Skip to main content

Spring Wrap Up

5 June 2021

Well that's a wrap for spring 2021 of the Joe Roller Green Big Year. I didn't get out this past week due to work and other obligations. I'm now going in the field to do Breeding Bird Surveys and trap and tag Thick-billed Longspurs and Mountain Plovers in eastern Montana (it's tough, but someone has to do it!). My body needs a rest anyway! 

However, last weekend I rode up Deer Creek Canyon (meaning big long climbs) and picked up a few more green year birds. I later got an Olive-sided Flycatcher just up the street from my house for #233! 

In summary, the first 5 months of this crazy green year have been epic. Amazing rides, so many good birds (and a lot of luck refinding or finding really good stuff), and great times with folks out birding. I'm not sure I've ever had so much fun birding as I have this year.

Some of the highlights include finding an American Bittern, Long-billed Curlew, Long-eared Owl, Red-headed Woodpecker, among other lesser rarities, while relocating Green and Little Blue Heron, Scarlet and Summer Tanager (!!), White-winged Crossbill, Black Tern, Yellow-crowned Night-heron, Black-throated Gray and Palm Warblers, Marbled Godwit, Whimbrel, Short-eared, Long-eared, and Burrowing Owls, Northern Parula, Sagebrush Sparrow, and so many more. I look forward to getting after some birds upon returning from my road trip, but my body is pleased to get a break for a couple weeks!  

That said, I was talking to a friend recently about Joe Roller and some of the long time Colorado birders. One conversation brought back the memory of the Purple Sandpiper in the mountains a few years ago. I drove up to see it with the legend Dick Schottler. I happened to run into Dick at Wheat Ridge Greenbelt in early May, and we both missed the Green Heron (his third miss!). Anyway, it was Joe who connected me with Dick such that we spent the day together going after the Purple Sandpiper (and we got it!). Joe knew Dick wanted to see the bird and I'm grateful that he connected us. That was a really great day birding with and getting to know Dick. All thanks to Joe. Dick and I pretty much always mention the Purple Sandpiper when we run into each other in the field. That's what it's about. Good times, good birds, good people. And somehow Joe sneaks into so many of these stories. Thanks Joe!

Totals:

Green Big Year species list: 233 (as of June 5)
Miles ridden: 1306 miles (as of June 5)
Elevation gain in 2021: 54,482 ft
# of rides with a frozen water bottle and broken shifter: 1 
# of dropped water bottles at stop lights: 1
# of trips to Chatfield State Park: 18
2021 Joe Roller Memorial Green Big Year Species List

Now that I'm inching closer to 250 species, would you consider a pledge or donation to support the Joe Roller Memorial Research Grant? Click the link (scroll to the bottom). All funds support bird research in Colorado. We are getting closer to raising $30,000 to support the next generation of ornithologists (once I get to 250 species). Thank you!
https://cobirds.org/CFO/Grants/


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Big ride for big time green year birds.

First and foremost, thank you for all the pledges and donations! The total pledges so far have been astonishing! Between donations and pledges per species (assuming I hit 250 species), we are about 70% of the way to our $20,000 target! I think Joe would probably roll his eyes and tell a joke about the time we chased what would be his first Arapahoe county Brown Thrasher at Cherry Creek State Park. We saw the thrasher fly away and vanish and then Joe gave me slack for not getting him better looks!   Please consider a tax-deductible donation or pledge per species (pledges do not need to be paid until the 2021 green year ends). The pledges and donations are motivating me to get out and get birds. I'm truly humbled. Thank you. This is going to be such a fun year! Click the link (scroll to the bottom) to pledge or donate!  https://cobirds.org/CFO/Grants/ January 2021 overview (and then the birds!). I thought I'd start off with a little overview of my general strategy for this ...
2 comments
Read more

Introducing the 2021 Joe Roller Memorial Green Big Year

Welcome to the 2021 Joe Roller Memorial Green Big Year Blog! The Colorado birding community lost one of its pillars when Joe Roller passed away in November 2020. Joe was a fountain of birding lore and loved people as much as birds. Many considered him a beloved friend.  To honor Joe's legacy, I've partnered with Colorado Field Ornithologists (CFO) and created the Joe Roller Memorial Grant to support bird research in Colorado.  The grant will be initially funded by pledges raised through my 2021 Green Big Year, a green (carbon-free) birding initiative. I will be walking or riding my bike from my house in Littleton, Colorado to see as many species as possible in 2021. My 2020 green list is currently 244 species, but I am aiming for at least 250 bird species in 2021!  I'll update this blog with adventures, birds, and photos throughout the year. We are taking per-species pledges and flat tax-deductible donations towards the Grant online at  https://Cobirds.org/CFO/Grants...
Post a Comment
Read more

A sparrow, a sapsucker, and a shrike, oh my!

I've been able to take advantage of dry roads and nice weather lately. I had a couple very successful adventures in the last week and picked up some green avian targets for the year. January 20, 2021 A Harris's Sparrow was frequenting a private residence in Littleton (JeffCo) and despite arriving in the early afternoon, to find no birds anywhere, a flock of White-crowned Sparrows showed up a few minutes later and the Harris's popped up! Talk about luck! I also had taken my camera (a first for a bike ride) and lucked out with a couple decent photos for the blog! A sharp looking Harris's Sparrow! Harris's Sparrow (Green year bird #75) With the grand luck on the Harris's Sparrow, I decided to swing by the ball fields at Kipling and 285 (still in Litteton) to see if there were any Snow Geese around. Not a goose to be found, so I kept going north to Bear Creek Greenbelt to look for either of Winter Wrens that had recently been found between S Estes St and S. Kipling ...
2 comments
Read more