[texbirds] Re: Update on the Hewetson/Lubbock vs. Kostecke/Austin competition
- From: "Rich Kostecke" <dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> (Redacted sender "rkost73@xxxxxxxxx" for DMARC)
- To: "fattonybirds@xxxxxxxxx" <fattonybirds@xxxxxxxxx>, "texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "leasbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <leasbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, VNA <friendsofvna@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 3 Dec 2014 13:40:40 +0000 (UTC)
As I predicted, but dreaded, this contest is coming down to the wire. It has
been a slog. I have had some fantastic birds within the patch, but it is
going to be the misses of some of the usually to be expected spring migrant
songbirds and fall shorebirds that could sink me. But that is how the birding
goes some years. Of course, Anthony's region (and other regions as well) have
recently had the gall of turning up some ultra-rarities, and it seems like half
of the local birders within my patch bailed to go a-chasin' instead of staying
put and locating new patch birds for me. Oh, the fickleness of birders!Â
;-)Â Anyway, time is certainly running out and Anthony has the advantage of
attending 2 CBC's within his patch and largely staying put within his patch
during this final month of the competition; whereas all of the CBC's that I am
attending are outside of my patch and in general I will have a lot of out of
patch travel during the month. That might make all of the difference in the
end.
Somewhat realistically hoping for Cinnamon Teal, American Woodcock, Herring
Gull (though California and Lesser Black-backed would be dandy, too), Rufous
Hummingbird,
Red-naped Sapsucker (recently reported at Commons Ford Park in Austin),
Red-breasted Nuthatch, White-breasted Nuthatch, Chestnut-collared Longspur,
Lark Bunting, Pyrrhuloxia, Purple Finch, and Pine Siskin this month; though, if
they show, I will also take some more outrageous and less expected birds as
well.
Cheers!
Rich
 Richard Kostecke, Ph.D.
The Nature Conservancy
318 Congress Ave., Austin, Texas 78701Email: rkost73@xxxxxxxxx or
rkostecke@xxxxxxxÂ
From: Anthony Hewetson <fattonybirds@xxxxxxxxx>
To: "texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>;
leasbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx; Anthony Hewetson <fattonybirds@xxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, December 1, 2014 11:41 AM
Subject: [texbirds] Update on the Hewetson/Lubbock vs. Kostecke/Austin
competition
Greetings All:
Rich Kostecke, it turns out, was actually ahead of me at the end of
October. Something about the system he is using to keep track of things
led him to omit Cactus Wren and Verdin - found long ago - from his list and
I was unaware of his Halloween addition of Red-breasted Merganser. So, at
the end of October the score was 288 for Rich in his Austin-centered region
and 286 for Fat Tony in his Lubbock-centered region.
November was good for both of us but better for me.
I added (in order of appearance) Greater Scaup, Pine Warbler, Western
Grebe, Horned Grebe, Bald Eagle, Common Crane, Cassin's Finch, Red
Crossbill, Herring Gull, and Lewis's Woodpecker to my regional list for the
year, bringing me to 296 - very close to my goal of 300 for 2014.
Rich added (in order of appearance) Virginia Rail, Curve-billed Thrasher,
Western Grebe, McCown's Longspur, Zone-tailed Hawk, and Palm Warbler to his
regional list, bringing him to 294.
Looking at our lists, Rich still has a couple of fairly easy (in most
years) species to add to his region - somebody, please pin down a
Red-breasted Nuthatch and/or Pine Siskin for him.
I, on the other hand - with the exception of a reasonable expectation for
Short-eared Owl, am going to have to hope for more weirdness. Fortunately,
there seems to be a lot of weirdness about this season and, while I still
expect Rich to pull out a victory, my region can't be written off just yet
- see temporary nickname below (all casuals/accidentals for which my region
has multiple December records)
Anthony 'looking for Tundra Swan, Brant, Eurasian Wigeon, Long-tailed Duck,
Surf Scoter, White-winged Scoter, Pacific Loon, Clark's Grebe, Brown
Pelican, Black Rail, American Woodcock, California Gull, Lesser
Black-backed Gull, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Greater
Kiskadee, Northern Shrike, Steller's Jay, Carolina Chickadee, Sedge Wren,
Varied Thrush, Sprague's Pipit, Eastern Towhee, American Tree Sparrow, Sage
Sparrow, Le Conte's Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, and/or Purple Finch '
Hewetson; Lubbock
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