Hard as it is to believe it’s early December, and thoughts - should you be of a certain inclination - are turning from one year to the next, or more specifically from this year’s almost non-existent attempt at a year list to next year’s more crafted endeavour at a “Year List worthy of the name”. Oh, yes, it’s almost 2008, and I’m planning what I’m calling the “Old Friends, New Friends 2008 World Tour” (which doesn’t sound as if it has anything to do with birds, but you’ll see what I’m getting at if you keep reading…)

Yes, I’m out to do a Big Year, using my undoubtedly privileged position as an airline Cabin Crew member to get around the world for as little money as possible and see as many birds as I can. And I need some help…

Before I get to my pitch let me explain a few things quickly. Despite what some readers might think I’m not actually a fanatical fan of year-listing. I don’t have a bad word to say about anyone who attempts one, and I have nothing against listing in principle, it’s just that way back in 1991 I went all-out for a year-list I would remember for ever and became so exhausted by late-summer that I ended the year hardly able to remember my own name let alone the birds I’d seen and vowing NEVER to keep a Year List EVER again. Turns out of course that you should never say never, and in 2006 I put my toe in the listing water again. I made a promise that I wouldn’t get out of my depth doing it, and I stuck a little tentatively to the metaphoric shallows. Without much of an effort - and with six weeks off towards the end of the year to go to China with Jo and adopt our gorgeous little girl when I saw virtually nothing new - I still managed to get close to a 1000 species and (somewhat surprisingly) really enjoyed myself.

Most of the year I birded on my own and relied on public transport and the occasional taxi to get around. I had stirling help from a few old friends (most notably Jack Cole who lives in California, and Mike of this very blog), and had the odd exceptional trip in the company of a professional birder but mostly I just saw what I saw and didn’t fret too much about what I didn’t. “Casually earnest” was the phrase I thought best described my efforts. 2006’s unfocussed peregrinations did make me wonder though how I would have done with a little more organisation and a little more logistical support…

More organisation and support? Where would I find that? Then a thought hit me: would - I asked myself - the readers of this blog like to be a part of my attempt to see more than a 1000 bird species in 2008? The answer - surely - has to be “yes”. After all who could turn down the chance to take an invariably jet-lagged middle-aged Englishman (who, if I’m honest, is starting to get a little tatty round the edges) round their local patch in return for a few rambling stories about working for an airline and the occasional offer to buy them a cup of coffee? Put like that, no-one could refuse I’ll bet…

I may not be selling myself too well, but I’d hate to disappoint anyone who volunteers to drive me around for a day. I know what images are conjured up by us Olde Worlde English types, and I have to warn you I’m not anything like floppy-fringed thespian Hugh Grant (more like Hugh Laurie in “House” truth be told). But I am well-mannered, I never curse in front of children, and I will always cover any expenses we incur on our travels. I won’t get stressed if we miss a few birds, but I’m always very grateful if we see more than we expected. There is a short list of birds which for personal reasons I really want to see this year, but other than those I just want to go to some interesting places, have a good laugh and create a few lasting memories. If things go the way I’d like them to - and I’m going to make sure they do even if I have to walk around the world - as well as recounting the year on this blog I plan to put the whole story down in a book (which, of course, you’d be in and will be undoubtedly knock J.K. and her wizards off top spot on the best-selling lists…).

If those reasons aren’t enough to get your reaching for your email, as I write this 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!

Suddenly, I have the scent of competition in my nostrils and I’m impatient for 2008 to arrive. I’m 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 extremely common birds like Starling 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 the entrance of Graham Langley, a fellow Brit birder and airline crew member who brings to the table a seriously encyclopaedic knowledge of out-of-the-way birding 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. Whilst I plan to maintain a somewhat relaxed front to the year’s listing, in reality the well-known analogy of the swan comes to mind: on the surface all will be calm, but under the water my feet will be paddling like crazy! It’s going to be a long, tough fight, my friends, and I’m going to need as much help as I can get…

Does that make my efforts in 2008 a little more interesting to you? I thought so. In that case if you happen to live anywhere near the following cities and - usually with a month’s notice - would like to help out on the “Old Friends, New Friends 2008 World Tour” please email me at charlie - AT - 10000birds.com:

• Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, Vancouver
• Washington DC, Philadelphia, Chicago, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Miami, Phoenix
• Mexico City
• Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata
• Singapore, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai
• Sydney
• Nairobi, Lagos, Johannesburg, Cape Town

I want this year to be a success, but I’m not out to break any records or to go without sleep for more than 48 hours (at least not too often) so please don’t be put off by thinking that maybe you’re not experienced or “hardcore” enough to take an overseas birder out for a day. I’m as interested in making a few new friends along the way as I am racking up year birds. If you’re in the “Hmm, might be something I could do I suppose” camp, sending me an email won’t commit you to anything, and I guarantee that if we do eventually meet up I won’t try to sell you anything or turn you into a lefty vegetarian.

We’ll be fine, you and me, I’m sure…