Hi Folks!

Bill Hubick wrote:

<snip>

Our goal was to locate 139 species in 24 hours to break the record of 138 
species set by Jim Stasz, Matt Hafner, Marshall Iliff, and George Armistead. We 
came remarkably close, finding 134 species in what was one of the most hilarious 
and exhausting days of birding we've ever spent.?
?
<snip>

Selected misses: Blue-winged Teal, White-winged Scoter, Great Egret, Snowy 
Egret, Little Blue Heron, Peregrine Falcon, Barn Owl, Rough-legged Hawk, Brown 
Creeper, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Fox Sparrow, Purple Finch, an extra shorebird 
or two (Western, Lesser Yellowlegs, Long-billed Dowitcher), American Woodcock, 
Pine Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, White-crowned Sparrow, Wild Turkey, 
sharp-tailed sparrows.

<snip>


Kudos to the January Big Day Team. Getting to 134 this year is remarkable. The late December freeze was enough to have many birds move. 

I have just finished 4 days of hardcore birding in an attempt [probably futile] to tie or beat the 178 record set by Marshall Iliff. I am currently at 140 for the year after birding Princ e George's, St.Mary's, Worcester, Somerset and Dorchester. Highlights so far include the wintering Rufous Hummingbird in Calvert, a Baltimore Oriole at a feeder in Charles, the 4th year in a row wintering Yellow-throated Warbler at a feeder in Charles, 2 Snowy Owls in the ORV zone, a RAZORBILL! on the beach in the ORV zone, King and Common Eiders at the OC Inlet, the same sparrows at Vessey Orchard?in Somerset, and a flock of 22 American White Pelican at Blackwater.

In all of these travels I have had exactly 1 Common Grackle and have missed Great Egret, Wild Turkey, Brown Creeper, Golden-crowned Kinglet, White-crowned Sparrow and Brown-headed Cowbird.

Today I had to go back to work, but picked up Trumpeter Swan as a consolation.

Good Birding!

Jim

Jim Stasz
North Beach MD