Birds of the year

December 31, 2024

While we’re awaiting developments on the main thread, let’s clean off some items that have been cluttering the workbench for awhile. This one is a collection of my favorite bird photos for the year. With the exception of the final two which were shot by Canon they were all taken with the older Lumix, which I still prefer for birds within range. Assuming we travel again someday soon, I’m pretty sure both cameras and the phone will find a place waiting for them.

And, of course, I want to reiterate how happy I am to have nabbed my 300th species of the year, and just in the nick of time. It’s a pretty modest goal for even an amateur birder like myself, but I’m pleased to claim it. I can hope for a better year in the future, but it won’t be surprised if this is a lifetime achievement for me. I’m good with that. And thank all of you who’ve shown even a passing interest in birds to have shared the experience with us.

January 8: Little egret (#30), Sweetwater, Tucson.

January 9: Wood duck (#61), Reid Park, Tucson.

January 17: Acorn woodpecker (#72), Madera Canyon.

January 23: Sharp-shinned hawk (#84), Tucson.

January 24: Cinnamon teal (#109), Sweetwater, Tucson.

January 25: Black-crowned night heron (#86), Silverbell Lake, Tucson.

January 29: Green heron (#66), Sweetwater, Tucson.

February 1: Little blue heron (#97), Mission Bay, San Diego..

February 2: Brandt’s cormorant (#117), La Jolla.

February 3: Marbled godwits (#93), Torrey Pines.

February 12: Peregrine falcon (#139), Sellwood Bridge, Portland.

February 13: Snow geese (#15), Sauvie Island.

April 17: Eurasian golden oriole (#208), Merida.

April 22: Woodchat shrike (#190), near Plasencia.

May 18: Common shelduck (#148), near Santander.

June 3: Mandarin duck (#250), Grand Western Canal, Tiverton.

June 27: Eurasian oystercatcher (#258), Pateley Bridge.

June 27: Eurasian curlew (#257), Pateley Bridge.

July 11th: Northern gannet (#267), Flamborough Head.

August 27: Barnacle goose (#277), Zierikzee.

October 15: Greater flamingo (#163), the Ornithological Park near Saintes Maries.

November 6: Eurasian Hoopoe (#158), Aiguamolls Natural Park on the Bay of Roses.

December 11: Townsend’s warbler (#297), Laguna Lake, San Luis Obispo.

December 12: American white pelican (#300), on the boardwalk in Morro Bay State Park.

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Patrick O'HaraAll really lovely shots, Scott.
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3 days ago

Susan CarpenterA most excellent collection!! Congrats on reaching 300
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3 days ago

Bob KoreisBeautiful photos. Feels like there is a book in your future, even if it's only self published.
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3 days ago

Scott AndersonTo Bob KoreisThanks, Bob. Actually, on the darkest of the nights to come I was thinking it was time to publish a bookish journal here as a abridged history of the entire Team Anderson saga in case it’s likely to come to an abrupt end soon. Spoiler alert, I think we can wait awhile yet to consider that project.
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3 days ago

Suzanne GibsonBeautiful collection of bird shots, Scott! You say 300 is a modest goal, even for an amateur birder. But you're not driving around in a 4x4, or taking organized birder tours, or carrying a tripod, or using a giant 600mm lens. I'm no expert on birding, but I think this is an amazing achievement.
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3 days ago

Carolyn van HoeveTo Scott AndersonI’m feeling fearful of what unfolded, but encouraged by a note of optimism. Hoping you can write off 2024 as a bad health year and greet 2025 with a positive start.
Really love your bird photos.
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3 days ago

Scott AndersonTo Carolyn van HoeveCourage!
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3 days ago

marilyn swettGreat pictures, Scott - thanks for sharing them with us. With your new camera, you'll probably get many more next year!
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3 days ago

Scott AndersonTo marilyn swettWe’ll see, said the blind man.
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3 days ago

Steve Miller/GrampiesAmazing nice photos. They seem to back up the often seen claim that you don't need a $12,000 camera to make an outstanding photo.
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2 days ago

Steve Miller/GrampiesReading Winterlude takes priority, but otherwise I am trying to enter all our 2024 birds into eBird. They are quite amazing in the speed with which a reviewer emails you if they think you have have stepped out of line. They have "illegal" birds of various types, such as "escapees", and then there are "spuhs" and "slashes", "other taxa" and who knows what. I went to email war with a reviewer over my Greylag geese, seen in the wild everywhere in Europe but confined to "escapee" prison by eBird. I found it therefore liberating to see you starting 2025 here in December, because you make the rules!

p.s. There is a good chance we too will exceed 300, but we cheated by going to Costa Rica. On the other hand, we only count a bird if we have an identifiable photo. By contrast, the people in our tour, with the $2500 Swarovski binos, could call out 10 birds in a minute. In the 12 days of the tour, they saw 258 species!
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2 days ago

Scott AndersonTo Steve Miller/GrampiesAnd zoos! I don’t count zoo birds, but each to their own rules of course. Congratulations yourselves, it’s been very interesting watching this become a real focus for you both.
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2 days ago

Karen PoretTo Suzanne GibsonAgreed!!
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2 days ago