Not sure that is true, although it has been a while since I read it. More to
the point, he was competing with someone else that year, who actually
out-listed him. So the change was in the midst of a fierce competition. He has
not tried again, even though he is by all reckoning one of the best field
birders in the country, as well as an ardent conservationist.
Eric Jeffrey
Sent from my iPhone
> On May 19, 2016, at 7:41 PM, Peter Shute <> wrote:
>
> It might be true that Kaufman's attitude changed, but from the tiny relevant
> snippet of the book that I can see in the google search, it would appear that
> his attitude only changed after he'd beaten the previous record. I wonder if
> it would have changed if he hadn't.
>
> Peter Shute
>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Anne Brophy
>> Sent: Friday, 20 May 2016 7:44 AM
>> To: Denise Goodfellow <>
>> Cc: Peter Shute <>; birding-aus <
>> aus.org>; Tim <>
>> Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] John Weigel
>>
>> Hi Denise & Peter,
>>
>> I found the nicest part of the story was the gradual change in Kaufmann from
>> being driven by the one goal of 'numbers' to the inability to separate these
>> 'numbers' from the magnificence of birds and nature as a whole. I'd expect,
>> or hope, many who do a big year would have such a revelation. Maybe that
>> was left in the 70's though...
>>
>> His description of Sky Larks on San Juan and his time spent on Gambell, are
>> worth the price of the book alone!
>>
>> Kind regards,
>> Anne
>>
>> On 20 May 2016, at 12:19 AM, Denise Goodfellow
>> < <> >
>> wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>> And is the effort always worth? Kenn Kaufman wrote (p. 284) that
>> “the larger (his list) grew the less important or even interesting it
>> seemed.”
>>
>>
>> Denise Lawungkurr Goodfellow
>> PO Box 71
>> Darwin River, NT, Australia 0841
>> 043 8650 835
>>
>> PhD candidate, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW.
>>
>> Founding Member: Ecotourism Australia
>> Nominated by Earthfoot for Condé Nast’s International Ecotourism
>> Award, 2004.
>>
>> With every introduction of a plant or animal that goes feral this
>> continent becomes a little less unique, a little less Australian.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On 19 May 2016, at 9:10 pm, Peter Shute <
>> <> > wrote:
>>
>>
>> I haven't read Kingbird Highway, but I see that it's set in 1973.
>> I believe Roy Wheeler and Kevin Bartram, who did their Australian big years
>> not that long after, also didn't drive.
>>
>> I think it would be impossible to break the record these days
>> without a driving licence, and a lot of time and a lot of cash, let alone the
>> organisational and birding skills and luck that have always been required.
>>
>> Given the increasing difficulty of breaking the record, can
>> these attempts continue indefinitely? Surely a time will come when the
>> personal cost won't be worth the tiny chances of beating the record. And
>> surely, as the record gets harder to beat, the temptation to take "shortcuts"
>> will increase, and with it the need to provide the proof that is being asked
>> of
>> John Wiegel. It's a big ask to expect someone to get a photo of every bird,
>> and as we saw in a recent Victorian big year, even a photo can be
>> insufficient
>> proof.
>>
>> Are big years becoming impractical?
>>
>> Peter Shute
>>
>> Sent from my iPad
>>
>>
>>
>> On 19 May 2016, at 3:12 PM, Anne Brophy
>> < <> > wrote:
>>
>> Have just finished reading 'Kingbird Highway' by Kenn
>> Kaufman. What a wonderful tale of an early 'big year' and the culture of
>> American birding it describes. What more, the whole year was completed
>> when the author was barely in his twenties and he hitchhiked the whole
>> way. Highly recommended read!
>>
>>
>>
>> On 19 May 2016, at 1:12 PM, John Harris
>> < <> >
>> wrote:
>>
>> Hi Alastair,
>> I thought the whole "Big Year" was about not
>> putting it out there publicly
>> that you are doing it!! Having read "The Big
>> Year", it seemed that the best
>> strategy was to remain quiet about whether
>> "you" were doing a big year and
>> let others who may be doing one also make
>> up their own mind about your
>> intentions.... So much different to over here,
>> where birding folk are happy
>> to get on board with someone's efforts as
>> was shown with Sean Dooley's "Big
>> Twitch" and John's own efforts.
