am not stopping there. I am a little too crazy and there are still too many birds to find and, I hope, lots of people to help me find them.
When I hit 300 I, rather jokingly talked about starting on the second 300. So, throwing caution to the winds of fate, and at the risk of driving everyone I know and love crazy, I will keep going until day 366 of 2012, and try to see my 600 birds. It might not be probable, but Impossible is not an option.
Tuesday, 10 July 2012
Puffinland
Yet it is really called Gull Island. Go figure. Yes, it is home to thousands of Herring Gull, Black-legged Kittiwakes, Common and Thick-billed Murres and some token Razorbills, but the true stars of the show are the adorably cute, Atlantic Puffins. Hundreds of thousands of them. The largest colony of puffins on the east coast, yet only 3% survive annually because their neighbors on the small island of the coast of Witless Bay, the Herring Gulls and Kittiwakes find their babies to be a nice, light snack. If that weren't bad enough, they also steal fish right from the beaks of the adult Puffins, who are just trying to survive and live peacefully in the company of these not so neighborly seabirds.
We went out on O'Brien's aptly named Atlantic Puffin, and thanks to the knowledgeable guides, who could not only belt out a good Irish Folk tune to rival anything by the Irish Rovers, but also knew their birds, we were able to see Greater and Sooty Shearwater, Common Murres, Herring Gulls and Black-legged Kittiwakes, but most notably, Thick-billed Murres and Razorbills, in addition to the most lovely Atlantic Puffins.
The rest of the day has been spent driving to the Cape St. Mary's Echological Preserve, with a stop at Chance Cove Provincial Park where we found a Ruffed Grouse with a baby, and later at St. Vincent's, thanks to some other birders, a small colony of Arctic Terns with their own baby.
And we are still on the road, even as I type this, racing the sunset to our accommodations for the evening and hopefully a good dinner before retiring for the night.
July 9
Witless Bay -
O'Brien's Atlantic Puffin
Gull Island
443. Thick-billed Mure
444 Razorbill
Chance Cove PP
445. Ruffed Grouse
We went out on O'Brien's aptly named Atlantic Puffin, and thanks to the knowledgeable guides, who could not only belt out a good Irish Folk tune to rival anything by the Irish Rovers, but also knew their birds, we were able to see Greater and Sooty Shearwater, Common Murres, Herring Gulls and Black-legged Kittiwakes, but most notably, Thick-billed Murres and Razorbills, in addition to the most lovely Atlantic Puffins.
The rest of the day has been spent driving to the Cape St. Mary's Echological Preserve, with a stop at Chance Cove Provincial Park where we found a Ruffed Grouse with a baby, and later at St. Vincent's, thanks to some other birders, a small colony of Arctic Terns with their own baby.
And we are still on the road, even as I type this, racing the sunset to our accommodations for the evening and hopefully a good dinner before retiring for the night.
July 9
Witless Bay -
O'Brien's Atlantic Puffin
Gull Island
443. Thick-billed Mure
444 Razorbill
Chance Cove PP
445. Ruffed Grouse
Sunday, 8 July 2012
Newfoundbirding
Just a quick update from The Rock.
I did, finally make it to St John's, through rain and fog and dark of night.
We had only a little time to bird yesterday and a full day today, but it was at times so foggy a bird could have landed on my nose and I wouldn't have seen it. It was cold and raining all morning and became nice in the afternoon and then over the course of an hour the weather change a dozen times. Humid, warm and sunny, then suddenly gale force winds, dense fog and and a quick drop in temperature . Within minutes it would warm up, fog would clear and then we'd get a repeat performance.
Still I managed 31 species including:
July 7
Newfoundland
La Manche Villiage
439. Pine Grosbeak
July 8
Renews-Bear Cove
440 Greater Shearwater
Million Dollar View - Ferryland
441. Atlantic Puffin
442 Black Guillemot
With more to come!
(I hope)
I did, finally make it to St John's, through rain and fog and dark of night.
