10 birds, 2 plants; ABA adjustments
I've been really pushing my bird year list to get a good number for January. On Thursday I decided I wanted to try putting a couple weekday mornings in birding, before work. After stumbling upon a lifer, then another on Friday, it occurred to me to keep the streak going! Well, I ended up with TWO lifers on Saturday, and THREE lifers today!! Don't know if I can keep it up, but the best I can do is put myself in the way of the birds. Sittin' pretty at 128 for 2014 - and all in LA county!
As I've been approaching 500 total species in the ABA count area, it occurred to me how special a marker 500 domestic U.S. birds is, so I made a hard decision. I had to strip my ABA list of a few sightings. These were all legit birds, in what I myself consider legit circumstances, but by ABA rules the south Texas Aplomado Falcon population isn't yet "established" (despite my bird being at LEAST 2nd generation AND actively nesting when viewed). And there were 6 species on my list which I collected during the time I worked as a bird bander (and banded sightings remain my only sightings of those birds). So I separated out my "USA" list (still includes Aplomado, 'banded only' birds, and added Orange Bishop sighting from CA) and my "ABA" list. That way, with 499 USA, I will reach 500 very soon and feel great about it, but I will also have a very distinctive and pleasureful 500 marker of strict ABA rules.
Lifers since last update: Golden-crowned Sparrow, Glaucous-winged Gull, Lewis's Woodpecker, Williamson's Sapsucker, Hammond's Flycatcher (self-found local rarity for this time of year), Townsend's Warbler, and Virginia's Warbler
Added a couple plant species from bumping into a biology teacher when I was out birding as well.
LIST HERE:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1OGxXhQ7K7zrcFe8NYLyz-N21KVCry2f8YWBbQQcRjKY/edit?usp=sharing