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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Recent content by msmith

  1. M

    Yard Squad Challenge!

    Hi all, I'm looking to recruit more players for a friendly team competition that is entering its 2nd chapter. The idea behind the Yard Squad Challenge is that each participant: 1) signs up to be placed in an international team of birders; 2) picks a limited area near his/her home to bird; 3)...
  2. M

    ABA Big Year 2019

    Good point - in my blind Americentrism, I'd forgotten that UK names were even an option. Just to be provocative, I'll note that Samuel Johnson himself preferred the spelling "gray"...
  3. M

    ABA Big Year 2019

    Lol - take it up with eBird! I do see, however, from your correct usage of the second person plural, that you have a proper appreciation of Nearctic culture.
  4. M

    ABA Big Year 2019

    Virtually no chance at any of the rest of those, I'm afraid. There are several Code 4s and 5s that could potentially make an appearance, though - Yellow-legged Gull, Graylag Goose, Northern Lapwing, Streak-backed Oriole, and Blue Bunting (among others) have all turned up in December in recent...
  5. M

    ABA Big Year 2019

    He seems to have a Myiarchus mislabeled as a Tropical Kingbird in this post - though given the state he's in I'll gladly let it slide!
  6. M

    ABA Big Year 2019

    Midway is included. It makes a certain weird sense, as the atoll falls between Hawaii and Kure (which is technically part of Hawaii), making it an "enclave." There's apparently also precedent for Hawaii state listers including it. More here...
  7. M

    ABA Big Year 2019

    For what it's worth, the ABA Big Year leader in Fantasy Birding - where players pick each day's spot and get credit for species eBirded nearby - is currently at 858. I designed the game to approximate what would be possible for a real-life birder going "all out," though of course fantasy birders...
  8. M

    ABA Big Year 2019

    The Stejneger's - White-winged split was recognized by the AOS this summer and will be reflected on the upcoming ABA Checklist (as will Yellow-chevroned Parakeet, I believe).
  9. M

    ABA Big Year 2019

    The Swiftlet nesting tunnel that John couldn't find seems to correspond to an old eBird personal location -- presumably he saw this: https://ebird.org/checklist/S33954879
  10. M

    ABA Big Year 2019

    Newell's Shearwater was apparently also seen (per eBird), but hasn't shown up on John's list.
  11. M

    ABA Big Year 2019

    John & co. embarked from Honolulu on the 13th, made it out to Middle Bank Seamount via sailboat, and I believe returned yesterday evening. From what I've heard of the results, he will only have added one species, Black-winged Petrel, to his year list.
  12. M

    ABA Big Year 2019

    Midway does get birded for much of the year these days. There's often a US Fish & Wildlife volunteer present, and Island Conservation (nonprofit) maintains a presence there. They have a handful of records of Asian vagrants in recent years, including Brambling, Slaty-backed Gull, Wood Sandpiper...
  13. M

    ABA Big Year 2019

    It's not unusual for Ross's to show up in numbers in the first week of Oct -- e.g., in 2017 there were already 300+ being reported on Oct 6. The winds aren't favorable at the moment but that seems likely to change around Thursday. Not sure how long John will be staying.
  14. M

    ABA Big Year 2019

    John's stated destination of Middle Bank Seamount for his (hopeful) October pelagic trip is <100 km from Nihoa Island, where the Nihoa Finch and Millerbird both occur -- however, my understanding is you'd need a special research permit from the USFWS to land there. The same applies to Laysan...
  15. M

    ABA Big Year 2019

    Any intel on when the McQuades (or anyone else) will be arriving at Gambell? It's been a bit underbirded this year, with Lehman missing the spring and not due there till September. And I assume John will be getting there late thanks to the Searcher pelagic. There are two groups slated to show up...
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