Big Year update

So we are officially 20 days into Brendan's Big Year and he has recorded 46 species of birds.  Ok, some were from the zoo but I cut him some slack because he is 6 and can't very well travel all over the country birding.  Which interestingly enough, after some research, going for a Big Year is one of the most costly sports out there.  I think they do call it a sport because you are in competition with other birders.

His favorites birds so far:

Blue Jay

Mallard

Eastern Bluebird

Sandhill Crane (juvenile) 

We saw this bird back in the field and Brendan helped figure out what it was.

Birds he really wants to see...

Great Gray Owl

There are a few nesting pairs in the U.P. of Michigan. Most live far north of that and in the Arctic.

A Pileated Woodpecker

source national geographic

Ruby-Throated Hummingbird

source: all about birds

Snowy Owl

source: owlpictures.com

Great-Horned Owl

source: Richard Parrish (Toledo Metroparks Facebook page)

He's convinced he's going to see over 800 bird species by March 31, 2013.  Glad he set such a high goal.  This spring we plan on going out to Magee Marsh with my brother's family to see all the migratory birds.  Hopefully we will be able to identify them once we see them.  We also plan on taking a trip to my aunt's to see (hopefully) the pileated woodpecker, hummingbirds, and listen for owls.  We are also planning a weekend up north this summer so we should have some good birding:)  He wants to see ravens, gray jays, evening grosbeaks, and boreal chickadees while up north.

Just last night as we sat on the couch he said,

"I want to travel all over the world and see birds!"

I advised him to save his money because it is expense to travel all over the world.  He might want to start doing more chores to fund his Big Year travels.