What a long strange trip it’s been.
Robert Hunter, the Grateful Dead.
We started this little adventure to get us outside, doing something we have only sporadically done the past 17 years. We set a goal that I thought would be challenging, but achievable. Kind of like Stalin’s five-year plans but without the labor camps if we didn’t make 350.
So what have we accomplished? For starters, I made my 350 species goal. I got 351 species, Lise got 337, and we have a combined count of 352. The goal ended up being more challenging than I thought. As the days were winding down I was thinking of all the lost opportunities during the year. Like not chasing the whimbrels down at Erie Marsh because I assumed we would get them in Florida. Had I not made 350 Lise probably would have preferred the labor camps to my moping. (Definitely! – Lise)
I added 35 species to my life list, bringing me up to 438 species. I haven’t added that many new species in a year for about a decade. I’m not sure if Lise is keeping a life list since she lost her’s in an ugly computer accident but she added some lifers too.
Our birding skills have greatly improved. We were really rusty and this is not something you learn in a book. This is a field skill, but based on book knowledge. With some better preparation, especially on the audible side, our counts may have been higher.
We got to spend some great times with friends like Barb, Ellen, Joanna, Jean, Fred, Brad, and Anita. I would not have made my goal without their help, especially Barb’s. We capitalized on her wanting to beat everyone in her office and Ellen letting her come out and play with us. We also met some of the local birders. If not for their listserve posts there is no way we have gotten 350 species.
We did a lot of travelling. Not all for birding but we usually managed to work in a little wherever we went. We went to Arizona as a family, I went to Delaware by myself, we did a family trip to Delaware, and Molly and I went there for Thanksgiving. Lise and I went to Maine for Zack’s wedding. I did the ESRI conference in San Diego where I got a couple species. We did a family trip to Chicago. As expected, the Chicago trip didn’t increase the count but it was fun. We did a family trip to Florida. And, we did a bunch of trips around Michigan and northern Indiana.
Too many places we couldn’t do justice to in the short times we were there. I really do want to spend some more time in Arizona and Florida. Two different systems, one defined by a lack of water, the other by an abundance of water. There are some other places on my list too, but they will need to wait until we have more travel flexibility. This coming year will be very different travel-wise, mostly centered on college visits.
We found birds in all manner of places, from great natural areas like Madera Canyon to coastal Delaware and Florida to the Lewes-Cap May ferry to someone’s driveway in Kalamazoo. I rag on this place a bit but if you take the trouble you will find things here. Like I posted before, Sean Williams got 266 species just here in Ingham County. It really is a case of opening your eyes and looking around. It also helps to know what you are looking at or listening to.
We also found some fun non-birding places and had some interesting gastronomical experiences. All good in their own way. You just need to be open to opportunities and stay away from chains. Except Starbucks and Beaners. Good coffee is an essential. Usquaebach is a Gaelic used for whiskey. The English word whiskey is derived from it. Loosely translated it means “the water of life.” I like my Irish whiskey but I would put decent coffee is right up there too.
For me personally, the most interesting part of this little adventure has been writing the blog. It was Molly’s idea to do a blog. It was a great suggestion and according to feedback we have kept some people amused. I even have some people stalking me, or “following” me as it is called in the blogosphere.
This was not something I had ever done before. I wasn’t sure what to write about at first and there has been an evolution in the writing. The original intent was for both of us to do the writing but I ended up doing most of it. Lise took on the thankless task of editing. No matter how often I looked at a post she would always find a typo or missing word. To her credit, she didn’t change any of the things she thought were of questionable taste. You never know, the queen may end up reading it. No knighthood for me I guess.
I still have some to learn about the blogosphere though. According to Lindsay, I have to tag things so more people can find the blog as they are searching for things. Like if you happen to be searching tumblr for “razorbill” or “roseate spoonbill” my blog will come up.
Well I need to be moving on. Like the fiscal cliff, my virus software expires at the stroke of midnight. Trying to compromise with McAfee is about as likely as getting compromise in Congress. If I don’t renew my virus software they probably post my email address on a hacker’s bulletin board. So I need to quit this post and protect myself before we go to a New Year’s party.
I plan to keep this up and I still need a goal to be shooting for. Gives me a reason to get up on the weekends. Given travel restrictions in the upcoming year I need to think a little more local. There are about 440 bird species recorded in Michigan. A couple of those have probably been killed off but the number is somewhere in that ball park. Some are only occasional visitors. So for the next year I am keeping to a Michigan goal, seeing over 200 species within the state.
At least for now I will keep this blog site up. Since we are past 2012 I may migrate to a different site. Something that isn’t dated and I can organize for searching and archiving. I may need to call on Lindsay, my tumblr expert.
Auld Lang Syne my friends. See you next year.
Ed's and Lise's Biggish Years 