Countable?

The answer to this question, as far as I'm concerned, is who cares?  For you non-birders, there are rules when listing birds.  Game birds such as these Northern Bobwhite are often released and are not "countable" according to the American Bird Association (ABA).  Because I have no intention of turning in my list into the ABA at the end of the year, the Northern Bobwhite will show up on my list at bird #266.

My mom and dad called me today around 1:30pm and told me that there were some quail-esque birds hanging out around the nature center at Secor Metropark.  She described the bird, and I realized immediately that they were looking at two male Northern Bobwhite.  I turned to Elissa and asked her how mad she would be if I went to chase after this one.  She nearly rolled her eyes and said, "Do what you gotta do."

I made it to Secor by 2pm and was able to snap these photos.  Very cool birds to watch.  They like to scamper...or perhaps even skulk would be an applicable way to describe their movement.  Either way, I was very happy to see them.  Hope all of you are enjoying this rainy Sunday in Northwest Ohio.  Happy birding!

Some Thoughts on Life and Birding

This year has been a mixture of emotions and events.  I quit my job at Life Skills on December 4, 2012.  It was a big decision.  I was not happy there, but it was a full-time job.   Should I stay or should I go?  I decided to go.  I’m still not convinced it was the right decision.  After starting another year as a substitute teacher, my patience is running thin with regard to finding a position in which I can see some sort of future.  The one thing that has been consistent besides having a loving and supportive family has been my passion for birding.

I have entertained the idea of somehow making a career out of my love for birds.  It would be extremely ill-advised, however, to switch to yet another career path that seemingly has very similar struggles as education.  Too many applicants, low pay, and budget issues to name a few mutual points.  If only I was passionate about fixing computers or was a software specialist.  That stuff seems boring to me.  What’s more, that stuff is inside.  Everyday I sub is yet another day I can’t spend outside.  If I didn’t care about the security of my family (which I do care about more than anything), I might figure out a way to travel the country and go birding.

Perhaps the reason that this is on my mind is the fact that I’m 68 pages into Kenn Kaufman’s Kingbird Highway.  For those of you who aren’t familiar with Kenn’s story, let me try to sum up a much more complex story in short description.  With a little bit of background information about his formative years, Kenn goes on to tell about his 1973 Big Year adventure.  He hitchhikes, goes hungry on countless occasions, has run-ins with law enforcement, and sees a ton of birds in the process.  He was not yet 20 years old.  He went on to author many other notable books including the Kaufman Field Guide series.

After reading not even a quarter of Mr. Kaufman’s book, it is still very clear to me that I am not like the author.  Kenn’s parents allowed him to go out on his own at the age of 16.  I think I was 12 or 13 before my mother allowed me to go around the “big” block on my bike.  My mom still calls me to make sure I got home alright.  Kenn left school before society said it was socially acceptable.  I have two bachelor’s degrees and a masters.  I suppose it just goes to show that birders are an eclectic lot.

I’m not sure I would be thinking about any of this had I gotten a teaching job right out of college.  Perhaps my outlook on my professional life would be far more positive.  So far, however, I view myself as a failure professionally.  I do not say this to garner sympathy.  I do not want it.  I’m simply looking at this from an objective/goals perspective.  I have not achieved many of the things I thought I would have by now.

In a small way, however, I believe I have turned my professional misgivings into a personal success…or enjoyment at the very least.  By quitting a job that seemed to be going nowhere fast, I allowed myself to enjoy life in other ways.  I can’t say I don’t have anxiety everyday about my uncertain future, because I do, but at least I am flying into the future with an open mind.  Happy birding!

A Buckeye Goes North

Northern Hawk Owl

It's official...we're going to Whitefish Point in mid-October.  I am unbelievably excited about this trip.  Of course I'm a little apprehensive about the Great UP North.  It's a different world up there.  As a city boy, I'm sort of thinking there will be a bit of a culture shock when we get up to Whitefish.

Whitefish Point is a narrow peninsula that juts out into Lake Superior in the UP.  The place is widely regarded as one of the best birding hotspots in Michigan, if not the country.  In the spring it is not uncommon to see 3000 raptors pass through the area in a single day.  Arguably, however, the main attraction at Whitefish Point is the migration of waterfowl species.  In the fall, the number of birds passing through the area can range between 50,000 and 100,000 water birds.  For me, this means possibly adding Black Scoter, Surf Scoter, Red-necked Grebe, and Harlequin Duck.

Possible Birds at Whitefish Point

Here's a question.  How do we know that these impressive numbers of birds pass through this beautiful area every year?  The answer: The Whitefish Point Bird Observatory.  For 30 years the WPBO has recorded and documented the spring and fall migrations.  The importance of organizations such as WPBO can not be understated.  The collection and analysis of this data allows us to monitor bird populations, and work towards solutions when we see a decline in a species.

