John is back from his trip to Newfoundland. Jared Clarke of Zugunruhe Birding Tours did a good job of shepherding the group around. Nice safe way for John to get some winter experience.
He learned that snow is frozen water so your boots and gloves do get wet. He wished his gloves were heavier and waterproof and that he hadn't lost one of the gloves he did bring. I told him to try on everything before he packed it, but somehow he left his long johns here and brought two pair that may have been mine. A bit of a stretch! We will have to do some shopping before we go to Northern Minnesota for the Sax-Zim birding festival in February.
'This isn't a good year for.....' may be a theme John hears a lot this year. Both in Newfoundland and Minnesota the weather has been mild so far so the birds are not as easy to see. John did get five life birds but not the one bird he went to Newfoundland for, the yellow legged gull. At least in Minnesota, there is some snow now so perhaps we will get some of the specialties there.
When the big year that the movie was about occurred there was El Nino, a big storm in the northwest, and access to Attu. John is hoping to get to Attu on a boat tour sponsored by Z Tours. Whether birds get blown there or blown away from there is yet to be determined. John's big year will be a great adventure whatever the outcome.
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