My husband, John, called from Adak to tell me about his boat trip to Attu sponsored by Z Tours. Since he was there for the birds, I'll tell you about the ABA area life birds he got first. Some of these birds we have seen on other continents, but to count on your ABA life list you have to see them in the ABA area, which is the continental North America above the Mexican border. Since Attu is on the continental shelf, it counts, whereas Hawaii doesn't. On Attu, he saw the Common Snipe, Brambling, Wood Sandpiper, Oriental Greenfinch and Smew. At sea, he got the Red-Legged Kittiwake. On Adak, he got the Hawfinch and the Emperor Goose. So he is now up to 677 for his ABA life list.
Then there are the many additional birds John saw for the first time this year. Notable ones were 5 auklets, 3 albatross, 3 murrelets and 2 puffins. If he is ever home long enough to make a species list, I will link it to this blog. For the year to date, he has seen 500 species in the ABA area. He would love to see at least 200 more by December 31st.
The weather wasn't bad on Attu, in the 40's but mostly clear. John said the water in the bay they anchored in was like glass. For ten days, they got off the boat and bicycled around the island looking for birds. Two days, John's bike needed repairs so he walked. The crew did a great job. Bill was the captain, his daughter, Colette, was the first mate, Nicole was the cook (really good cook) and Jake was the handyman/bike repairer and videographer. John of Z Tours and Isaac were the guides and there were 8 participants. A lady from Maine persuaded 4 friends to come with her so they really made the trip a go.
John was in Anchorage last night and today, May 28th, Memorial Day, joined a Wings tour flying to Gambell for five full days of birding then Nome for a couple more. John will fly to Chicago, June 8th, to do laundry at our son's home. The 9th he flies to Norfolk VA for a Brian Petteson pelagic the 10th. Then on and on.
I should be able to blog more frequently once John is back to regular cell phone coverage.
Showing posts with label Z Tours. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Z Tours. Show all posts
Monday, May 28, 2012
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Attu, Brute?
I don't expect to hear from John while he is on the boat at Attu. There is email, but limited and costly. If the wind is coming in from the west there might be some good birding, if they can find the birds. They are going ashore each day and riding bikes around. Blisters and callouses? Without military stationed there or over-night visitors allowed, roads and trails are slowly disappearing. Z Tours (Zugunruhe Birding Tours) worked hard to set up this trip and the one they did two years ago. Attu is still the gold standard for a big year attempt, even if it will never again be like it was in 1998, 'The Big Year'.
They are due back to Adak Sunday, May 27th, for an evening flight to Anchorage. John starts an Alaska tour with Wings the next day. I won't blog until then unless John emails from the boat.
Families. That was John's goal before he started his big year, to see a member of each bird family in the world. Unfortunately, the definition of what is a bird family is more artificial than bird species these days. An isolated species on a little atoll might be its own family, or not. Do you make the huge effort logistically and financially to see that bird? It gets a little silly, even sillier than a big year.
For a big year, you use the ABA list of North American birds, and ABA geographical boundaries. You decide if you saw or heard the bird well enough to tick off. Only accidental birds need to be verified by committee. If you claim you saw a hoopoe in Seattle in December, you will need witnesses and photos, otherwise, your list is up to you, the honor system.
John hopes to be over 500 by the end of June. 500 birds in 6 months. 6 months more to go, but a lot more work to get each new bird.
They are due back to Adak Sunday, May 27th, for an evening flight to Anchorage. John starts an Alaska tour with Wings the next day. I won't blog until then unless John emails from the boat.
Families. That was John's goal before he started his big year, to see a member of each bird family in the world. Unfortunately, the definition of what is a bird family is more artificial than bird species these days. An isolated species on a little atoll might be its own family, or not. Do you make the huge effort logistically and financially to see that bird? It gets a little silly, even sillier than a big year.
For a big year, you use the ABA list of North American birds, and ABA geographical boundaries. You decide if you saw or heard the bird well enough to tick off. Only accidental birds need to be verified by committee. If you claim you saw a hoopoe in Seattle in December, you will need witnesses and photos, otherwise, your list is up to you, the honor system.
John hopes to be over 500 by the end of June. 500 birds in 6 months. 6 months more to go, but a lot more work to get each new bird.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Aaaugh! Brain Freeze!
Spring is upon us, which means taxes and birding. So while John slogged through the taxes the last few days, I played travel agent and spent MONEY.
Today, I booked John with Larry Manfredi to the Dry Tortugas, April 21st-24th.
He had already paid Z tours for a boat trip to Attu from Adak. A Wings tour to Gambell and Nome starts the day Z tours ends. I got him on that today also. Here's hoping all the connections just connect and that the wind is from the west!
So today, I had to book flights for him from here May 8th to Anchorage to Adak and back and then the Wings tour and then to Chicago, where I will meet him June 8th. Where and when we go from there, I don't know.
I just got back from the post office where I mailed taxes and tour payments. John just left for AZ, TX and CO. I am supposed to meet him the beginning of April, tentatively in Missouri, then we will head for Florida and the Gulf Coast and eventually he will get back to California to head for Alaska. I will, well, I don't know what I'll be doing until I meet him in Chicago.
So my brain is in the deep freeze. I am going to pour myself a tall one and watch the Allen's Hummingbird build her nest in a potted plant under our patio roof. It is probably a good choice for her. Two years ago, a storm washed ALHU babies out of a nest. I only found one the next morning and placed it on the remnants of the nest. It successfully fledged. The next year, I watched a damned Eastern Fox Squirrel (introduced pest) trying to scare a ALHU mother off a nest. Later that day, the nest was gone. So, next to the house under the roof might be a good location.
Birding is good exercise for the brain, gets you out in the open air in exotic places, gets you running with a very nice crowd, and the magical life of birds, their all out, pedal to the metal, quest to survive and reproduce is good for your soul.
Today, I booked John with Larry Manfredi to the Dry Tortugas, April 21st-24th.
He had already paid Z tours for a boat trip to Attu from Adak. A Wings tour to Gambell and Nome starts the day Z tours ends. I got him on that today also. Here's hoping all the connections just connect and that the wind is from the west!
So today, I had to book flights for him from here May 8th to Anchorage to Adak and back and then the Wings tour and then to Chicago, where I will meet him June 8th. Where and when we go from there, I don't know.
I just got back from the post office where I mailed taxes and tour payments. John just left for AZ, TX and CO. I am supposed to meet him the beginning of April, tentatively in Missouri, then we will head for Florida and the Gulf Coast and eventually he will get back to California to head for Alaska. I will, well, I don't know what I'll be doing until I meet him in Chicago.
So my brain is in the deep freeze. I am going to pour myself a tall one and watch the Allen's Hummingbird build her nest in a potted plant under our patio roof. It is probably a good choice for her. Two years ago, a storm washed ALHU babies out of a nest. I only found one the next morning and placed it on the remnants of the nest. It successfully fledged. The next year, I watched a damned Eastern Fox Squirrel (introduced pest) trying to scare a ALHU mother off a nest. Later that day, the nest was gone. So, next to the house under the roof might be a good location.
Birding is good exercise for the brain, gets you out in the open air in exotic places, gets you running with a very nice crowd, and the magical life of birds, their all out, pedal to the metal, quest to survive and reproduce is good for your soul.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Weather-wise-ing
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.
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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