Some of you had some really amazing bird
experiences last year, the sea birds of (or even off) the east coast over winter
and the dry country birds in inland Vic & NSW were just great.
Over a week ago, I decided I was not going to
contribute to this discussion on highlights (especially with a year till the new
millennium). I don't what happened. Here goes:
Birding-wise:
1.
Eden pelagic trip on 17-1-1999, a 42nd birthday present. Several new sea-birds
for me on one day (the list has already gone on b-a). Remaining entirely well
for a day on a boat. Only my second day out on a boat in years. It had been many
years since the last time I got a new bird and probably will be again till the
next one (not that lists interest me that much). With White-throated Nightjars
later that evening.
2.
Finding a Tawny Frogmouth entirely by seeing its shadow on the ground, as it
flew over, in half moon light, at Weddin Mountains NP in September. Nothing rare
about that, I just thought it was clever. (I then identified it using a
spotlight after it perched.) Lots of other good birds there in that short
trip.
3.
Being one of the group to add a new species to the ACT bird list (ho-hum) - a
Red Knot.
Birding-Social-wise:
4. COG
monthly meetings, probably the best set of meetings around.
5.
Having the Birds Australia Members' Day and AGM in Canberra and meeting other
folks from all over.
6.
Numerous conversations on this b-a line (some even amusingly and inappropriately
heated).
Work-wise:
7. Unemployed
(poorish, stressed, rejected and busy) for 4 months, then employed (a little
less poor, unstressed and still busy) for 8 months.
Other-wise:
8. Completing the
data set for 17 years (1101 observer years of data) from COG's Garden Bird
Survey and doing all the work on the analysis of each bird species (216 of them)
populations by month and year over that time (plus breeding and all the
associated analysis of the survey). Wow, what a monster that
became!
9. All not
necessarily in that order, yet I can't ignore: seeing & HEARING Deep Purple
in concert in Sydney in May (no birds there though), in Australia for the first
time for 15 years.
My tip, (12 months too early) for the birding event of the
century: The solar eclipse of 1976.