We had only a little time to bird yesterday and a full day today, but it was at times so foggy a bird could have landed on my nose and I wouldn't have seen it. It was cold and raining all morning and became nice in the afternoon and then over the course of an hour the weather change a dozen times. Humid, warm and sunny, then suddenly gale force winds, dense fog and and a quick drop in temperature . Within minutes it would warm up, fog would clear and then we'd get a repeat performance.
Still I managed 31 species including:
July 7
Newfoundland
La Manche Villiage
439. Pine Grosbeak
July 8
Renews-Bear Cove
440 Greater Shearwater
Million Dollar View - Ferryland
441. Atlantic Puffin
442 Black Guillemot
With more to come!
(I hope)
Friday, 6 July 2012
Newfoundland or Bust!
We got "bust."
So, as I continue to discover, a Big Year is not always about being in amazing birding locations, it is actually, more often than not, trying to get to said locations. I am writing from about 10,000 feet above Halifax, Nova Scotia, rather than St. Johns Newfoundland, where we were actually headed.
Now, I am sure the birding is fine Halifax, and there is a 14 hour ferry boat over to Newfoundland, on which a large variety of Pelagic birds can be seen. In fact, I read just yesterday in Sandy Komito's chronicle of his 1998 Big Year, how he took that very trip.
Breaking news!
We are not going to Halifax after all, as they are not equipped to get us on our way to St Johns. Instead we are detouring to Montreal! How lucky for me. A Little Egret was reported to NARBA in the Montreal area, just yesterday. This could be good news after all. If we are forced to stay overnight we will go for the egret this evening or early tomorrow morning, and then catch our flight to Newfoundland and perhaps even arrive in time for lunch.
Or, the captain will come on the intercom just before we land and alert us that we are making an about turn and heading to Quebec City for Summer Carnivale!
Perhaps I should have taken the window seat and looked for sea birds in flight, as that, right now, at 6:17pm on Friday July 13, ahm, July 6,(wouldn't have been cool had it been Friday the 13th), would have been my best chance of seeing any birds today.
And now it's dark and we are just arriving at a Holiday Inn for the night and the flight tomorrow is too early to chase the possible Little Egret. Not worth staying a full day here without it having been confirmed. Who knows, it might have taken off and is headed right to St Johns.
Who knows? Right now we need dinner and sleep as we have a very early shuttle to the airport in the morning. Turns out the 6am shuttle is full so we have to leave at 5:25 for a 8:10 flight. So we won't even get into St Johns until noon tomorrow
Good night ;)
So, as I continue to discover, a Big Year is not always about being in amazing birding locations, it is actually, more often than not, trying to get to said locations. I am writing from about 10,000 feet above Halifax, Nova Scotia, rather than St. Johns Newfoundland, where we were actually headed.
Now, I am sure the birding is fine Halifax, and there is a 14 hour ferry boat over to Newfoundland, on which a large variety of Pelagic birds can be seen. In fact, I read just yesterday in Sandy Komito's chronicle of his 1998 Big Year, how he took that very trip.
Breaking news!
We are not going to Halifax after all, as they are not equipped to get us on our way to St Johns. Instead we are detouring to Montreal! How lucky for me. A Little Egret was reported to NARBA in the Montreal area, just yesterday. This could be good news after all. If we are forced to stay overnight we will go for the egret this evening or early tomorrow morning, and then catch our flight to Newfoundland and perhaps even arrive in time for lunch.
Or, the captain will come on the intercom just before we land and alert us that we are making an about turn and heading to Quebec City for Summer Carnivale!
Perhaps I should have taken the window seat and looked for sea birds in flight, as that, right now, at 6:17pm on Friday July 13, ahm, July 6,(wouldn't have been cool had it been Friday the 13th), would have been my best chance of seeing any birds today.
And now it's dark and we are just arriving at a Holiday Inn for the night and the flight tomorrow is too early to chase the possible Little Egret. Not worth staying a full day here without it having been confirmed. Who knows, it might have taken off and is headed right to St Johns.
Who knows? Right now we need dinner and sleep as we have a very early shuttle to the airport in the morning. Turns out the 6am shuttle is full so we have to leave at 5:25 for a 8:10 flight. So we won't even get into St Johns until noon tomorrow
Good night ;)
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