2017 Western Palearctic Big Year (2 Viewers)

dantheman · Jul 8, 2017

Maffong said:
No errors except for your maths 644+72 is not 816 at least not here in Germany

However I'm not sure if Sooty Tern should be included between those regular species. It's not an annual breeder and very scarce and not easy to get even then

But you list 57 annual or near-annual species but you believe they'll only get 34 additions out of these?

Maybe they will get only around 35 out of these but then there are still those real rarities which are not included in your number. Don't forget, they have scheduled almost all autumn for vagrants and have spare-time in December. I believe 770 is more likely. At least if they are committed to it.

Somewhere between 740 -780 (880) then

It kinda depends on whether it is a good autumn for vagrants and whether the birds fall where they are, or how committed they are to travel/twitch? etc

(Not forgetting the recent ABA Big Year, when expectations from this forum were generally exceeded.)

DanielDoer · Jul 8, 2017

The maths are quite interesting - but I would prefer the real thing!

Has anybody any idea when we will receive the next update from them? Are they already at Svalbard as they planned to do?

Strandman · Jul 8, 2017

DanielDoer said:
The maths are quite interesting - but I would prefer the real thing!
Has anybody any idea when we will receive the next update from them? Are they already at Svalbard as they planned to do?

there's a cheery "we're on Svalbard" post from them on Facebook today

DanielDoer · Jul 8, 2017

...
Has anybody any idea when we will receive the next update from them? Are they already at Svalbard as they planned to do?

Just received message / video via facebook that they are on Svalbard. And they have added Grey Phalarope at least. And they started the search for Ivory Gull!

Paul Chapman · Jul 8, 2017

DanielDoer said:
Just received message / video via facebook that they are on Svalbard. And they have added Grey Phalarope at least. And they started the search for Ivory Gull!

I view this element of the trip as similar to Noah Strycker's Antarctica leg. That is being done to make the experience complete. I anticipate that they could have seen all the species already this year more easily. I suspect if someone sets out to break their record then they won't do this leg.

All the best

DMW · Jul 8, 2017

Probably true, but it will get them guaranteed Grey Phalarope and Little Auk, which could be otherwise tricky to pin down when they are chasing vagrants. Also might be their only shot at Ivory Gull.

Paul Chapman said:
I view this element of the trip as similar to Noah Strycker's Antarctica leg. That is being done to make the experience complete. I anticipate that they could have seen all the species already this year more easily. I suspect if someone sets out to break their record then they won't do this leg.

All the best

Maffong · Jul 9, 2017

Maffong said:
Svalbard
Steller's Eider
King Eider
Red Phalarope
Ivory Gull
Sabine's Gull
Arctic Tern
Long-tailed Jaeger
Little Auk
Thick-billed Murre
Atlantic Puffin
Snow Bunting

List now updated and they've found 7 of these: King Eider, Red Phalarope, Arctic Tern, Little Auk, Thick-billed Murre, Atlantic Puffin and Snow Bunting. That leaves Steller's Eider, Ivory and Sabine's Gull and Long-tailed Jaeger.

Maffong · Jul 9, 2017

DMW said:
Probably true, but it will get them guaranteed Grey Phalarope and Little Auk, which could be otherwise tricky to pin down when they are chasing vagrants. Also might be their only shot at Ivory Gull.

Or they could have gone to Iceland earlier in the season, which would have gotten them everything plus Gyr, Barrow's GoldenEye etc, minus only Ivory Gull which they could have easily twitched in Germany. Svalbard ist definitely in there for the experience, not for the birds...

Andy Adcock · Jul 9, 2017

Maffong said:
Or they could have gone to Iceland earlier in the season, which would have gotten them everything plus Gyr, Barrow's GoldenEye etc, minus only Ivory Gull which they could have easily twitched in Germany. Svalbard ist definitely in there for the experience, not for the birds...

Is someone with them armed against a possible Polar Bear encounter?

A

Nutcracker · Jul 9, 2017

andyadcock said:
Is someone with them armed against a possible Polar Bear encounter?

A

I'd assume they have a local guide who will comply with the local law :t:

Selsey Birder · Jul 9, 2017

Paul,

I do not want to quote that entire list again, but do you not need to add the Siberian Tit back into the "achievable targets"?

On a separate note, there are just five of your category 1 birds left for them to find.

Ian

Paul Chapman · Jul 9, 2017

Selsey Birder said:
Paul,

I do not want to quote that entire list again, but do you not need to add the Siberian Tit back into the "achievable targets"?

On a separate note, there are just five of your category 1 birds left for them to find.

Ian

Ian

It appears as 'Grey-headed Chickadee'. Again, just copied from the checklist before Andy notices this post! B

All the best

Andy Adcock · Jul 9, 2017

Paul Chapman said:
Ian

It appears as 'Grey-headed Chickadee'. Again, just copied from the checklist before Andy notices this post! B

All the best

You know me well Sir,
this just illustrates what confusion it causes, it's a WP list so let's stick to the names from this side of the pond?

They in fact do call it a Tit on their blog so why do others change it?

A

Andy Adcock · Jul 9, 2017

Nutcracker said:
I'd assume they have a local guide who will comply with the local law :t:

Birders are on the menu, Polar Bears do not respect the law and anyone who walks where they may meet one, unarmed, are taking a massive risk.

A

Simon Wates · Jul 9, 2017

As a regular reader but with no input....great thread indeed....loads of fun.

Maybe this will still be around when they get out to the Açores:

https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/62845861?__hstc=60209138.86cb3f152364a8c0ee57f2ba52341896.1492874276946.1499169982997.1499602379505.52&__hssc=60209138.3.1499602379505&__hsfp=3681838443

Nutcracker · Jul 10, 2017

Nutcracker said:
I'd assume they have a local guide who will comply with the local law :t:

andyadcock said:
Birders are on the menu, Polar Bears do not respect the law and anyone who walks where they may meet one, unarmed, are taking a massive risk.

A

What I meant is that their guide will comply with local law, which means he'll have a gun with him in case of Polar Bear attack. It's a legal requirement on Svalbard outside of towns that at least one person in a group has a gun (and is trained to use it) :t:

dan pointon · Jul 10, 2017

Simon Wates said:
As a regular reader but with no input....great thread indeed....loads of fun.

Maybe this will still be around when they get out to the Açores:

https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/62845861?__hstc=60209138.86cb3f152364a8c0ee57f2ba52341896.1492874276946.1499169982997.1499602379505.52&__hssc=60209138.3.1499602379505&__hsfp=3681838443

Think it had already disappeared when searched for today!

Richard Prior · Jul 10, 2017

Ivory Gull and Long-tailed Skua safely in the bag!

DanielDoer · Jul 10, 2017

Richard Prior said:
Ivory Gull and Long-tailed Skua safely in the bag!

So now at 653 species!!
http://www.bigyearwp.com/index.php/igoterra-ticks/

And now time for Black-browed Albatross at Sylt...

Paul Chapman · Jul 10, 2017

Nice pic of the Ivory Gull on Facebook:-

https://m.facebook.com/bigyearwp

All the best

2017 Western Palearctic Big Year (2 Viewers)

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