Why not do an update on Josh Vandermulen's big year? I'm sure there aren't many who read my blog, who aren't following Josh's --- so I'll keep this simple and update my own predictions from back on July 8th...
http://www.blog.peregrineprints.com/2012/07/josh-vandermulens-big-year-personal.html
42 days have passed (6 weeks) ;) ... since I made that breakdown.. So what has happened?
---- He's currently sitting at 326 ----
Code 1:
No more birds left!
Code 2:
Purple Sandpiper
Parasitic Jaeger
--- both easily done I should say.... (328)
Code 3:
I personally broke code 3 into two parts... Part 1 was the "locks"
Gyrfalcon
Red PhalaropeLong-tailed Jaeger
Black-legged Kittiwake
Sabines Gull
--- and over the past 42 days he hasn't added any of these! Although Jaeger seasons is days away (two years ago I had 2 Long-tailed and a Parasitic at VWB on Aug 23)
Hey Josh - want to go out on the lake in my zodiac sometime?
Then there is (my personal opinion) of the "tough" code 3 birds:
Pacific Loon
Glossy IbisBlack Guillemot ----- CHECK!
Western Kingbird
Cave Swallow
I predicted he would get 3 of these species, and thankfully he nailed Black Guillemot at James Bay recently ---hopefully making me not seem too dumb with these predictions --- ;) only two more needed!
If my "code 3 predictions" come true, he will be at 335!!!
To seal the deal, I then predicted he would have needed 5 code "4" birds to get 339 (new record)... I pulled out a list of species that I thought would be "very get-able"
More gett-able:
Ruff
Northern GannetSwainson's Hawk
Townsend's Solitaire
Little Blue Heron --- CHECK!
Harder, but doo-able:
White-faced Ibis
Eurasian Collared DoveNorthern Wheatear
Northern Fulmar
Rufous Hummingbird
Again, he did me some justice in getting Little Blue Heron in late July, meaning only 4 remain to get that record...
(these things were dirt birds in 2007)
SO how do things look ??? I'd say pretty damn sweet --- considering there is always a very strong possibility of something REALLY rare (not predictable like the above birds).....
If he gets to Hudson Bay, you can add Common Eider Willow Ptarmigan , Smith's Longspur, Pacific loon. Why not set a huge record (or make sure of getting 339). I will chip in $100 toward the return flight from Sioux lookout to Winisk Hugh Currie
ReplyDeleteI think he's great and all, but I don't think I can afford the $100 ;) .. maybe I can help by trying to find a rarity he needs??
DeleteHurting for blog material? I'm still calling them Common
ReplyDeleteSnipe and Rock Dove, and I'm tired of the name changes.
Are the changes actually based on science or are they based
on politics and ego?
Run this crap by Paul Hebert.
yeah... I haven't really been birding since May... I usually get a bunch of filler from reporting what I see at sewage lagoons etc!
DeleteThe Rock Dove is just a name change, but the Common Snipe is a different species. Back in the 70's(?) they took the Wilson's Snipe and merged it with the Common Snipe of Eurasia. After new evidence was brought forth maybe 6-7 years ago, they broke the Wilson's Snipe off into a separate species again. The Common snipe only resides in Eurasia while the Wilson's is native to the Americas.
DeleteP.S. - this would be great blog material if you could expand on where most bird names come from. Great filler until the birds start rolling south again in numbers.