ABA Big Year 2016 (1 Viewer)

[Paul Chapman]

Next blog:-

http://olafsbigyear.blogspot.co.uk/2016/04/living-largo.html

All the best

 

[Paul Chapman]

I thought that it was about time that I looked up the chap in second place on eBird as Olaf had name-checked him a couple of times:-

http://www.thebirdingproject.com/

http://www.thebirdingproject.com/blog

http://www.thebirdingproject.com/birdlist/

Olaf is currently 87 ahead on eBird 561 to 474 but I understand that Aesop is predicting a tighter finish if Olaf eases up.

All the best

 

[Paul Chapman]

A Thick-billed Vireo (Code 4) yesterday and not before time. With less than 100 Code 1's to go and 60 odd Code 2's, it will soon be down to rarity-chasing to the year end.....

http://ebird.org/ebird/top100?locInfo.regionCode=aba&yr=cur

All the best

 

[Paul Chapman]

With the inevitable march of spring, the list climbs and climbs with 577 this morning....

http://ebird.org/ebird/top100?locInfo.regionCode=aba&yr=cur

Through 600 within a week presumably?

All the best

 

[Kratter]

Is he still in Florida?
Cuban Vireo, 1st ABA record, found in Key West this morning!
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S29061817
Andy

 

[Reuven_M]

Also Marsh Sandpiper in California and European Golden-plover in Newfoundland! Some decisions to be made.

 

[Mysticete]

Cuban Vireo definitely should be the #1 priority. I don't see any issue with this being accepted, and I don't think he has snagged any definite first records yet in his big year

 

[dantheman]

Last bird (581) yesterday was American Golden Plover ...

http://ebird.org/ebird/top100?locInfo.regionCode=aba&yr=cur

Does that mean he popped across to California?

 

[Richard Klim]

Last bird (581) yesterday was American Golden Plover ...
http://ebird.org/ebird/top100?locInfo.regionCode=aba&yr=cur
Does that mean he popped across to California?

Surely not the easiest place to find AGP!

 

[Mysticete]

He said after the thick-billed Vireo he had a reservation to hit up the Tortugas, which depending on if he camped there or not might have been a two day or so deal at least.

So hopefully he hadn't flown west yet...

This is a...difficult time of year for big year birders in the ABA. not only are there a lot of birders out and a lot of birders moving around (meaning a lot of good birds being around), but Olaf also needs to nab as many neotropical migrants as possible. Anything not seen in the next month or so potentially means separate trips out to their breeding range, and a lot more time invested. and some warbler have fairly short breeding seasons, with peak breeding time coinciding with needed trips to Alaska.

 

[dantheman]

Surely not the easiest place to find AGP!

Oops, yes

Either he headed up to Newfoundland (unlikely) or a migrant down in Florida ...

He said after the thick-billed Vireo he had a reservation to hit up the Tortugas, which depending on if he camped there or not might have been a two day or so deal at least.

So hopefully he hadn't flown west yet...

This is a...difficult time of year for big year birders in the ABA. not only are there a lot of birders out and a lot of birders moving around (meaning a lot of good birds being around), but Olaf also needs to nab as many neotropical migrants as possible. Anything not seen in the next month or so potentially means separate trips out to their breeding range, and a lot more time invested. and some warbler have fairly short breeding seasons, with peak breeding time coinciding with needed trips to Alaska.

Was under the impression that it should be possible to clean up on migrants at migration spots ... what with all those birders and the at times excellent communication.

Last time I looked he needed c.18 or so Code 1 Warblers and 6 Code 2 ... since then he added 6 or so in Florida ... and probably more since.

Otherwise fall at eg Cape May or Florida again?

 

[JeroenVanheuverswyn]

Surely not the easiest place to find AGP!

Yesterday he was in Texas:

http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S29068643

 

[Selsey Birder]

The Blog has been updated to include Texas, no Cuban Vireo though, will let you all read the story, 598 species now.

Sorry cannot paste the link for some reason.

Ian

 

[Paul Chapman]

The Blog has been updated to include Texas, no Cuban Vireo though, will let you all read the story, 598 species now.

