Listers Anonymous...my own personal quest for 98

Gregory B Miller (gregorym@erols.com)
Thu, 26 Mar 1998 23:59:55 -0500 

Howdy all!

	Look out!  Purely selfish agenda ahead!  Birder goes over the edge!

	<It's long.  It's personal.  Feel free to delete.  I hope I am not
offending anyone with my own selfish quest.>

	Ok.  I admit to my obsession:  listing birds.  Ok.  Maybe a little out
of whack for this year, too.  My goal is 600 in North America.  If I
don't make it, I sure hope to have the most FUN year birding ever!  This
will be the equivalent [for me--I just passed the 600 mark last summer
for my life list in North America] of an entire lifetime (37 yrs) of
birding experiences in one year.

	Several factors have contributed to this madness <grin>.

	1) Kenn Kaufman's book, _Kingbird Highway_
	2) I'm not getting any younger
	3) I can still see, hear, and move about well enough
	4) I've always wanted to do a "big" year
	5) I have very few responsibilities tying me down this year
	6) I have the most flexible work environment I've ever had
	7) I did 500+ species last year on 4 wks vacation (w/o Alaska)
	8) I'm going to Alaska this year (this is what makes me believe it's
even feasible)
	9) 4 wks off between contracts
	10) internet airfare wars...yaaaaaahoooooooo!

	I had a month off between contracts this year, February 15-March 15. 
This happened to coincide with Internet airfare wars.  Waaaaaahoooo!  I
was off and running [madly].  I flew to SE Arizona Feb 15-20, returned
to Baltimore for a day; left for S Texas Feb 22-27, returned to
Baltimore in the evening and left the next morning for N Minnesota Feb
28-Mar 4; then on to Oklahoma Mar 4-8, returning to Baltimore once
again; then off to San Francisco the next morning Mar 9-15. (yes, I went
back to work Mar 16...a little tired but very happy!).  Why back to
Baltimore so often?  Well, to save 50%, of course!  Unfortunately, I
don't have unlimited resources <sigh>.  But it's just one more exciting
challenge to birding.  Everyone has their own limitations.  This past
weekend I flew in to Ohio to combine birding with visiting my family in
Ohio.  It was cold, windy, and snowing...ah, Spring in Cleveland
<ha-ha-ha>.

	I'm planning on doing S Florida and the Dry Tortugas Apr 2-6, and Texas
for migration Apr 17-26.  Then on to Anchorage May 8, Attu May 9-24,
Gambell May 25-31, Denali and Seward Peninsula Jun 1-6, Minnesota/North
Dakota Jun 7-14.  Then I have to work again (ah...that doesn't sound
easy after all that fun!).

	Yes, I am at 375 for the year so far (and count myself to be very lucky
so far).  Unfortunately, I didn't decide to do a big year until the end
of January.  I only had 4 full days of birding before traipsing all over
the country.  

	My exuberance has me rambling far more than any of you probably want to
hear.  Sorry for the wordiness, but no apologies for having fun!!!  If
you'd like any trip lists or summaries, I'll be happy to supply them on
request (in between birding excursions, of course!).  Oh, and yes, I am
keeping a journal.  Maybe if I get ambitious some day, I may publish
it.  Who knows?

	And again, thanks for everyone's kindness and willingness to help with
the SHORT-EARED OWL and SWAINSON'S WARBLERs.  It is GREATLY appreciated!

Greg Miller
Lusby, MD
Home: gregorym@erols.com
Work: gregory.b.miller@bge.com