Final post of 2008

Hi everyone. Just wanted to get in one last post before 2009. We had a wonderful Christmas here with friends and family. We got some bird feeders, various books and DVDs, a new lawn mower(!) and Sarah got me my very own pair of super awesome yellow crocs! I also picked up the very cool new album by
Abigail Washburn & The Sparrow Quartet
Jerry says "Merry Christmas!"

I guess I'll end my 2008 North American Year List at 350 (it might be a couple more than that but I kind of lost track a little). Highlights included Pink-footed and Barnacle Geese on Long Island, Slaty-backed Gull in Ithaca, Snail and Swallow-tailed Kites in Florida, Swainson's Warbler in West Virginia, Cape May Warbler and Sedge Wren on the OAS Birdathon, Razorbills and Atlantic Puffins during our honeymoon on Machias Seal Island, tons of great birds in California including Phainopeplas, California Quail, Snowy Plovers and Black Oystercatchers, White-headed Woodpecker, Prairie Falcon, Yellow-billed Magpie, three species of shearwater, my first Albatross and at least five South Polar Skuas on our first real pelagic trip in Monterey Bay, and finally some amazing looks at Cave Swallows at Fair Haven. I saw a total of 47 life birds in 2008, bringing my North American Life List up to an even 450. I missed lots of really common stuff like Eastern Screech-Owl, Common Nighthawk, White-winged Crossbill, Northern Goshawk, Willow Flycatcher, White-rumped Sandpiper and Lincoln's Sparrow. It's looking like 2009 will be a great year for birding... more about that soon. Hope you all have a Happy New Year!