Sorry cannot paste the link for some reason.

Ian

Ian

Many thanks.

Link added:-

http://olafsbigyear.blogspot.co.uk/2016/04/going-dark.html

All the best

 

[Paul Chapman]

Well 600 up:-

http://ebird.org/ebird/top100?locInfo.regionCode=aba&yr=cur

Looking forward to getting stuck into the detail.

All the best

 

[Dortmundbirder]

600 in April is impresssive. How many species can be expected in a Spring Alaska trip?

And then it pretty much all comes down how good he can connect with the rarities. The Cuban Vireo really hurts. Considering he was in Florida right before.

What I didnt understand in his blog was the black noddy tick. Did I miss something or didnt he write that he couldnt see the bird good enough to get a positive ID but then it appeared in the list?

 

[Paul Chapman]

By the look of it, it fell into the identifiable (just) but unsatisfying tick bracket:-

'It was so windy on the Fort, that searching for other rarities was almost impossible.* I did see a smaller blackish noddy with a different head patch of white and a longer bill sitting on a cactus, but getting a photograph was impossible. *In fact, my whole set up blew over into the sand and I just terminated any thoughts of that. *Then I lost it.* The black noddy was a life bird but one that didn’t leave me feeling satisfied. *I kind of kept quiet about it too.'

All the best

 

[Paul Chapman]

Remaining 'commoner' species as at 598:-

Code 1 - 60
Code 2 - 57

So in essence, those plus 35 Code 3 & above needed for 750.

All the best

 

[Dortmundbirder]

By the look of it, it fell into the identifiable (just) but unsatisfying tick bracket:-

'It was so windy on the Fort, that searching for other rarities was almost impossible.* I did see a smaller blackish noddy with a different head patch of white and a longer bill sitting on a cactus, but getting a photograph was impossible. *In fact, my whole set up blew over into the sand and I just terminated any thoughts of that. *Then I lost it.* The black noddy was a life bird but one that didn’t leave me feeling satisfied. *I kind of kept quiet about it too.'

All the best

Thanks for the clarification Paul.

 

[Paul Chapman]

Olaf was in Texas on 22nd and 23rd:-

http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S29160595

http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S29160629

http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S29160650

He really needs those rarities. Neil recorded 50 Code 3 & above species that Olaf is yet to record:-

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1wMcmmJNCgR_iFi4-t7mCK4HETvoExMVkyeISlSt7KMs/pub?output=html#

Tundra Bean-Goose
Whooper Swan
Spectacled Eider
Trindade Petrel
Flesh-footed Shearwater
Least Storm-Petrel
Red-billed Tropicbird
Lesser Sand-Plover
Gray-tailed Tattler
Black-tailed Godwit
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper
Curlew Sandpiper
Red-necked Stint
Common Snipe
Craveri's Murrelet
Ross's Gull
Slaty-backed Gull
Ruddy Ground-Dove
Buff-collared Nightjar
Berylline Hummingbird
White-eared Hummingbird
Budgerigar - no longer available!
La Sagra's Flycatcher
Fork-tailed Flycatcher
Yellow-green Vireo
Eyebrowed Thrush
White Wagtail
Olive-backed Pipit
Red-throated Pipit
Five-striped Sparrow
Rustic Bunting
Brambling
Baikal Teal
Blue-footed Booby
White-tailed Eagle
Northern Lapwing
Little Stint
Yellow-legged Gull
Plain-capped Starthroat
Gray-streaked Flycatcher
Red-flanked Bluetail
Stonechat
Dusky Thrush
Slate-throated Redstart
Little Bunting
Common Rosefinch
Rufous-necked Wood-Rail
Amazon Kingfisher
Nutting's Flycatcher
Common Redstart

Olaf has recorded 15 species that Neil did not record:-

Egyptian Goose
California Condor
Ridgway’s Rail
Common Pochard
Ivory Gull
Smooth-billed Ani
Black-faced Grassquit
Common Crane
Northern Jacana
Black-tailed Gull
Redwing
White-throated Thrush
Siberian Accentor
Blue Bunting
Zenaida Dove

All the best