[MDOsprey] millenium musings

Greg Miller (hawk-owl@yahoo.com)
Mon, 6 Dec 1999 11:51:02 -0800 (PST)


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
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