In talking with Liam this week, I heard more interesting stories about his Big Year quest to see and document as many bird species as possible in a calendar year. In 2022 he saw 361 species, and he had so much fun that he’s doing it again this year, hoping to top last year’s number.
Doing a Big Year requires that in addition to finding all the expected resident birds, you chase rare bird sightings. Last December, Liam’s count was stuck at 358 when he learned that a Black-throated Green Warbler had been sighted in an urban park in the Spokane area. This is a rare eastern warbler and only the 4th time it’s been seen in Washington. Liam’s team departed for Spokane, where they encountered about a half foot of snow. They found the bird and Liam got good photographs.
A few days later, there was another rare bird alert, a wandering Eastern Bluebird male encountered in the Tri-Cities area. Again, another chase and another species added to the total, now at 360. Liam’s 361st and final species was the Brambling at Neah Bay that I described in a previous column.
Doing a Big Year count is a personal quest, but also a friendly competition. Generally, the finding of a rare bird is quickly reported. This way it is more likely to be well-documented by multiple birders. Sometimes this sharing leads to interesting events. Last year a small Asian bird, a Red-flanked Bluetail wandered far off its migration path and ended up in a North Seattle neighborhood. Within a matter of hours, there were 200 people (including Liam) with binoculars walking a six-block area. Despite awful weather, most spotted the bird. Ultimately the bluetail stayed around for about a month. Birders from all over the country also wandered the neighborhood to see this very rare bird.
This friendly competition also leads to repeated encounters with other dedicated big-year enthusiasts. Several times Liam shared bird-watching with Brian Pendleton, from Seattle. Brian, supported by his wife Darchelle Worley, tied the state record with his (and Darchelle’s) 2022 total of 376 species. This achievement is more remarkable for Brian since he requires a wheelchair to get around.
Big Year counts are submitted to an internet database and reviewed by a state committee, but there is no independent official verification. The entire reporting is based on personal honesty and integrity. Generally, rare birds are seen by multiple observers, but not always. Liam always has his camera handy for documentation, but that isn’t always successful – for example, bad weather made it impossible for him to photograph that Red-flanked Bluetail in Seattle.
For bird watching, your reputation as a good observer is everything. No one wants to be known as having “wild eyes” that can see identifying characteristics that are not actually there.
Liam and others have decided to do a 2023 Washington Big Year because this is likely the last year of organized pelagic birding boat trips out of Westport. After 50+ years, the skipper of the boat is considering retirement after this year, and no replacement has come forward. Without the ocean birds documented over successive trips dedicated to bird watching, year count totals approaching the state records will be impossible.
One final note – having dedicated birders out looking for rare or unusual birds provides a service to all of us casual bird watchers. They will, from time-to-time spot birds that the rest of us might want to check out. This leads me to this week’s Rare Bird Alert.
Liam’s 2023 Big Year got off to a splendid start with his finding on January 2nd a Common Crane in the Chehalis River valley, not all that far from Olympia. This is a crane fairly common in Eurasia but rare in North America. It’s only the 2nd one ever seen in Washington and has been attracting hundreds of bird watchers.
This bird is with a flock of 48 Sandhill Cranes (also unusual for our area) that are spending the winter near Brady Loop Road, which crosses Highway 8 just west of Elma. This is an easily found area of farm fields between the highway to the north and the Chehalis River to the south. As of last weekend, the flock was still there, so it’s certainly worth a trip.
And, while you’re driving around looking for cranes, you might see other interesting birds. I understand that recently a Short-eared Owl was spotted. These are crow-sized owls active in the daytime, flying in a low, flitting pattern over grasslands and fields seeking prey. Sometimes you might see them perched on the ground or low posts. The Chehalis River valley provides a great habitat for these uncommon owls.
George Walter is the environmental program manager at the Nisqually Indian Tribe’s natural resources department; he also has a 40+ year interest in bird watching. He may be reached at george@theJOLTnews.com
Photos for this column are provided by Liam Hutcheson, a 15-year-old Olympia area birder and avid photographer.
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