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ABA Big Year 2019 (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter trptjoe
- Start date
MKinHK
Mike Kilburn
Paul Chapman
Well-known member
In 2016 he got between 1.9.-31.12. outside Hawaii:
- 3 Code 1-2's
- 7 Code 3-5's from Alaska
- 12 Code 3-5's from elsewhere
He's still missing a lot of Code 3's from Alaska (list in post #138) and he's doing an additional Hawaii pelagic, so I think the chances are quite good.
*****
Because John reads this, here's his missing from Continental species list (Hawaii only). He must have seen e.g. Leach's Storm-Petrel during Searcher pelagic, so I hope he informs us which are still missing.
Spotted Dove (2)
White-tailed Tropicbird (2)
Red-tailed Tropicbird (3)
Mottled Petrel (2)
Bulwer’s Petrel (3)
Wedge-tailed Shearwater (2)
Leach’s Storm Petrel (1)
Great Frigatebird (3)
Red-footed Booby (2)
Short-eared Owl (1)
Eurasian Skylark (2)
Paul Higson
Well-known member
John had Wryneck, Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler, Little Bunting and Rufous tailed Robin in first four hours on Gambell.
Also Siberian Accentor " first for year".
Also Siberian Accentor " first for year".
MKinHK
Mike Kilburn
Presumably this means he didn't tick the bird photographed earlier. In any case he had Eastern Yellow Wagtail back in June in Alaska.
Cheers
Mike
Interesting - it appears that Pallas's GW was on 9th and Middendorff's reported on ebird for the 8th. Seems like the Deans may have got both (certainly the MGW). Have the McQuades already left?
Also Spectacled Eider seen on Gambell, perhaps John finally filled that gap as well.
Paul Chapman
Well-known member
Some pretty mouthwatering checklists out there with photos of both Groppers:-
https://ebird.org/hotspot/L246497?yr=all&m=&rank=mrec
https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S59630279
https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S59655181
The bookies are making this odds on? But a horrible lull could still derail it...........?
Where are the links to John's sightings?
All the best
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The McQuades had already left. Dave rolled down a ravine and sprained his ankle. St. Paul on crutches should be tricky...
The Deans added ten and nine species on Gambell (Dick missed the Little Bunting). The Wryneck showed up while they waited for the plane.
John is pretty jacked, as one can imagine! His flight was nearly cancelled due to fog, but he got there at 6pm and racked up the birds right away.
Paul: John posted last night's sightings on Facebook.
Joe
The Deans added ten and nine species on Gambell (Dick missed the Little Bunting). The Wryneck showed up while they waited for the plane.
John is pretty jacked, as one can imagine! His flight was nearly cancelled due to fog, but he got there at 6pm and racked up the birds right away.
Paul: John posted last night's sightings on Facebook.
Joe
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Paul Chapman
Well-known member
Joe - noted. Many thanks.
On the Groppers, a few confirmatory comments here from Grahame Walbridge may be of interest:-
https://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=381027
All the best
John is very happy!
https://birdingyear.com/best-three-hours-of-aba-birding-ever-might-just-be/
And going to St Paul. Now on 793, +30 -73
https://birdingyear.com/best-three-hours-of-aba-birding-ever-might-just-be/
And going to St Paul. Now on 793, +30 -73
Paul Chapman
Well-known member
And that certainly comes through in that write up! Thanks for the link.
And I agree with him on Wrynecks.
(In the topsy turvy world of listing where everything counts as one, I spent a week chasing round Cornwall for Brown Booby photos to miss Wryneck on my patch for my year list. Thankfully we do get one or two every few years.)
All the best
While waiting for the transition to St Paul, I've compiled a list of John's species of which he has not photographed.
He's got pictures of 752 species and is missing the following 41 already observed species:
Code 1
White-winged Scoter
Mountain Quail
Northern Bobwhite
Common Poorwill
White-throated Swift
Costa’s Hummingbird
King Rail
Wilson’s Phalarope
Parasitic Jaeger
Northern Goshawk
Barn Owl
Northwestern Crow
Evening Grosbeak
Purple Finch
Le Conte’s Sparrow
Code 2
Montezuma Quail
Spotted Dove
Mangrove Cuckoo
Mexican Whip-poor-will
Yellow Rail
Black Rail
Arctic Loon
Red-footed Booby
Flammulated Owl
Whiskered Screech-Owl
Black-backed Woodpecker
Greater Pewee
Henslow’s Sparrow
Code 3-5
Long-toed Stint
Slaty-backed Gull
Fea’s Petrel
Cook’s Petrel
Great Frigatebird
Zenaida Dove
White-tailed Eagle
Siberian Accentor
Antillean Palm-Swift
Hawaii only
Black Francolin (2)
Hawaiian Hawk (2)
Japanese Bush-Warbler (2)
Apapane (2)
There is at least one error, because there was a photo of Cook's Petrel on his blog post but it's not on his list.
