From Russia with Love

Or from Japan with love. All the standing in the cold and staying overnight paid off; we saw the Hooded Crane this morning near Linton, IN!!
If accepted this Hooded Crane will be the first North American record!
It was too far away for us to get a picture but another birder had a lens the size of a Buick and we might be able to get a pic on here in a few days.
It looked like a turkey in the middle of the flock of thousands of Sandhill Crane. That's what Liam said anyway!
Next we will be trying for Black-tailed Gull (again), Common Crane, Falcated Duck, LaSagra's & Fork-tailed Flycatchers, American Flamingo & maybe McKay's Bunting up in WA.

The Big Chill

We thought we would run up (4.5hrs) from Cincinnati to Beehunter Marsh near Linton, IN, see a Hooded Crane and drive home. Instead Liam sat in the car playing with his iPod while I stood totally unprepared in slippers (thought I put boots in the car) getting chilled to the bone in wet wintery mix weather all day long. I must have looked at 4000 cranes.
We are learning lessons every day during this "Big Year". Adventure makes life worth living though and I wouldn't trade it for the world. We had Mexican food for dinner and watched "The Rock" in "Journey 2" for a bit of decompression. It was ridiculous bit alot of fun for us to watch together!
We have tomorrow morning to look again and then we have to get back.
There is a small army of birders here and we are all fairly well connected so hopefully tomorrow morning will bring us some luck!

The most common sight during a "Big Year"

Code 5 in Arizona!

Code 5 - Nutting's Flycatcher! (you gotta hear it)

Ash-throated Flycatcher (why you gotta hear it)

Wild Turkey

We saw some Wild Turkey today finally on the way back from Lexington today!
It is looking like we will likely be heading to AZ first on our list of places for rarity chasing. Really want to get Nutting's and there are quite a few other good ones out there right now. We were planning on heading out tomorrow but the car broke down tonight and that could delay us a day.
Thanks for the Votes!!

Bust

10hrs driving, 5hrs birding, no Black-tailed Gull. Only new bird was Common Merganser.
This was the first time having no scope hurt us. There was a ton of gulls on some buildings where the gull is said to hang out and I thought I saw a darker mantled black band tailed gull land amongst them but it was just too far for binocs alone. This is a hard pill to swallow and it won't happen again. We will get a scope if we have to sell a kidney! Liam was bummed but was a trooper and if he can handle this trip I think he can handle anything. It was a very long drive for 5 hours of uncomfortably cold Ring-billed Gull watching. He didn't get to add much in the way of new birds which is his favorite obsessive compulsive, hoarding, pack rat thing to do. He loves to collect things and bird names for his life/year list is his most prized pirates booty right now. After rarity chasing for a bit longer we will get some good trips in to add some serious numbers to the list.

This pic sums up our trip fairly well!

Black-tailed Gull or Bust!

As you know from last post I couldn't stand waiting so this morning Liam and I decided to go on a spur of the moment underfunded "educational" field trip in a broken shocked gas guzzler up to Cleveland(5hr drive) to try for the Black-tailed Gull. We only have today. Wish us luck and forward us any info if you have it.
"Damn the torpedoes; Full speed ahead!"

Liam checking out the ABA checklist on the way to find the gull

Can't Sleep

It is 1:50am and I can't sleep. I have been working hard since 7:30am and I am tired but Liam and I are doing a Big Year. When I lay down I can't stop thinking about the rarities out there right now that we need to get to. We are going Sunday(instead of watching the Superbowl) to California to try for Falcated Duck and then down to AZ for Nutting's Flycatcher, Streak-backed Oriole & Black-capped Gnatcatcher. We will stop in NE on the way home to try for Common Crane and then home for a run up for Black-tailed Gull. Shortly after on to Northern MN for winter birds and fancy owls and also NC for a Pelagic. BUT the days in between the last trip and the next is unbearable if you are hoping for a great year and a big number. If you decide to do a Big Year be sure to be comfortable with not being concerned with your final number OR be prepared to go all out all the time; otherwise, you will lose sleep! I CAN'T WAIT TO GET OUT THERE!!!