Vanity yr - Baker's dozen (long)

GREGORY.B.MILLER@bge.com
Mon, 28 Sep 1998 16:30:04 -0400 

Howdy all!

     Ok.  For those who don't care about all this listing
stuff--delete now.  The rest of you, well, you all have endured
my own personal quest all summer.  And as I reach a goal, I keep
extending.  Since I may never be at this point again, I'm going
to finish the year with the same kind of effort.  So, my next
goal is pure vanity (ha--as if 700 wasn't).  715, I think.

     Think?  Yes.  To my knowledge, this would be the 3rd best
North American year list (I have *no* documentation on
this--totally UNOFFICIAL).  Yes, I'm admitting a certain amount
of competitiveness now.  Ok.  A lot! <grin>

     Unfortunately, I do not have the exact records on this.
Sandy Komito, the record holder,  already broke his own record
this year (was at 731 in early September; old record was in the
mid-720s set in 87).  I think the next in line would be Bill
Rydell with 714, set in the early 90s(?).  #4 is a birder from
California, whose name I don't even know with 711 or 712, I'm
told.  #5 would go to Benton Basham, the first to bust the
700-mark, with a little over 700 (702-704?) in the early 80s(?).
And then there's Jim Vardaman who fell just shy of 700 with
698-699(?) in the late 70s or early 80s(?).

     I do not own the list rpts from ABA before 1995 so I can't
check what was reported previously.  So if any of you could shed
any light on this, I'd appreciate it greatly.

     At #703 now, I have listed below 13 targets I will be trying
to locate before yearend.  If other rarities show up between now
and then, great!  I'll take anything I can get!

     Thanks to the many of you who have so graciously expressed
support for my own personal quest.  It has been the most
thrilling birding year for me in my life.

     A hearty THANK YOU to Norm & Fran for allowing me to share
my experiences here on MDOsprey.  All you MDOspreyers have been
my birding family this year.  It's nice to have a place to hang
my hat.

     So here it is--the list of remaining targets.  Some will be
much easier than the others...

The Baker's Dozen:
     Least Storm-Petrel
     Greater Flamingo
     Himalayan Snowcock
     Sage Grouse
     White-tailed Ptarmigan
     Lesser Prairie-chicken
     Iceland Gull
     Dovekie
     Budgerigar
     Snowy Owl
     Spot-breasted Oriole
     Brown-capped Rosy-Finch
     Eurasian Tree Sparrow

Hoping many of you will have a like opportunity sometime in your
lives,

-Greg Miller
Lusby, MD
internet: http://www.erols.com/gregorym
home: gregorym@erols.com
work: gregory.b.miller@bge.com