Realistically I think I have a decent shot at picking up 9 species at Whitefish Point.  But check out the list I have here.  This is a list from eBird of all the birds seen at Whitefish Point in October throughout the years.  Actually, it's just a list of all the birds seen there in October that I haven't yet seen this year.  The full list of October sightings at Whitefish totals 223 species.  The potential for Elissa and I to add a considerable amount of new life birds is very possible.

For those of you who have been there, what do you like best about Whitefish Point?  Do you have any advice regarding where to look?  Where should we stay or eat?  What else should we check out while we're up there?  I have already received some great advice from some very generous people, but I would like to get as much information about Whitefish Point as I can.  I want to have a game plan before we go into the wilderness.  After all, I am a city boy.  Happy birding everybody!

Recent Notables: Long-billed Dowitcher, Philadelphia Vireo, and Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
Bird Count: 264

Information for this post was gleaned from:

Whitefish Point Bird Observatory.  Homepage (website).  Retrieved from http://www.wpbo.org/

Michigan Department of Natural Resources.  "Whitefish Point Bird Observatory."  Retrieved from http://www.michigandnr.com/publications/pdfs/wildlife/viewingguide/up/33Whitefish/index.htm

Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Northern Hawk Owl (website). Retrieved from http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Hawk_Owl/id

The Big Year: Positives and Negatives

Savannah Sparrow

When I started my "diet" Big Year nearly 8 months ago, I was extremely excited about what my final number would end up being.  I set a goal of 300.  I had no idea what a realistic goal was, but 300 seemed like a good number.  To date, I have 260 birds.  I think 275 is possible before my trip down to Texas at the end of the year.  Nabbing some fall migrants and a possible trip to Whitefish Point would almost guarantee 275.  But...so what?

As my Big Year has progressed from month to month, I have been less and less preoccupied with the number.  In fact, at times I feel it has gotten in the way of truly enjoying the birds.  Before this year I didn't keep great records of my sightings, but when I went out birding I tended to study the birds a lot more.  I spent more time looking at them, really getting to know their quirks and behaviors, and it was a lot of fun!  I'm not saying that I'm not having fun this year.  It's just that sometimes "the list" has, in some ways, taken away from my birding rather than added to it.  An inverse relationship?  Help me out math teachers.  The more birds I add, the less I like listing?  That's sort of how I feel every now and then.

Spotted Sandpiper food.  Yum!

I can't deny, however, that listing birds this year has really motivated me to get out there and see new stuff.  This year I have added 57 birds to my life list.  So many cool experiences with a lot of great people.  Sherrie Duris helped get me my first Short-eared Owl (among other species) at Maumee Bay State Park.  Greg Miller got me that pesky Blue Grosbeak.  Greg Links' time and expertise has been invaluable to me.  Yes he helped me get birds, but his knowledge about those birds was the real gift.  Sherry Plessner, Matt Anderson, Tim Thompson, Tim Haney, Kenn Kaufman, Kimberly Kaufman, Kate Zimmerman, Lulu Lee, Jeff Loughman and numerous other wonderful individuals have made my year so much more than just a test to see how many birds I could see.  I would gladly trade in my list of birds for the list of birder friends I have accumulated over the past 8 months.

A shorebird assortment

So what's next for the final third of the year?  Well lots of stuff.  Today my wife and I will be heading to North Turkeyfoot on the Maumee River.  I feel like this area may be one of the best most under birded places in Northwest Ohio.  I hope we get some fall warblers today.

On Saturday we're headed down to Findlay in search of Buff-breasted Sandpipers.  This is an event tag teamed by Birding Ohio and The Toledo Naturalists' Association.  I'm sure I'll see a lot of friendly faces.  On September 15th, my Aunt Woody and I will be birding Little Cedar Point Wildlife Refuge.  This area is closed to the public, but TNA has permission to get in there every so often.  The event is billed as one in which the daily list of birds could reach 100 species!

Eastern Wood-Pewee

What I really am cautiously looking forward to is a trip to Whitefish Point.  Elissa and I are not sure how possible it will be given the fact that we have two little kiddies, but a trip with just the two of us before she goes back to work sounds pretty good to me.  My wife is my favorite person to take with me birding.  There's a few reasons for this.  Firstly, she is a much better spotter than me.  She sees movement that I simply don't pick up on.  Secondly, she's always asking questions.  At times this has annoyed me (especially when I don't know the answer), but I've always been a curious person too.  Asking the questions forces us to find the answers.  Lastly, she's my best friend (besides Teddy of course..just kidding...sort of).  I'm still puzzled at the fact that someone like me somehow managed to end up with someone like her.  I'm waaaaay out of my league! 


Fall migration is on people, and shorebirds are king!  Get outside and enjoy them while they're still around.  Happy birding!