All,
While we are on the subject of Big Years, I decided to check in on the global
big year that Dutch birder Arjan Dwarshuis is on and he has a very strong
possibility of eclipsing Noah Strycker's 2015 tally of 6,042. As of 07/20/2015
Noah sat at 3,658 species (http://www.audubon.org/news/the-species-list-part-2)
whereas Arjan has already hauled in 4,218
(<http://world.observation.org/user/lifelist/84878?user=84878&g=1&local_list=0&local_list=1&fam=0&jaar=2016&maand=0&from=2016-01-01&to=2016-07-21&prov=0&rar=0&s%5B%5D=S&s%5B%5D=I&akt_g=0&kle_g=0&exo=0&esc=0&sorteer=alfa>http://world.observation.org/user/lifelist/84878?user=84878&g=1&local_list=0&local_list=1&fam=0&jaar=2016&maand=0&from=2016-01-01&to=2016-07-20&prov=0&rar=0&s%5B%5D=S&s%5B%5D=I&akt_g=0&kle_g=0&exo=0&esc=0&sorteer=alfa)
in the same span this year (although he did get the one extra day per being a
leap year). Both actually got an extra second to boot
(http://www.timeanddate.com/time/leapseconds.html). Haha!
Knowing that the ABA North American record has already been eclipsed does let
some steam out of the intrigue around reading Neil Hayward's book
(https://www.amazon.com/Lost-Among-Birds-Accidentally-Finding/dp/1632865793)
which I am currently enjoying. Those of you that are members of NTOS, expect a
short review of the book in our next NewsHawk newsletter to be published in
October.
Happy birding!
Rick Blanton
Johnson City, TN
________________________________
From: tn-bird-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <tn-bird-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> on behalf of
Cynthia Anne Routledge <routledges@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, July 20, 2016 3:01 PM
To: Tn Bird
Subject: [TN-Bird] Re: ABA Big Year Record Being Shattered
As a follow-up to Mort’s post below let me add that I met Christian Hagenlocher
in Maine earlier this summer and his “big year” is much more than just about
birds but about the people who love birds and those he’s met along the way. I
invite everyone to check out this young man’s adventures at:
http://www.thebirdingproject.com
[http://static1.squarespace.com/static/569b0c85e0327c41cd9943d1/t/570af13359827e091de46e0c/1468543174012/?format=1000w]<http://www.thebirdingproject.com/>
The Birding Project.<http://www.thebirdingproject.com/>
www.thebirdingproject.com
OUTCOMES OF THE BIRDING PROJECT BECOME A BETTER BIRDER. It's time to tackle the
sparrows, gulls, and shorebirds of North America with gusto. I am prepared to
mis ...
Cheers!
<")
( \
/ |` Cyndi Routledge
Southeastern Avian Research
Specializing in Winter Hummingbird banding
1515 N. Willow Bend Court
Clarksville, TN 37043
931-206-3517
From: <tn-bird-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:tn-bird-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>> on
behalf of Morton Massey <massey6932@xxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:massey6932@xxxxxxxxxxx>>
Reply-To: <massey6932@xxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:massey6932@xxxxxxxxxxx>>
Date: Wednesday, July 20, 2016 at 10:35 AM
To: Tn Bird <tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>>
Subject: [TN-Bird] ABA Big Year Record Being Shattered
I saw Richard Blanton’s post this morning and thought I would share a little
more information about what is going on with ABA Big Years this year. As the
blog post states, it looks like there will be 4 individuals who will make it
over 700 this year. But two of the individuals will easily exceed 750 and
probably will end up around 775. What most folks don’t know about the current
leader, John Weigel, is he is from Australia. He started birding in the US on
January 1 and plans on birding till December 31st this year without taking a
break. An incredible commitment. He did back to back Big Years in Australia
in 2013 and 2014 and broke the Australian record both years. John is 61 and an
incredibly nice humble guy.
Olaf Danielson (currently at 748) has done a US Big Year but it was a “Birds
seen Naked Big Year”. Yes, this is true. Amongst other places he went to Attu
that year and all the participants had to endure him birding naked. Not sure
what his total was but I heard he set a record.
The other two birders, Christian Hagenlocher and Laura Keene set out to just
make it to 700, which it appears they will do.
I had the pleasure of being one of the 11 birders who got to go to Attu this
year. John, Christian and Laura were on that trip along with the current
record holder Neil Haywood and Brandon Reo who had over 700 ABA birds doing a
Big Year last year. Rather intimidating to be with 5 birders who will have
seen 700 ABA birds in one year while it took me 45 years. But oh what a great
experience to be with so many fascinating and dedicated birders. Oh, and I got
to meet Olaf briefly at the Adak airport. He was arriving to go on a 3 day
pelagic as we were leaving. He did have his clothes on fortunately.
Morton Massey
Knoxville, TN
