Okay, I'm jumping on the whole "recap of the years birdwatching" with this retrospective look back at the birds I saw in 2008.
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Lets face it, I didn't leave Arctic Bay at all in 2008 (wait that's not true, I made it to the epicentre of birding – Iqaluit in November). But having said that I really enjoyed this year and the experiences I had with birds.
I'll follow my blogmom's format for the review…
Total new life Birds: 0. This is unlikely to change in the coming year, but there is always the tantalizing prospect of a Sabine's Gull. I'm actually feeling rather optimistic that I'll see my nemesis bird in 2009. The recent discovery of a dead juvenile nearby has me thinking that I've got a chance at least in the early fall.
Total Life Birds: you know, I don't really know. I'm guessing its in the neighbourhood of 600 or so. I've never totaled them up. That's me, King of the listers.
Total ABA Birds: Okay this isn't going to work. How about just…
Total Birds for 2008: Okay, I can do this, I think. Raven, Rock Ptarmigan, Thayer's Gull, Glaucous Gull, Iceland Gull, Gyrfalcon, Peregrine Falcon, King Eider, Long-tailed Duck, Red-throated Loon, Snow Goose, Cackling Goose, Snow Bunting, Horned Lark, American Pipit, Northern Wheatear…
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oh yeah… Northern Fulmar, Baird's Sandpiper, Lapland Longspur and I think that pretty much wraps it up. So 19 species. Not a lot and I missed seeing some I usually do, like Common Ringed Plover and Sandhill Crane (although I did see a track, does that count?). I didn't get out on the ice this year really, so Ivory Gull and some other species like Black-legged Kittiwake, Thick-billed Murres, Black Guillmots and the jaegers were pretty much out of the question.
But it is not about numbers and I had some great experiences this year. Most notably surrounding my trips out to the canyon to see the Peregrine's. Camping with Travis and showing him the Peregrine's eyrie, watching one strike a Snow Goose, and seeing a Snow Goose on a nest right above the Peregrine's nest are experiences I'll always remember, as was finally discovering where to find the Northern Wheatears near town. I spent some time doing Breeding bird lists for the Canadian Wildlife Service although I really should put more of an effort into it than I have. And I started a page on the Birds of Arctic Bay. However its got a lot of work left before it is where I want it.
I've got a couple of goals for the upcoming year, one of which is to get out to Floe Edge and spend some time with birds I only rarely see. I've always thought that I don't see enough of the shorebirds of the area and hope to rectify that this year as well. A trip out on the land to see Snowy Owls is high on the list also. Most importantly I've had a couple of tantalizing clues in the last year to the possible nesting location of a bird with only a very small handfull of known North American nesting locations. If all goes well I plan a small expedition to see if I can add to that number. If it happens you'll be the third or fourth to know about it, I promise.
Comments
2 responses
Birding is such a wonderously cultish hobby. I haven’t actively bird watched in a few years. I’m generally too lazy to be bothered with accurately identifying what I see or can’t see very well without binoculars. Still, I will dig out my bird books when I’ve gotten a good look at something – although I haven’t been able to decide on the hawk I saw last winter. I’ll be sure to check out your bird page
Hi Jennith. It can be a pretty clannish activity, although its a pretty big clan. Estimates of people who take part in Birding or Bird watching as an activites are in the millions in North America. I usually describe myself as a bird watcher rather than a birder because for me (and I emphasize “for me”) birding congers up more of an image of a more competitive activity where listing is an important aspect of it. (and before my friends jump me – there is nothing wrong with keeping lists)
Hawks confuse the heck out of me, although it is much simpler up here. I enjoy the challenges of identifying birds, but more importantly I enjoy getting out and watching a small part of their lives.