Reflections of 2005

[Roostertael at aol dot com]

Hi,
 
The big year was fun, but I am kinda glad its over. I was consumed with it  
and burned out by it. I don't think I will try again until I retire. I guess  
what started it was helping Bob Huntington at the end of last year. We went to  
St. George over the last weekend of the year and got his 301 and then started 
a  new year down there. We got 73 birds to start the year and Bob said he 
would  help me with a big year. Help me he did, but he also managed to get one 
more  bird than I did. 
 
I would like to thank a lot of other people that helped. I sent Rick  Fridell 
a list of possible birds in St. George and he gave me directions that  were 
fabulous. Kris Purdy found several birds as well as did Steve and  Cindy 
Summerfeld. I got a couple of calls from Pomera Fronce and Glenn Barlow.  Thanks to 
all who posted their finds last year. Without the Internet it would be  very 
difficult to reach 300. Thanks to some of the people that have the ability  to 
scan through hundreds if not thousands of birds for something rare, and then  
post it. The Beyers come to mind as well as Tim Avery, and Colby Neuman. Posts 
 from KC Childs, and Eric Huish helped with the Provo area. 
 
I have a great deal of respect for those that have reached 320 or better.  
Wow. If I had seen every bird last year that I had seen in Utah since I  started 
keeping track in 2000, I would still be short one from Dennis Shirley's  
record.
 
My first bird of the year was a Common Raven on the highway near Fillmore.  
Not sure what that is a sign of, but that is a smart cuss.
 
Happy New Year to all,
 
Jack Binch

_______________________________________________

"Utah Birds" web site: http://www.utahbirds.org
     BirdTalk:
To subscribe, e-mail:  birdtalk-subscribe@utahbirds.org
To unsubscribe, e-mail:  birdtalk-unsubscribe@utahbirds.org
To send a message, e-mail:  birdtalk@utahbirds.org
_________________________________________________