Congratulations! Wow!
Frank Boyle
Rohrersville, MD
Sent from my iPhone
On Oct 25, 2012, at 8:11 AM, Warren and Lisa Strobel <birdingcouple...> wrote:
> Dear all: I know this isnt the place for bragging about one's birding accomplishments - but I'll hope you'll indulge me just this once.
>
> I started out 2012 with a crazy idea - try to do a Maryland big year of 300 species or more while working an intense job in Washington, DC that has me on the road from 830am to 745pm, and sometimes interrupts weekends and evenings, too. Early mornings and weekends would be devoted to birding. Luck would be needed. Phalaropes that arrived in the late afternoon at Swan Creek and left early the next morning would have to be missed.
>
> If you saw some guy in slacks and a dress shirt with scope in one hand and BlackBerry in other, packing up to to go whether the staked-out bird had been seen or not, that would be me. In just one example, in mid-March I met Dan Haas at o-dark-thirty at Irvine Nature Center where we, Kye Jenkins and others got great looks at the Leconte's Sparrow. Then began my 2-hour commute into work through both Baltimore and DC rush hours.
>
> With Dan's help, I saw my 300th species yesterday, finally not dipping on Vesper Sparrow.
>
> More than chasing some silly number, Lisa and I have learned immeasurably more about bird identification and distribution this year, visited new corners of our wonderful state, and connected and reconnected with friends from Maryland's very special birding community.
>
> Friends and colleagues who helped me find birds or suggest where and when to look are too numerous to name - I'd forget someone, but I'm deeply grateful to all.
>
> Thanks first to Lisa, the better half of Birdcouple, who was with me for most of this and, when she wasn't, packed me lunches and insisted I text her with each new speces found. Insanely lucky guy, huh?
>
> Also to the aforementioned Mr. Haas, Peter Kaestner and Tim Carney, who both provided constant advice and encouragement.
>
> Next year's goal: run a marathon. But first - there are 2 more months in 2012 and a great finch season awaiting us.
>
> Thanks, and great birding!
>
> Warren Strobel
> Annapolis, MD
> http://www.birdcouple.com/
>
>
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