I’m just back home after a wonderful two days in California, birding with San Jose resident Jack Cole. Jack has been a great buddy of mine since I first met him way back in 1991 during (what I swore in 1992) would be the last Big Year I ever attempted. We spent most of the time in coastal/wetland habitats and easily racked up over 100 species - nothing too extraordinary, but including species I only infrequently get to see such as Black Oystercatcher, Black Turnstone, Surfbird, Buff-bellied (American) Pipit, Western Bluebird, Summer Tanager, Say’s Phoebe, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Townsend’s Warbler (stunning views - see below, and a write-up to follow), Tricolored Blackbird, and Golden-crowned Sparrow (plus close views of a whole pod of Sea Otters at Moss Landing - fantastic sight). What a darn shame we saw all these birds when it was still December, rather than early January when my “Old Friends Tour” was in full flow…

Adult male Townsend’s Warbler Dendroica townsendi.
Natural Bridges State Park, California. 13 Dec 2007.

 

Californian Sea Otter Enhydra lutris nereis.
Moss Landing State Beach, California. 13 Dec 2007.

Ah, yes, “The Old Friends, New Friends World Tour 2008″ is now just around the corner, and the little matter of getting ready for another Big Year has suddenly taken a rather serious turn, my friends. I need you to take note, search your hearts, ready your cars, and spare this particular 10,000 Birds correspondent a little bit of your precious birding time: the competition has just become serious - I’ll now be racing against ANOTHER airline birder!

Some devious upstart(you can’t say that ~ eds) - okay, er…one of my colleagues in the airline, has decided that we should make 2008 a two-horse race, and starting at midnight on December 31st both Graham Langley and myself will be beginning 365 days of birding to see who can take the ultimate crown in birding, “The most obsessed airline birder in the World (2008)” (“ultimate crown”, Charlie, come back down to earth right now my friend - eds)…Oh, okay, you’re right of course - no-one outside of Me and Graham (a man who has a long history of being unkind to kittens) (you MOST DEFINITELY can’t say that! ~ eds)…okay, no-one outside of Me and Graham, a man who is actually a darn good writer and a darn good birder (damn him), really cares - but the point is, suddenly I REALLY DO CARE.

Suddenly, I have the scent of competition in my nostrils, I’m impatient for 2008 to arrive (and apologies to Jack for the hundreds of times I wistfully said “If only it was January” over the last few days). I’m actually rather looking forward to dragging myself out of bed on January 1st (when I should be in Japan if my roster remains unchanged), the drive home from the airport on January 3rd (when birds like Magpie and Wood Pigeon take on the shimmering mantle of “new for the year”), the weeks to come dashing hither and thither, and the trips I’ll be told I’m going on by my employees - and it’s all because of Graham Langley, a man who will no doubt cheat his way to victory (NO, NO, NO! ~ eds) - okay, okay… it’s all because of Graham Langley, a man who has a seriously encyclopaedic knowledge of out-of-the-way hotspots in out-of-the-way places combined with the rambunctious energy of someone who actually gets to sleep at night as his children don’t wake him up every few hours. It’s going to be a long, tough fight, my friends, and I’m going to need as much help as I can get…

So, if in the coming twelve months you happen to read on this very blog that I’m going to be in your neck of the woods, don’t be backward in coming forward: I’ll be grateful for ages and ages (weeks probably) if you can see your way to whisking me round some of the local speciality birds where you live. And if you happen to get to hear of a similar appeal from Graham (a man remember who will steal your car as soon as look at you) (STOP RIGHT THERE BUSTER! You’re going to get us in serious trouble ~ eds)…okay, okay, he’s a really nice guy, help him out too if you really want to…

Where was I? Oh yes, if you should happen to be reading this from your home in either Miami or Los Angeles and have a day free in January to help me crush Graham under the weight of so many birds he gives up by the start of February, please let me know.

Oh, and don’t read too much into any of the above - we’re good friends and true British gentlemen, Graham and I, and any pre-fight banter has all the seriousness of two pro-wrestlers slapping each other with their handbags before getting into the ring. In fact, let me be the first to say, “May the best man win” (though that really had better be me, don’t you think…?)