Extreme Birder: One Woman's Big Year

Birding areas through my big year

Time frame Place Birds sought and/or found Jan. 1–4 South Texas, Valley South Texas residents and winter specialties Jan. 8–11 Minnesota Northern owls, woodpeckers, specialties Jan. 14–27 New Mexico, Arizona, Winter southwestern specialties, Aztec Thrush California Jan. 30 Texas—King Ranch Masked Duck Feb. 5–6 North Texas Rusty Blackbird, Purple Finch Feb. 10 Texas—Valley Elaenia Feb. 15–18 North Carolina— Eastern coastal/ocean birds land/pelagic Feb. 19–21 Florida Parrots, Short-tailed Hawk Feb. 21–24 New Jersey, New York Rare geese, eastern waterbirds Feb. 27–Mar. 4 Oregon, Washington, Oregon pelagic birds, Northwestern Crow, British Columbia Sky Lark Mar. 10–12 Nebraska Try for Common Crane, Greater Prairie-Chicken Mar. 16–21 Texas coast Fork-tailed Flycatcher, coastal birds, Valley birds Mar. 23–25 Georgia Green-breasted Mango Mar. 28 Texas Hill Country Golden-cheeked Warbler, Black-capped Vireo Mar. 31–Apr. 1 Texas upper coast Warblers, rails Apr. 2–5 Texas—Big Bend Colima Warbler, Zone-tailed Hawks, Common Black-Hawks Apr. 8–14 Texas Panhandle, Lek birds (Sage-Grouse, Lesser Prairie-Chicken) Colorado Apr. 17–25 Florida Everglades, Dry Tortugas specialties Apr. 29–May 4 Texas coast Great Texas Birding Classic—spring migrants May 10–19 Alaska—Adak Island Wandering Asian birds, Common Snipe, bean-geese May 21–22 Michigan Kirtland’s Warbler, Ruffed Grouse May 25–30 Alaska—St. Paul Island Cliff birds, Red-legged Kittiwake June 2–6 Alaska—Gambell Seabirds, rarities June 6–9 Alaska—Nome Bristle-thighed Curlew, western Alaska specialties June 10–13 Alaska—Barrow Eiders, shorebirds June 14–21 Alaska—Arctic NWR Gray-headed Chickadee June 30–July 3 Maine Bicknell’s Thrush, Spruce Grouse, Atlantic Puffin July 9–15 Arizona Hummingbirds, Montezuma Quail July 15–19 Nevada Try for Himalayan Snowcock July 19–21 New Mexico Black Swifts, mountain birds July 28–30 Texas—Guadalupe Try for Spotted Owl Mountains birding areas through my big year extreme birder 264 Time frame Place Birds sought and/or found July 30–Aug. 2 Florida Antillean Nighthawk, Mangrove Cuckoo Aug. 4–8 Nebraska Himalayan Snowcock Aug. 10 Texas—Valley Yellow-green Vireo Aug. 14–18 Arizona Berylline Hummingbird, Thick-billed Kingbird, Spotted Owl Aug. 21–24 North Carolina Two pelagic trips Aug. 24–31 Alaska—St. Paul Island Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Red-necked Stint Sept. 2–8 California, Arizona Land and pelagic birds, Island Scrub-Jay, Le Conte’s Thrasher Sept. 12–17 California Two pelagic trips plus land birds Sept. 22–25 Arizona Plain-capped Starthroat Sept. 25–26 Texas—Valley Muscovy Duck Oct. 1–5 Washington, Oregon Sooty Grouse, Chukar, Vaux’s Swift, Wood Sandpiper Oct. 7–10 California Virginia Rail, Lawrence’s Goldfinch Oct. 10–13 Alaska—Barrow Ross’s and Ivory Gull Oct. 19–20 Missouri Eurasian Tree-Sparrow Oct. 23–27 Florida Smooth-billed Ani, Flamingo, Budgerigar Oct. 30–Nov. 4 California Two-day pelagic, Northern Saw-whet Owl Nov. 7–10 Texas—Valley, coast Rose-throated Becard, Northern Saw-whet Owl Nov. 20–22 New Mexico, Arizona Bendire’s Thrasher, Baird’s Sparrow Nov. 22–24 New Mexico, Colorado White-tailed Ptarmigan, McCown’s Longspur Nov. 25–28 Washington Gray Partridge Dec. 5–9 Newfoundland Yellow-legged, Black-headed, and Iceland Gulls, Northern Lapwing Dec. 11–12 Texas—Valley Nothing (Blue Bunting disappeared) Dec. 14–16 Washington, Idaho Nothing (Black-tailed Gull and Whooper Swan had been there) Dec. 16–17 Texas—Valley Crimson-collared Grosbeak, Blue Bunting Dec. 18 Texas—Nacogdoches Henslow’s Sparrow Dec. 21–23 Ontario Nothing (Boreal Owl not found) Dec. 27–28 Arizona Rufous-capped Warbler appendix three ...