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Darwin
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Re Binoculars: I've been very very happy with my Brunton, Echo 1042 10x42. They are waterproof, padded "full size", but I carry them in my bike paniers all the time (except when the perfect rare birds show up, then I don't have them). They are quite a bit less expensive ($200 ish) than the top end ones and I really can't tell the differences between the top end ones that I've borrowed. I also don't like the pressure that carrying around $1000+ of glass around my neck instills.
I used the mini compact ones for years and sometimes still do in remote situations, but they are so much less pleasant and more difficult to use due to the lack of light gathering and narrower angle of view(?).
Re the big year. It's been pretty dead around my yard compared to a week ago. High points: On my bike ride into work, my first and only raptor so far was a Bald Eagle, but even on bike they are lying low or I'm not seeing them. I'm keeping my list at
http://173.160.158.251/postings/stby
if anyone is interested. Although Connie Sidles saw a Brwon Creeper at the Union Bay Fill (I didin't), so I'm hoping. Connie says:
"Any day you see a Brown Creeper is a good day"
I kind of thought
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=1762186&tn=118
would generate some interest ;-)
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Tony
Trad climber
Pt. Richmond, CA
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Prod,
What format is easiest for you to use?
In a column like this:
Canada Goose
American Wigeon
Mallard
Greater Scaup
Lesser Scaup
Surf Scoter
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Common Merganser
...
Or listed with tabs or commas in between:
Canada Goose,American Wigeon, Mallard, Greater Scaup, Lesser Scaup, Surf Scoter, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Common Merganser
Thanks again for taking this on.
By the way I'm up to 63 species after two days. I imagine I will plateau by about a week, then watch others catch up and pass me.
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Ghost
climber
A long way from where I started
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Lots of LBBs (little brown birds) in the trees outside the window today. Except some of them are mostly yellow. And kind of acrobatic, too, what with hanging upside down on little branches apparently just for the fun of it.
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cyndiebransford
climber
31 years in Joshua Tree, now Alaska
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Swam my way through five feet snow drifts to get to the bird feeders yesterday and fill them. No birds showing up yet. I have been gone for six months it may take a while for them to figure out that the food is back.
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Darwin
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Thanks for the photo Cyndie! Where are you in Alaska? Last I noticed you were in Portland. Did you drive up? I'm still haunted from many years back by the songs of the many different thrushes out in Prince William Sound. I lived in Fairbanks for a bit, but the snow in your photo looks heavier than interior snow.
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StahlBro
Trad climber
San Diego, CA
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Today's yard count:
House finch
Purple finch
California Towee
Scrub Jay
Morning Dove
Great Horned owl
Lesser Goldfinch (green backed)
White Crowned Sparrow
Acorn Woodpecker
Savannah Sparrow
Anna's Hummer
Northern Mockingbird
Song Sparrow
Red-tailed Hawk
Spotted Towee
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cyndiebransford
climber
31 years in Joshua Tree, now Alaska
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Darwin,
I live on the Kenai Peninsula. It has been a record breaking snow year here. We usually wouldn't have this much snow. I did drive from and to Alaska. We drove down in August, my son got married in Napa, California at the end of September. Then we decided to visit family and revisit some of the places we love in the lower 48 states. We started the drive from Portland, Oregon on the 21st of February and got back on the 29th.
I am looking forward to counting and seeing some local birds soon.
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Tony
Trad climber
Pt. Richmond, CA
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Here is my count to date. Sorry the following ones will be short. All have been from the house or on foot within about 2 miles in Pt. Richmond.
Canada Goose
American Wigeon
Mallard
Greater Scaup
Lesser Scaup
Surf Scoter
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Wild Turkey
Pied-billed Grebe
Horned Grebe
Eared Grebe
Western Grebe
Clark's Grebe
Brown Pelican
Double-crested Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
Snowy Egret
Green Heron
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Turkey Vulture
White-tailed Kite
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Cooper's Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
American Coot
Black-bellied Plover
Black Oystercatcher
Willet
Spotted Sandpiper
Least Sandpiper
Mew Gull
Ring-billed Gull
California Gull
Herring Gull
Thayer's Gull
Western Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Forster's Tern
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Anna's Hummingbird
Black Phoebe
Western Scrub-Jay
American Crow
Common Raven
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Bushtit
Bewick's Wren
Western Bluebird
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
Northern Mockingbird
European Starling
Yellow-rumped Warbler
California Towhee
Fox Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Western Meadowlark
House Finch
Total =65
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Darwin
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Tony,
It's lucky that I know you're a total sweetheart, else I might think you were trying to discourage the competition by getting so far ahead and getting us to give up. Hey, just to prove to all that you are awesomely magnanimous, can you remind me what you use to distinguish between greater and lesser scaups, especially from a distance?
I'm trying to pay some local "real birder" for an emergency "Oh no, not gulls" class, but so far no luck. ;-)
And finally re Western Bluebird and Hermit Thrush :!great envy.
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Abenda
climber
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I got the crows digging in the trash outside my window. Big a$$ NW crows. Tearing it up.
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Crimpergirl
Sport climber
Boulder, Colorado!
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Point of clarification...
Are we competing against one another? Or is this a group effort where we all list our birds and Prod is compiling the taco big year list?
I got back to town late last night and we are having more big winds. Not the best birding conditions. Still, enjoying what I see.
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Abenda
climber
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There goes a little house sparrow.
I didn't see crows or house sparrows on tony's list. I guess they are just lowly dirt-bag birds.
Add them to the list.
I see the crow now. American crows are smaller than our NW crows. I think you could count it as 2.
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Abenda
climber
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The western gull just showed up at the trash.
Well I got the 3 easy ones. Good for a sunday morning.
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Tony
Trad climber
Pt. Richmond, CA
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Crimpie,
I understand it is both. Is that right?
Abenda,
I listed American Crow, but it sounds like you are in the Pacific NW (SW to Ghost). NW Crows are a full species.
Darwin, I wanted to get out right away since it seems a lot of wintering birds have already left. In particular, the Herring run Gullapalooza was almost over. You must have Hermit Thrush around Seattle, no? The head shape works best for me on Scaup - corner at the back for Lesser. The color (green vs. purple sheen) is not that reliable since it varies so much with lighting.
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Chaz
Trad climber
greater Boss Angeles area
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I saw a Bat last night. He was working the bug swarm around the porch light.
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Crimpergirl
Sport climber
Boulder, Colorado!
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Cool Tony. I like the group effort idea better.
Here are my contributions to date:
Downy Woodpecker
Eurasian Collared Dove
American Robin
Blue Jay
Red-Shafted Northern Flicker
European Starling
Red Winged Black Bird
House Sparrow
American Goldfinch
Lesser Goldfinch
House Finch
Canada Goose
Black-Capped Chickadee
Bird on!
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Chaz
Trad climber
greater Boss Angeles area
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I'd set some trash out for the birds, too. But the dogs and goats would probably eat it.
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Tony
Trad climber
Pt. Richmond, CA
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Here are the new ones for me today:
Red-shouldered Hawk
Whimbrel
Black Turnstone
House Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Lesser Goldfinch
I lugged the camera around and took a few shots that I'll post later.
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Spring is sprung,
Da grass is riz,
I wunder where
Dem boidies is?
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Darwin
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Mighty Hiker. A couple years ago I saw Harlequin Ducks out at that west most point near the Teahouse in Stanley Park. I'm not sure that any other Supertopistas are going to be able to see them within walking bicycling distance from their house. !!!!!
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