A Year for Listing - Dream Yr Update (long)

GREGORY.B.MILLER@bge.com
Mon, 12 Oct 1998 10:01:22 -0400 

Howdy All!

     What a gorgeous weekend to be out!  No new birds for the
year from Hatteras, NC this weekend, but it was a good day out
anyway.

     Just after I boarded the boat in the morning I saw a
familiar face enter the doorway--Allen Levantin from Colorado.  I
knew Al had been at Attu this year (2nd 2 wks), that I had met
him on a previous cancelled Hatteras trip in August, and that a
nameless Colorado birder had ticked the Fork-tailed Flycatcher in
MA in August for 675.  So on a hunch, I greeted Al with a hearty,
"So how's your year coming along?"  "I'm at 691 for the year", Al
replied.  The lister part of me was mildly relieved to finally
put a name to more competition.  And, his number was still behind
mine (pardon my competitive nature here folks <grin>).  He asked
what Sandy Komito from NJ was at for the year.  I told him Sandy
was at 731 in early September and was still missing Canada
Warbler.

     Not 5 minutes later, who should board the ship, but the
master lister himself, Sandy Komito.  Sandy greeted us both and
immediately asked how we were doing for the year.  I said, "Doing
very well--705 so far".  Sandy congratulated me and turned to Al.
 Al, being a practical joker, stated he was at 737 for the year
and was still missing some gettable birds.  Sandy's eyes visibly
widened as he exclaimed, "Wow!".  We all immediately broke into
a great laughter.  It was just too good!  It turns out that Sandy
is at an unbelievable 736 for the year.  Simply incredible.  He's
getting ready for his 7th or 8th trip to Alaska soon for Ross's
Gull.

     We traded exciting war stories all day as we watched for
good birds.  Al was the only one of the trio to add anything new.
 Black-capped Petrel was #692 for him.

     Birds included lots of Cory's and Audubon's Shearwaters,
good numbers of Black-capped Petrels, a few Wilson's
Storm-Petrels, a Greater Shearwater, a Red-necked Phalarope, and
a few Pomarine Jaegers (at least 2).  Water temps were quite
warm, but winds were out of the North.  It was just too late for
Herald Petrel and White-tailed Tropicbird (winds were wrong) and
the water was too warm for White-faced Storm-Petrel (too choppy
to see, too).  On the return from Hatteras, I saw many Snow Geese
and a half dozen Marbled Godwits at Pea Island NWR.

     Sandy's hoping to reach 740.  It will be a tough year for me
to stay in second place (first is just plain, unreachable).  Al
Levantin has off the rest of the year except for a single work
day in December. <gulp>  I've got weekends.  It's gonna be
close...

     Listing this year is at an unprecedented level.  In addition
to the three of us on the boat, I know of three other birders
this year who are at or above the 650 mark.  If you've watched
the yearlist reports, you'll know that anyone with a year over
600 is usually in first or second place for the year.  This year
is amazing!

-Greg Miller
Lusby, MD