All,
I may have moved to Colorado several years ago, but I thought I’d share an
adventure that I’ve embarked upon this year. I’m doing a green big year in
Colorado, which involves only walking or riding my bike from my house and
back to get birds. However, this isn’t just a regular big year, but I’m
doing it to raise funds to support bird research in Colorado via a new
grant to honor Joe Roller, a long time Colorado birder and friend who
passed away in November. The grant will be given annually to the best
research proposal. These grants typically support undergraduate and
graduate research projects on Colorado birds. Such small grants were
critical to me as a grad student with almost no budget, so this feels like
paying it forward a little.
I am aiming for at least 250 bird species this year. I had 244 green
species in 2020, and I didn’t start until late March! I’m currently at 80
species, including a lot rarities and tough to find birds like White-winged
Crossbill (3rd record for my home county and a mega rarity in Denver!),
Harris’s and Golden-crowned Sparrow, Barrow’s Goldeneye, Northern Shrike,
and some “meh” birds for Tennessee birders, but species that are worth
chasing here like Eastern Bluebird, Swamp Sparrow, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
(this is a tough one!), and Rusty Blackbird. This isn’t bad considering I
came down with shingles right after the new year. I was down and out for a
while and recovery is slow and painful, but I've gotten out quite a bit.
Please send all the eastern warblers and vireos to Denver please :)
I created a blog to document my adventures and photos, and include a link
to my green species list, miles ridden (ouch!), and the link to pledge or
donate. I’ll update the blog regularly throughout the year. If inclined,
you can click the “subscribe” icon at the top to get an email when I
publish a new post.
https://jrmemorialgreenbigyear.blogspot.com/
If you’re interested in supporting my efforts with the new grant (I’d be
honored!), we are taking per-species pledges and flat tax-deductible
donations online at https://Cobirds.org/CFO/Grants
<https://cobirds.org/CFO/Grants?fbclid=IwAR2Hd39bWtm5WlyQ-B8BWYwlXIZYv_ZT-ydJF1CV3fEMXlBDiPw0D7oEoME>.
(Scroll to the bottom of the page for the Joe Roller Memorial Grant).
If you pledge $0.20 per species or $1 per species, and I end 2021 with 250
species, you would be asked for a payment of $50 or $250, respectively. No
pledge is too small (or large)! All pledges and donations make a difference
and are greatly appreciated! We are aiming high and hope to raise at least
$20,000 so we can establish an endowment fund for long term support for the
grant. You do not need to be a Colorado Field Ornithologists member to
pledge or donate. I’ve been truly humbled and inspired by the pledges and
donations we’ve received so far! I can’t wait to get out again after some
birds.
If you have any questions about the grant or for assistance with donating,
please email me at: ssomershoe@xxxxxxxxx
Thanks and good green birding!
Scott Somershoe
Littleton CO
