2013 and beyond

It's pretty simple: the most birds seen or heard from one's yard during 2013 will be the "winner". Want in? O.k....then do it despite that.

2013 promises to be a lot less mean but still a carbon-free birding competition, even if slightly less exciting than a MEGA x EPIC hybrid.

Friday, April 2, 2010

Northern Goshawk

After a great morning with FISP, HETH, FOSP & YBSA I started to get some raptor flight. Initially, AMKE, then a couple RTHA and TUVU, then a persistent noisy young MERL, then a huge accipiter flew/soared over at tree top level - Northern Goshawk (70/166).
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14 comments:

  1. Rick BrighamApril 2, 2010 at 12:01 PM

    No its not April 1st anymore. The bird was a subadult with a lot of heavy streaking and buff retained on the underside. A broad light supercilium was conspicuous as was uneven barring in the tail. I had been expecting this at some point as I've had several on the lakeshore in the past. Good winds today.

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  2. Curtis DykstraApril 2, 2010 at 12:36 PM

    Gotta hand it to you Rick, that's a heck of a bird! One more and you take the lead...go get 'em Rickster!

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  3. Aaron BooneApril 2, 2010 at 12:41 PM

    Very impressive...I'm jealous of all you guys that have been able to bird your yards this week.

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  4. The Owl RanchApril 2, 2010 at 12:50 PM

    you can get there Rick! Some one has to put the cat to sleep- might as well be you.

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  5. Caleb PutnamApril 2, 2010 at 12:53 PM

    Just in case anyone had any confusion, this competition is over already. Kaplan (who will get virtually all of the expected shorebirds from LESA to probably WILL [like he even needs them!]) will win, with Warner/Brigham/Haas vying for second, and the rest of us picking up the scraps. Honestly, GRSC, LESC, and now NOGO, Rick!?!

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  6. Caleb PutnamApril 2, 2010 at 1:20 PM

    I just ran an "expecteds" list for Kaplan of species he's likely to add this year (for example, not even including stuff like BOWA, VEER, NSHR, both cuckoos, etc, which are entirely plausible) and came up with another 138 species IN ADDITION TO THE 67 HE ALREADY HAS. This would put him at 205. My life yardlist for comparison is 122, and that's with intense effort. It appears that while getting rid of 'unbeatable' Sean in his WI yard, we have simply replaced him with another unbeatable. I predict he will win the competition outright by at least 40 species from the 2nd place competitor.

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  7. Caleb PutnamApril 2, 2010 at 1:22 PM

    We may need to split the competition into 2 separate competitions: Kaplan/Haas/Brigham/Warner and the rest of us?!?

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  8. The Owl RanchApril 2, 2010 at 1:47 PM

    now Caleb, what fun would that be???

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  9. HarryApril 2, 2010 at 2:04 PM

    'We may need to split the competition into 2 separate competitions: Kaplan/Haas/Brigham/Warner and the rest of us?!?'

    Three competitions, have a European Championship also...'cos I know I'm going to be rock bottom otherwise. 4 Eurasian Goldfinches overhead were the best birds in almost an hour outside today: on a walk a few km away, I saw at least 200 Sand Martins (Bank Swallows for anyone too lazy to check the Collins Guide) and at least 6 Barn Swallows, either would be new garden birds for the year...need to pop out for 20-30 mins later again.

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  10. The Owl RanchApril 2, 2010 at 2:24 PM

    not so fast Slagger, I myself am shooting for the silver- Rick and Ben got game (ie, acreage), but I have "superior" skills

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  11. The Owl RanchApril 2, 2010 at 2:25 PM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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  12. The Owl RanchApril 2, 2010 at 4:16 PM

    Oh Davey,

    I hate to lean on past accomplishments, but remember this is the tiny little yard that could! Previous highlights for this little patch of suburban wilderness include TOSO, CARW, GWFG, HORE, and of course last weeks GOEA. And that was without trying. Who knows, perhaps with my mic, I might even give the swamp kat a run for his money- Nelson's Sparrow- show me some love!

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  13. Swamp KatApril 3, 2010 at 12:27 AM

    I now see why they call him Silly Putty. I suggest Slow Down Putty may be more appropriate. Conceding defeat on 2 April, really? That's Crazy Putty....

    I hate to give away trade secrets but I have a pretty big Achilles heal in the form of a field season and an obsession with islands. I'll be away from the yard for the peak warbler (spring and fall) - will it matter? Time will tell.

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  14. Ben WarnerApril 3, 2010 at 12:27 AM

    yeah, my lack of ducks and raptors so far seems to be my achilles heel. It will be an interesting race, I agree with the predictions for the top 4, but it could be any order up there, I ain't throwing in the towel yet.

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