Day by Day

Here it is; short summary of the first 7 days of my Big Year for 2013- with a goal of 500 birds & mammals.

January 1rst:
Was in Calgary, Alberta over Christmas and went northwest of the city with hopes of Great Gray Owls. First bird of the year was a Snowy Owl on a pole as the sun rose. It flew from it's perch shortly after we stopped the car to watch it.

Disappearing over horizon

Soon added Pileated Woodpecker, Townsend's Solitaire, Magpie, Raven and other more common northern boreal/woodlands winter birds. Couldn't find a Great Gray Owl but did find 3 species of Chickadee (Mountain, Boreal and Black-capped) Gray Jay, Northern Shrike, Snow Buntings and Rough-legged Hawks.

 

Ended the day with 29 species.

January 2nd:

A quick visit to the river in Calgary turned up 6 more species before my afternoon flight back to Houston.

January 3rd:

Tracked down some common neighborhood species here in Houston including Chipping Sparrows and American Goldfinches, among others at my feeders. Up to 74 species of birds. 

January 4th:

Tracked 3 yard species down.

January 5th:

6 more species brings me to 83 species of birds and 7 species of mammals (6 of which were found on the first day). Birds include Hooded Merganser and Forster's Tern.

January 6th:

18 new species of birds brings me to 101. Highlights included a large flock of geese; mostly Snow Geese but including Greater White-fronted, Ross's and Cackling Geese. Also some more prairie species and Rufous Hummingbird at Kleb Woods Nature Preserve. Photos to follow.

January 7th:

4 more neighborhood species brings me to 105 species of birds, 5 above target. 7 specis of mammals, 2 behind target. I'm off to a good start.