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.

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Nailed It!

So Caleb....

Where does this rate on your "gettable" list???
Take no Haastages..........

Posted by at

19 comments:

  1. Sean FitzgeraldJanuary 21, 2012 at 2:23 PM

    Wow - Haas jumps into early contention with a solid nomination for the rarest yardbird of the year!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Swamp KatJanuary 21, 2012 at 7:56 PM

    That's solid. And to think it isn't even a life yardbird for the track pushes the haastage meter even higher. Makes me want to plant invasives.

    I think it's time for a Uppers vs. the lowers smack down in a little 4 on 6? What do you posers think?

    UPPERS
    Haas Track
    WWJD
    Swamp Liar
    Chase Place

    DOWNERS
    Biggie Small Rig
    PuttHutt
    SEFI wet-one and 2.0
    ANJOPLASTI
    Wastelands (is wastelands even active?)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sean FitzgeraldJanuary 21, 2012 at 8:58 PM

      Wastelands has moved north in search of boreal birds (or just habitat in general). I'm in my final stretch of 3 or so weeks at the (frozen) wetlands and will be all moved in by Feb 15 at 2.0. I don't think the yoopers would stand a chance honestly...
      But if you're a glutton for punishment - I have no issues with (collectively) schooling you guys (with major carrying courtesy of SIPU and RIBR)...

      Delete
    2. Caleb PutnamJanuary 23, 2012 at 10:48 PM

      Much as I hate to admit it, Kitty is witty and creative, despite drinking Yooper water for the majority of the year as he does (just look what that's done to Haastage and WWJD).

      I am 100% on board. Add it to the sidebar and spreadsheet!

      Delete
  3. Swamp KatJanuary 21, 2012 at 9:36 PM

    You should know better; Lake Superior and the Fitz just don't mix.

    New yard, what fun. Hope the move goes well - 2.0 looks a little lonely down there at the bottom.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sean FitzgeraldJanuary 21, 2012 at 11:18 PM

      Haha Gitche Gumee does have it out for us... To this day I think that's why I missed a CCLO at WPBO in early June (an alt male!) by only a few hours...

      Yeah 2.0 is pretty sad thus far. I think spring should get me a few surprise waterbird flyovers...but yeah I will be the bookend to this competition from here on out I suspect.

      Delete
  4. Aaron BooneJanuary 21, 2012 at 11:16 PM

    Haaaaaaaaaas-
    Sick score dude!

    Swamp Kat-
    The Wastelands did indeed move north...last spring. Not paying attention?

    The Cheddarlands is where it's at...

    ReplyDelete
  5. Swamp KatJanuary 22, 2012 at 12:04 AM

    Whoa, sorry, guess not. Grandpa Joe gets a little confused sometimes, I guess. We'll have to keep on eye on that.

    Cheddar-on!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Caleb PutnamJanuary 22, 2012 at 1:21 AM

    Haastage-

    So was this seen from the bedroom window or the office window? I have a better bird from my office window (BTYW).

    Seriously, this is totally and completely insane! I've seen that bird twice in Michigan ever.

    this said, enjoy bearing me in the yard rarity competition because I will be crushing you in the species tally.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Sean FitzgeraldJanuary 22, 2012 at 9:12 AM

    Does "Bearing" you have some sort of inside meaning to SIPU and Haas?

    ReplyDelete
  8. Swamp KatJanuary 22, 2012 at 1:01 PM

    Isn't bearing a precursor to spooning?

    ReplyDelete
  9. The Owl RanchJanuary 22, 2012 at 8:11 PM

    Gentlemen! and Andy......

    so sorry I haven't been back on for a victory lap, I've been busy working on my January Michigan list (104 and rising.... thank you last minute Spruce Grouse find in the sleet!).

    Ok so much to deal with,

    1- I love an additional Uppers vs Downers competition

    2- Only two TOSOs Putty? Really? Man this is like my 22nd for Michigan. You need to bird more out of the yard...

    3- I may not get the highest totals of this blog, but considering those who do have much larger yards or lakefront or annexed a golf course or whatever it is they do to make themselves feel good can suck it. Man I have a tiny yard, middle of the city, not exactly the best sky-watching and I still rock it with high species totals and rarities that so sharp you could cut glass with them. I claim a moral victory!

    4- Bearing is exactly what you think yet fear it is........

    ReplyDelete
  10. Swamp KatJanuary 22, 2012 at 9:23 PM

    Skye's back. I knew your modesty could last through the weekend. Moral victory? You've been watching too many primaries.

    Your neighborhood is just rundown enough to have a lot of nice habitat - don't give me that small yard boo-hoo story. Geez. The saying "it takes a village to raise a child" has a lot of application here.

    Still, an impressive bird and I'm glad to have you as a UP team-mate but I'll see your solitaire and raise you a curlew.

    ReplyDelete
  11. The Owl RanchJanuary 22, 2012 at 9:30 PM

    "I'm Joe Kaplan. I'm one of you. My little yard is just like every American's backyard, so what if it overlooks the largest coastal marsh in the UP in one of the most productive deltas in all the Great Lakes?"

    Release your tax forms Mitt!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Caleb PutnamJanuary 23, 2012 at 1:50 AM

    SEFI is just jealous of the bearing.

    And sour grapes from Haas tract right on the heels of what could be the best yardbird for all of 2012? Wow. You should enjoy it for a few days first.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Swamp KatJanuary 23, 2012 at 8:26 AM

    Escanaba is a blue-collar town, my neighbors are blue-collar workers. We drink beer together at the H&H, burgers are two dollars on Tuesday night. The rest of the week we take our coffee at Rosy's Diner, homemade corn-beef hash, yum yum.

    Marquette is a white-collar town, your neighbors are students and bagle-shop owners.... "I'll have lox and capers on an everything please, double-toasted.... also can I get a grande caramel macchiato? Oh, BTY are we still planning hors d'oeuvre and drinks at L'Attitudes after we scan gulls this afternoon?"

    I'll not only release my tax forms I'll boast about them as much as some do about TOSO wafting across their yard and magically perching just long enough to be photographed on tiny yard proper:

    My house is 640 sq. feet and cost 27K. So, for the price of rent in MQT you could rent-to-own in Escanaba and be my new neighbor. But warning - sometimes it gets a little stinky when the paper mill A'ffluence arrives on a chilly north wind.

    We all make choices, some are just better at than others

    tic-tic tic-tic-tic

    ReplyDelete
  14. The Owl RanchJanuary 23, 2012 at 8:33 AM

    HA HA HA!!!! well done Kitty!

    And Caleb the only grapes I know of is yet another report of this mystery oriole two weeks cold eating frozen grapes in a birders yard. Yet did they report it at the time? no....

    Fitzy- the nice thing about big bearing is there is always room for one more!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Sean FitzgeraldJanuary 23, 2012 at 9:15 AM

    Very nice Swamps! Yucksamesh!

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  16. Swamp KatJanuary 27, 2012 at 3:24 PM

    Thanks, but they're all canned lines .... I've been watching Newt and Mitt duke it out.

    ReplyDelete

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