Howdy All! This winter is already shaping up into quite an unusual one. Although we're not overloaded with any one rare species, the diversity is really quite spectacular. If I was a betting man (okay...maybe I am just a little bit), I'd say this year would have been a good year for a Big Year. Unfortunately, it's almost over. The new year, however, should at least have a few of the goodies lingering from December. That said, I'd say 2000 will be a year to remember for several reasons...owls, finches, grosbeaks...who knows? So I'm putting in my bid. I don't have the time to devote to setting any records, but I'd love to join the ranks of Maryland's 300-club this year. So here are my birding goals for 2000: Annual ABA Area: 500 Annual Maryland: 300 Annual St Marys Co.: 225 Annual state closeouts: 25* stop laughing, Stasz :-) Annual yard list: 130 * I should note that I've birded in all 23 counties this year, will have nearly 290 species for the year in Maryland, and do not have a single species that I have seen in all 23 counties this year. Methinks this is almost impossible... I should probably add that I'd like to keep my job, too. <grin> I really enjoyed the Maryland composite year in 1999 and sure hope we do it again. It would be interesting to see what Maryland birders see for an ABA composite list (since a few of us are venturing to Attu this year). Together we could hit 700... (but I'm not volunteering to put this list together, since I'm destined to being a "birding bum" this next year...again). I'm psyched! -Greg Miller Hollywood, MD __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Thousands of Stores. Millions of Products. All in one place. Yahoo! Shopping: http://shopping.yahoo.com