Extreme Birder: One Woman's Big Year

March: March Madness and More

March Madness and More new bird species seen this month: 52 totaL bird species by the end of the month: 452 pLaces birded: Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Arkansas, Georgia March 2 Yesterday, Debra drove me over to the Newport historic waterfront in the desultory rain spurts. People were gathered about with binoculars and packs and coolers, mostly under an overhanging awning. I went into the office to check in and was told that the captain had canceled the trip due to high winds (and waves, I think). I had psyched myself to do this trip, but I was secretly relieved. I went out to the others, who were gathered to see what was going on. Now what? Debra and I started asking for ideas of local places to bird, or of particular birds to chase. We learned where a Trumpeter Swan had been seen and were about to go there when the captain appeared and said the m a r c h Black-footed albatrosses were my favorites on the Oregon pelagic trip on March 1. extreme birder 42 weather had shifted again and the trip was on. We all (except Debra) boarded his boat. Before we left the sheltered harbor area, it was quite calm, but out on the ocean, it was rougher. Oddly enough, it was not the waves but the wind and the periodic rain that were worst, but I did not get sick. It was a good day for birds. I saw three year birds on the ocean—Blackfooted Albatross, Laysan Albatross, and Cassin’s Auklets, plus many Common Murres and Rhinoceros Auklets, and lots of Northern Fulmars, fighting over chum on a line that the crew put out. Birders often throw fish parts and fish oil behind a pelagic boat, causing many seabirds to follow the boat. My main problem was that I still had a cold, and I was doped up on cold meds as well as the Scopolamine patch, and felt pretty loggy. Fortunately, I was dressed warm enough. I sat like a bump on a log as the birds flew by and around the boat, but when the first Laysan Albatross came close to the boat, I did get up. I had been worried about getting my camera wet, especially with salt spray coming over the boat, but the captain managed to maneuver around quite a few storm systems out over the ocean, and we got very little rain after the first couple of hours. northern Fulmars were the most common on the March 1 Oregon pelagic trip. januarY 43 MarCH When we got into port and docked, I looked for Debra. When I found her, she said with some urgency, “Do you think we have time, and do you have the energy, to go to see the Trumpeter Swan before dark?” She had located it earlier in the day. She drove as fast as possible to somewhere south of Newport to a farm pond, where the swan had been staying. It was still there and visible in the half light, a glowing white swan in the near darkness. I had four new birds for the year on the first day of March. Today, we drove east to Olympia, Washington, and west to Port Angeles. It was very rainy and foggy in Oregon, but as we got into Washington, the fog cleared. When we reached the Hood Canal area, we were able to see many Barrow’s Goldeneyes, as well as some year birds for Debra. We had dinner in Port Angeles tonight. I’m at 405 species so far and hope to add at least 2 tomorrow. March 4 I added four new species yesterday, but none today. Yesterday, in a little drizzly rain, Debra and I drove to the ferry dock in Port Angeles about 6:30 a.m. We had morose thoughts of standing on a fast-moving, rainy deck trying to see “pelagic” birds. It took us awhile to find where cars were supposed to line up for the ferry. We got our tickets and drove into the bowels of a huge ferry, the Coho. Before passenger cars were allowed on, six or seven semi-trucks and trailers pulled on, which were swallowed up in the beast. The huge parking deck was This Barrow’s Goldeneye was one of many in the Hood Canal area of Washington on March 2. extreme birder...