An acquantaince on a bird photography Facebook group recently posted that he had seen over 730 birds. Wow! I posted that I was happy I had reached over 100.
And, I am. My nephew may have seen 71 species compared to my current 112 but I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished. I’m broke, agoraphobic, often severely depressed. I have very few connections. Keeping up my birdwatching hobby over the past year has been extremely difficult for me.
I’m hoping to change that somewhat in 2015. I want to get it up to 250 birds and know that realistically I can do that. I’d love to get it higher and know that it is feasible – especially if I increase my income. I just know that there are no guarantees when it comes to birding.
This is the list of birds that I’m going to try to target by the end of next year. I know I’ll see some before the end of this year. I also know that circumstances will change and I’ll probably get to go birding with others at some point. Regardless, I just want to have some kind of plan.
Target species
- Crested Shrike Tit: Often found around the area I live in. Would like to find before I move suburbs
- Tawny Frogmouth: One of the more common owls. Just need to find a reliable location close to public transport
- Rufous Bristlebird: Aireys Inlet
- Rainbow bee eater
- Banded Stit
- Swift Parrot
- Southern emu wren
- bell miner (Melbourne botanical gardens)
- Eastern Spinebill (Melbourne botanical gardens)
- Shy albatross
- Southern Giant Petrel
- Southern Boobook
- Painted button Quail (point addis)
- Ballians Crake
- Spotted Crake
- Cape Gannet
- Kelp Gull
- Crescent honeyeater
- Lewins honeyeater (dandenongs)
- Superb lyrebird
- Brown headed honeyeater (Pt Addis)
- striped honeyeater
- tawny crowned honeyeater (pt Addis)
- White eareed honeyeater (Pt Addis)
- White naped honeyeater (Pt Addis)
- Arctic Jaeger (Pt Lonsdale)
- Little Lorikeet
- Purple crowded lorikeet
- Mistletoe bird
- Red capped plover
- Fairy Prion (Point Lonsdale)
- Flame Robin
- Pink Robin
- Rose Robin
- Caspian Tern
- Fairy Tern
- Little Tern
- Bassian Thrush
- Song Thrush
- White winged triller
- Eurasian Tree sparrow (Melbourne zoo)
That brings the numbers up to a paltry 150ish, but it gives me several ideas for ‘easy’ birding trips I can make. I assume I’ll make some other sightings in the key areas. I’ll explore some of the gardens close to Melbourne, especially if they are close to a rail trail. I’ll go to Point Lonsdale, Point Addis and probably a trip to the Dandenongs.
My focus next year will be work and a return to hiking. I really don’t know what I will accomplish birding – but having a plan makes it heaps easier.
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