Birding goals for 2023 (1 Viewer)

[Tero]

I may be able to add some Finland birds in May. My list is some 70 but I did not have places and dates, so eBird is only 51. My birder buddy is in Pori, he may get me some coastal birds. And I have a childhood friend that has a cabin on an island between Helsinki and Porvoo.

 

[Paul Chapman]

2. Participate in new local bird surveys (probably one on sparrows incoming this year + French breeding birds Atlas)

That will keep you busy. Received an eBird query on some birds I recorded as Italian * Spanish hybrids. They seemed a total mix - mainly though of Italian * House - to me!

All the best

Paul

 

[Steve Babbs]

As others have gone away from birds a fair bit mine is to restart my cat list which has been stalled since black-footed cat in 2016.

 

[lgonz1008]

It's a bit of a coin flip right now, but most likely somewhere in the Old World, either trip will help me get to 1,500 in my life list.

If my Kenya trip goes through, then I'll be in Africa for the first time this upcoming May.

But my backup is just as good, I'll do Borneo (Sabah) in August, I found a good local guide that will help me target all the big targets of the island (birds and mammals), plus the chance to target Bulwer's Pheasant and a few other skulkers not covered in regular birding trips to the region. If Kenya fails, I'll likely ask for people to join me sometime in January, it would be around $4k if I get 3 people to join me.


On a nearer front, family is contemplating a trip to Northern California, which would give me a chance for Condor and the other regional specialties that I've missed in Oregon and Washington so far.

I also want to get my Florida list to 350, right now I'm missing a few targets that I could get if I did trips to the Panhandle and the Gulf Coast during winter and spring migration, like Nashville, Blue-winged and Kentucky Warbler, Snow Goose, Bell's Vireo and American Flamingo.

 

[raymie]

Larger animals such as Canada Lynx and Wolf are not unknown either. Most of the species we've mentioned would be a thrill for me.

John

There's Moose in the area, too, which is exciting for me at least.

 

[Scott98]

I just want to go to my local patches more often

same here! My local spot is Plum Island (Massachusetts)...every spring there are at least one or two epic "fallout" events where the island is overwhelmed with migrating birds for a day, usually warblers, like all of them at once! It's usually a storm that causes a shift to a strong northerly wind that causes them all to land and rest.

I missed the one in April and the one in May this year. I need to be checking a couple of online sources first thing every morning, hoping to do that starting in late April this year

 

[Val35]

That will keep you busy. Received an eBird query on some birds I recorded as Italian * Spanish hybrids. They seemed a total mix - mainly though of Italian * House - to me!

All the best

Paul

Yes, a lot of field work ahead !

Interesting...Italian Sparrow x Spanish Sparrow hybrids are rather common here in some places (especially the very south of Corsica as Sardinia as Spanish Sparrow everywhere...). It makes it very difficult to tell if a Spanish type Sparrow is "pure" or not...
What made you think they had House genes ? Greyish cap ?

All the best !

 

[Paul Chapman]

Valentin

In short, yes. My simplistic approach was:-
(1) Pic 1 - too much grey in crown was House Sparrow influence;
(2) Pic 2 - relatively limited bib with too strong flank streaking was Spanish Sparrow influence; &
(3) Pics 3 & 4 - Italian Sparrows.

But I know that I would respect your opinion & experience more!

All the best

Paul

 

[Val35]

Valentin

In short, yes. My simplistic approach was:-
(1) Pic 1 - too much grey in crown was House Sparrow influence;
(2) Pic 2 - relatively limited bib with too strong flank streaking was Spanish Sparrow influence; &
(3) Pics 3 & 4 - Italian Sparrows.

But I know that I would respect your opinion & experience more!

All the best

Paul

Agree with your opinion, just wondered how the Italian x House hybrids were like as they are uncommon here
Still missing House Sparrow on my Corsican list by the way...wonder what's the vagrancy potential of those birds, I guess I need to check sparrow flocks more thoroughly...

 

[Nohatch]

Joining the relaunch of the UK Patchwork Challenge (excited about that). Keeping a casual 10 km local area list as well to add a but of variety. And I'll try to focus more on green, slow, local birding experiences - my life is busy enough as it is!

 

[Richard D]

I'm very much a local patch birder. Started submitting records to county group last year and will keep that up, might start listing again for the first time in over 20 years...

 

[Mono]

Get my garden list up to 16! It's been on 15 for 3 years.

Success! Just had a Jay perch in the oak tree for all of about 5 seconds, but that counts!

 

[cloudarms]

Reach 300 species for my state, 400 species for the year, and 600 species seen worldwide.