birding-aus

BAD birding, a way to bird more often with a special focus

To: "Birding" <>
Subject: BAD birding, a way to bird more often with a special focus
From: "Alan Gillanders" <>
Date: Wed, 11 Dec 2013 09:37:07 +1000
Greetings,
I bird nearly every day and have done so for some years but this was something 
new for me.

I have had fun taking up the Bird a Day (BAD) challenge made last year and 
started at the beginning of the year; adding a bird species each day to my BAD 
list. Now with 21 days to finish the year I have only eight sure or near sure 
things left. It is unlikely that I’ll make it through the year but it has been 
fun and I would recommend the exercise to others for a year when you know you 
are going to do a fair amount of travelling. Russell Woodford, who I think laid 
down the challenge, scored 191, Stephen Murray 254 and John Kooistra 294 birds 
a day.

It does get you out birding more often, providing more joys and 
disappointments. For instance, the first two times I went looking for Oriental 
Cuckoo I found it on both occasions but also found less common species so did 
not use the cuckoo as the bird for that day, Black Falcon and House Swift. I 
then saw Black Falcon another 5 or more times during the year but when 
searching for O C, failed to find it. I did find it but chance recently. 
Finding 4 more birds for the home block helped too. Another frustration has 
been seeing two unusual birds on the one day and picking the wrong one as to 
which is more likely to still be there the next day. I have not kept a year 
list but it would exceed 1 000 as I was in North & Central America and Europe 
for two months and called into Hong Kong for three days. Three short trips in 
Australia also added to the birding but one cannot store birds for future days 
when BADing. As I stated before if you want to get through the whole year you 
should count on doing a fain amount of travelling but one can set one’s own 
challenge.

If you want to give it a go next year then go to 
http://www.awm3.com/birdaday2012/Account/Register.aspx?ReturnUrl= and register. 
One can start at any time of year but it is usual start with the new year.

Good birding and all the best for the festive season to my birding-aus friends,
Alan

Alan's Wildlife Tours
2 Mather Road
Yungaburra 4884

Phone 07 4095 3784
Mobile 0408 953 786
http://www.alanswildlifetours.com.au/

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