[obol] Lane County Big Year comes to a close. Final Tally -- 289

[Larry McQueen]

Congratulations to Dave and Diane!  The list of people Dave birded with
could be another county record.

 

Larry

 (my first bird for the year is Townsend's Warbler).

 

 

 

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From: obol-bounces at lists.oregonstate.edu
[mailto:obol-bounces at lists.oregonstate.edu] On Behalf Of DAVID IRONS
Sent: Monday, December 31, 2007 11:04 PM
To: obol; Steve Heinl; Steve Bailey; David Fix
Subject: [obol] Lane County Big Year comes to a close. Final Tally -- 289

 

Happy New Year to you All,

Technically, about one hour and twenty minutes of listing time remain as I
write this.  Practically speaking, my final birding efforts for 2007 ended
about eight hours ago.  I had no plans to post anything, but since David Fix
referenced my Lane County Big Year record, I thought I would take the time
to say thanks to all those folks who helped me in my quest.  A Big Year is
far from a solitary pursuit.  My effort was enhanced by many birds found by
others, by birds I found using directions someone else had provided, shared
rides, shared driving, shared homes, and in one case shared optics.  I was
encouraged by family members, friends, and even birders who I don't know
very well to "go for it."  There are several Lane County birders who try for
a big county year list every year and Diane Pettey decided to do a big year
this year as well.  Having announced my intentions to several folks early
on, I was ever diligent about not getting dusted by one of these fine folks.
Diane and I worked closely together all year.  We took many trips into the
field together, shared strategies, spent nights at each others homes, and it
was fun to help Diane get new birds each of the last two days of the year
(Short-eared Owl on the 30th and Common Goldeneye today).  I received
several timely calls from Sylvia Maulding, Paul Sherrell, Don DeWitt (whose
record I was challenging), Dennis Arendt, Don Schrouder, Alan Contreras and
others who seemed to have as much interest as I did in finding the outer
limits of what is possible in a year in Lane County.  Without their support
Don's old record may have held up.  Ultimately, I ended up at 289, breaking
Don's old Lane and state single-county year list record of 273.  Diane hit
276, also topping Don's old record.  

It has been an incredibly fun pursuit, made more so by the many folks who I
birded with in Lane, some only briefly (see list below).  I am thankful for
having had the opportunity to "go for it" and equally thankful that I can go
back to regular birding in 2008.  If you ask me what my county year list is
next year, expect a blank stare.  Thanks most to my girlfriend Jennie and
Diane's husband Mike for tolerating our crazy pursuit of ultimately
meaningless numbers.

To all a Happy New Year List and to my Lane County Year List goodnight!

Dave Irons
Eugene, OR 

People I birded with in Lane Co. this year: (sorry if I left someone off, I
started keeping track in June)

Rick Ahrens
Jack Anderson
Dennis Arendt
Rich Armstrong
Nanette Armstrong
Ann Bartley
Cynthia Bassett
Bob Bender
David Brown
Jennifer Brown
Becky Carlson
Jim Carlson
Les Colburn
Alan Contreras
Lydia Cruz
Don DeWitt
Daniel Farrar
Fred Ferguson
Bob Fish
David Fix
Jeff Gilligan
Greg Gillson
George Grier
Troy Guy
Ed Hansen
Judie Hansen
Randy Henderson
Anne Heyerly
Dan Heyerly
Steve Heinl
Diane Horgan
Bill Hunter
Jim Jacobson
Tim Janzen
Laura Johnson
Lillian Irons
Lucy Irons
Stuart Irons
Kit Larsen
Maitreya
Jim Maloney
Charlene Maloney
Sylvia Maulding
Barry McKenzie
Larry McQueen
Judy Meredith
Allison Mickel
Tom Mickel
Steve Mlodinow
Russ Namitz
Bruce Newhouse
Mark Nikas
Margie Paris
Dael Parsons
Matt Peterson
Diane Pettey
Jude Power
Al Prigge
Holly Reinhard
Roger Robb
W. Douglas Robinson
Owen Schmidt
Don Schrouder
Lisa Sheffield
Tim Shelmerdine
Paul Sherrell
Tom Shreve
Mary Shreve
Randy Sinnott
David Smith
Tom Snetsinger
John Sullivan
Bob Stites
Bill Stotz
Zanah Stotz
Noah Strycker
Iain Tomlinson
Dave Westerfield
Jay Withgott
Sheran Wright

 

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