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ABA Big Year 2018 (1 Viewer)

Yes, Nicole is planing to head back, and to Kauai.

Dan checked in with his recent species; in addition to his eBird number he picked up Key West Quail-Dove, putting him at 691. Updated Lower 48 lists attached.

EDIT: the Deans added Pink-footed Goose this morning. As Gaylee put it, "a grudge bird from last year."

Joe
 

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Hi folks,

An early heads' up that at least one person will be doing an ABA 'Big Year' in 2019 - me! More of a photo big year really, and without a crazy bent on records. Really. Blog is up at birdingyear.com for anyone interested.

Thanks Joe for all of the updates re the 2018 BY with Nicole. She is closing in on a big number - presently ticking the boxes in Hawaii.

John Weigel

Have a great year John, you could smash the ABA photographic Big Year! I did a very local County photographic year in Hampshire, UK and only missed one species for a photograph (which I saw) so think high % photographed are achievable - as long as the camera is around your neck- not in the bag! I hope you have a good Alaskan season in particular.

cheers, alan
 
Yes, Nicole is planing to head back, and to Kauai.

Dan checked in with his recent species; in addition to his eBird number he picked up Key West Quail-Dove, putting him at 691. Updated Lower 48 lists attached.

EDIT: the Deans added Pink-footed Goose this morning. As Gaylee put it, "a grudge bird from last year."

Joe

It appears Nicole has headed to Newfoundland and succeeded with Grey Heron and Pink-footed Goose
 
It appears Nicole has headed to Newfoundland and succeeded with Grey Heron and Pink-footed Goose


Am I right in thinking that the most gettable ones left for Nicole are Smiths Longspur, American Flamingo and Barnacle Goose ? Any chance of her getting near Olaf’s 778 by the end of the year?
 
Am I right in thinking that the most gettable ones left for Nicole are Smiths Longspur, American Flamingo and Barnacle Goose ? Any chance of her getting near Olaf’s 778 by the end of the year?

It would be great if someone could summarise the species that she can currently still get
 
Birds in the ABA Area as of now, that Nicole needs:
Barnacle goose in Nova Scotia
American Flamingo in Florida
Smith's Longspur in midwest
Hook-billed kite -reports just today from multiple locations in Texas' LRGV. (Their birding festival goes through Sunday, so they might still find something else equally exciting.). :^)

and who knows what else might show up? At the end of last year, the big year birders were chasing Mistle Thrush and Loggerhead Kingbird. (And the Deans were among the lucky few to see the Corn Crake in NY this time last year!)

P.S. And roadside hawk this week in multiple locations in Texas' LRGV, although it was not reported yet today.
 
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With her latest three species (Pink-footed Goose, Gray Heron and Roadside Hawk) Nicole has vaulted into third place for Continental ABA Big Years.
John - 783
Olaf - 778
Nicole - 764 +1
Laura - 763
Ruben & Victor - 762
Yve - 761
Christian - 752

This is getting interesting!

Joe
 
Joe

Is there a Hawaii number that is considered sensibly achievable now as an additional number to supplememt the historic region (Code 1's & 2's)?

If so, is that higher than John/Olaf achieved because it is now settled/known what is countable?

All the best
 
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I think Big Year birding in Hawaii is a work in progress. The 2016 birders added an additional 52, 51 and 52 species to their tallies.
Yve built on that, went out on a pelagic or two and added 56; the Stolls added 54.
Nicole has room to grow when she goes back, as she's added 43 so far.
I know from Laura that the Big Year people have come up with improved, targeted lists for each island, and Nicole has benefited from their experience. Guides like Lance Tanino have become the go-to people for Hawaiian birding, and that includes Big Year birders.
My bet is that John pulls 60 out of the islands next year.

Joe
 
Nicole is heading back to Hawaii with a total of 810 in the New ABA. She should leapfrog into 3rd place on this trip.
The Deans picked up Gray Heron to put themselves at 726 & 725.
Joe
 

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I think Big Year birding in Hawaii is a work in progress. The 2016 birders added an additional 52, 51 and 52 species to their tallies.
Yve built on that, went out on a pelagic or two and added 56; the Stolls added 54.
Nicole has room to grow when she goes back, as she's added 43 so far.
I know from Laura that the Big Year people have come up with improved, targeted lists for each island, and Nicole has benefited from their experience. Guides like Lance Tanino have become the go-to people for Hawaiian birding, and that includes Big Year birders.
My bet is that John pulls 60 out of the islands next year.

Joe

Joe

Many thanks. Fascinating spreadsheets as always.

It is interesting to me that there are some Hawaiian residents that are Code 3. Do you think eventually that some will be changed to Code 2 and am I right that the only traditional ABA area resident that is Code 3 is Gray-headed Chickadee?

All the best
 
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La Sagra’s Flycatcher in Florida plus the 3 species mentioned in post 84- so lots for Nicole to chase when she returns. Would still need 12-15 to get to the total of John W, which seems a big ask?
 
La Sagra’s Flycatcher in Florida plus the 3 species mentioned in post 84- so lots for Nicole to chase when she returns. Would still need 12-15 to get to the total of John W, which seems a big ask?

So eleven from Hawaii?
Hawaiian Duck
Japanese Bush-Warbler
Anianiau
Kauai Amakihi
Akikiki
Akohekohe
Akiapolaau
Hawaii Creeper
Akekee
Hawaii Akepa
Maui Parrotbill

Also Barnacle Goose, Smith's Longspur, American Flamingo & La Sagra's Flycatcher would make 825?

John Weigel - 835
Olaf Danielson - 829

All the best
 
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Turns out she's not going to Hawaii until December. She back in the southeast going after some of the aforementioned species.
Regarding Code 3 species: I don't know, it seems that things like Flamingo and Tropical Parula are nesting every year, they're just so local and hard to find. Many of the Hawaii Code 3s are like that, I think. The birds are there; good luck getting to where they are.

Joe
 
She's not counting the White-cheeked Pintail. She is, indeed, going for the Hook-billed Kite.
The Deans cleaned up Bohemian Waxwing in Vermont.

Joe
 
She's not counting the White-cheeked Pintail. She is, indeed, going for the Hook-billed Kite.
The Deans cleaned up Bohemian Waxwing in Vermont.

Joe

Seems as though she has headed back to Florida without seen the HBK. Not sure what she is chasing.
 
Seems as though she has headed back to Florida without seen the HBK. Not sure what she is chasing.

Looks like she has headed to Tennessee to the site Ruben Stoll had Smith's Longspur on the 19th. That would close out the non-hawaii code 2s if she gets it.
 
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