>>
>> Cheers.
>>
>> John
>>
>>
>>
>> *Yours in all things* "*GREEN"*
>>
>> *John Harris BASc, GDipEd*
>> *Croydon, Vic*
>> *Director - Wildlife Experiences Pty Ltd*
>> *Principal **Zoologist/**Ecologist*
>> *Nature Photographer*
>> *Wildlife Guide*
>>
>> *www.wildlifeexperiences.com.au
>> <http://www.wildlifeexperiences.com.au>
>> <http://www.wildlifeexperiences.com.au>*
>>
>> *www.facebook.com/wildlifeexperiences/
>> <http://www.facebook.com/wildlifeexperiences/>
>>
>> <http://www.facebook.com/wildlifeexperiences/>*
>>
>> <>
>> <
>> <> >*
>> *www.flickr.com/photos/wildlifeexperiences
>> <http://www.flickr.com/photos/wildlifeexperiences>
>>
>> <http://www.flickr.com/photos/wildlifeexperiences>*
>> *0409090955*
>>
>> *Past President, Field Naturalists Club of
>> Victoria*
>> *(www.fncv.org.au
>> <http://www.fncv.org.au> <http://www.fncv.org.au/>)*
>>
>>
>>
>> On 19 May 2016 at 11:14, A Smith
>> < <> > wrote:
>>
>> G’day Tim,
>>
>> Thanks for the link.
>>
>> I think you may be over stating things
>> a bit. I have followed Olaf since 1
>> January and nothing that I have read
>> has slandered John. Like anyone doing
>> a big year Olaf wants to know who
>> the competition is. That said, I assume
>> John (like me) is a fairly novice North
>> American birder and therefore he
>> should expect to have his sightings
>> queried. Great that he has the photos
>> and hopefully he’ll find time to blog.
>>
>> Regards
>> Alastair
>>
>>
>> On 18 May 2016, at 20:17, Tim
>> < <> > wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>> Hi All,
>>
>> As some are aware but others may
>> not be John Weigel is doing an
>>
>>
>> American big year in true Weigel
>> fashion. He has not been home since late
>> December and won't be until January
>> 17. You can follow his blog here
>> although at present it's simply a
>> running list as his time is consumed by
>> chasing rarities that has not stopped
>> http://www.birdingfordevils.com/?m=1
>> !
>>
>>
>>
>> He hadn't published his list until
>> several days ago and since doing so
>>
>>
>> it's fair to say he has been slandered
>> by his competition who wasn't aware
>> John was doing the big year 2016 and
>> Is perhaps caught a little by
>> surprise. He has even had his
>> sightings questioned! See here
>>
>> http://olafsbigyear.blogspot.com.au/2016/05/free-nipple.html?m=1
>>
>>
>>
>> Johns previous Australian 'big years'
>> have left no doubt about his
>>
>>
>> credibility. He photographed almost
>> every single bird! He has done the
>> same this year but has been unable
>> to edit his 40,000 photographs and post
>> them. He will in due course.
>>
>>
>>
>> The year is shaping up to be the stuff
>> movies are made of!! He's also
>>
>>
>> raising funds for Devil Ark (Tasmanian
>> devil breeding facility) throughout
>> the year).
>>
>>
>>
>> John is currently on the world famous
>> Attu chasing Megas and cannot
>>
>>
>> respond at present. I encourage
>> Australian birders to follow the action and
>> support John!
>>
>>
>>
>> He is a great bloke and I trust this
>> group will enjoy following and
>>
>>
>> Aussie take it internationally!
>>
>>
>>
>> All the best!
>>
>>
>>
>> Sincerely Tim Faulkner
>>
>>
>>
>> Sent from my iPhone
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