Question to those who know ABA area better: how many of those are still possible? Of course some rarities won't be seen again and I would imagine that rails, nightjars and owls are very difficult but has he missed some migrants also?
He's got pictures of 752 species and is missing the following 41 already observed species:
Code 1
White-winged Scoter
Mountain Quail
Northern Bobwhite
Common Poorwill
White-throated Swift
Costa’s Hummingbird
King Rail
Wilson’s Phalarope
Parasitic Jaeger
Northern Goshawk
Barn Owl
Northwestern Crow
Evening Grosbeak
Purple Finch
Le Conte’s Sparrow
Code 2
Montezuma Quail
Spotted Dove
Mangrove Cuckoo
Mexican Whip-poor-will
Yellow Rail
Black Rail
Arctic Loon
Red-footed Booby
Flammulated Owl
Whiskered Screech-Owl
Black-backed Woodpecker
Greater Pewee
Henslow’s Sparrow
Code 3-5
Long-toed Stint
Slaty-backed Gull
Fea’s Petrel
Cook’s Petrel
Great Frigatebird
Zenaida Dove
White-tailed Eagle
Siberian Accentor
Antillean Palm-Swift
Hawaii only
Black Francolin (2)
Hawaiian Hawk (2)
Japanese Bush-Warbler (2)
Apapane (2)
There is at least one error, because there was a photo of Cook's Petrel on his blog post but it's not on his list.
Question to those who know ABA area better: how many of those are still possible? Of course some rarities won't be seen again and I would imagine that rails, nightjars and owls are very difficult but has he missed some migrants also?
John's predicted tick-fest does not seem to have materialised yet on St Paul.
I assume he has picked up Sharp-tailed Sand. The Jack Snipe seems to have gone AWOL.
Seems an OBP has been found so perhaps not all lost yet.
Any news on the Boreal Owl?
He also seems to have missed opportunities for both Spectacled & Seller's Eiders. Where can he pick these up? Is he going to Barrow for Ross's Gull (Ivory as well?).
Am I right in saying that Grey-headed Chickadee is not possible?
I assume he has picked up Sharp-tailed Sand. The Jack Snipe seems to have gone AWOL.
Seems an OBP has been found so perhaps not all lost yet.
Any news on the Boreal Owl?
He also seems to have missed opportunities for both Spectacled & Seller's Eiders. Where can he pick these up? Is he going to Barrow for Ross's Gull (Ivory as well?).
Am I right in saying that Grey-headed Chickadee is not possible?
Farnboro John
Well-known member
He may have photo-ops for Northern Goshawk and Slaty-backed Gull on St Paul Island this week. He will easily get photos of Great Frigatebird, Red-footed Booby and Spotted Dove in Hawaii, plus good ops for the other 4 listed, although in 2016 neither of us got pics of Black Francolin - we always saw them on the road while driving. All of the code one are year round residents and doable if he has time. Most of the code 2 will be around through the rest of the year, the exception being Flammulated Owl which at this point I wouldn’t bother to try for. The rails and nightjars would require the most effort- he could ride a combine harvesting rice in Louisiana in November and have a shot at photographing Yellow Rail as I did.
Laura Keene
Also, the photo has to be diagnostic- his photo of the Buff-collared Nightjar is only eyeshine. I had videos with the eyeshine and vocalizations of the Buff-collared Nightjar, Common Poorwill, Mexican Whip-poor-will, and Eastern Whip-poor-will that don't count.
Laura Keene
Steller's were seen in Gambell last week, he may not have updated. He could also photograph Steller's Eider while on St Paul Island, and Spectacled Eider when he goes to Barrow for Ross's Gull. He got Gray-headed Chickadee in November 2016 outside of Kotzebue, Alaska so I wouldn't be surprised if he tries that spot again.
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