The Big Yard: Notes from a Pajama Birdwatcher

Life Bird #465, Orange-billed Nightingale-Thrush, June 15, 2022

December 23, 2022

With today’s submission, I arrive at one thousand consecutive days of listing birds on eBird.  One thousand uninterrupted days of every feathered creature I encountered.  From pigeons in parking lots while traveling, to scores of “life birds” in woodland parks and ponds, bug-infested lakes and estuaries, but mostly from sitting quietly in my own backyard.

Since Saturday March 28, 2020, I’ve reported all species and quantities of common birds to one-time wonders—one, one-time wonder, in fact, that would be a first record for Arizona that only I would see (and photograph, thankfully—see above) from a front-row seat at my fountain.

This is a fine way to finish off 2022.  Shall I skip a day and start over?  Or make tomorrow 1001?  Questions, questions….  For now, here is a sampling of the 60 birds I’d never seen before I started counting the days.

Life Bird #413 Buff-Breasted Flycatcher, May 4, 2020, Morse Canyon, Chiricahua Mountains, AZ

#415 Glossy Ibis, May 26, 2020, Willcox Twin Lakes, AZ

#420 Pigeon Guillemot, Aug. 19, 2020, Yachats, OR.

#427 Surfbird, Aug. 29, 2020, Smelt Sands, OR.

#434 Clay-colored Sparrow, Sept. 28, 2020, The Big Yard

#435 Gray Catbird, Oct. 8, 2020, The Big Yard

#440 Dunlin, Nov. 10, 2020, San Juan Creek, Dana Point, CA

#446 California Gnatcatcher, Nov. 12, 2020, Trabuco Creek, CA

#448 Tundra Swan, Nov. 15, 2020, San Juan Creek, Dana Point, CA. A first record for this location!

#449 Purple Finch (female), Nov. 25, 2020, The Big Yard.

#460 Fox Sparrow, Apr. 11, 2021, The Big Yard.

#466 Swinhoe’s White-eye, Nov. 10, 2022, Dana Point, CA

That’s all for now! Who knows what’s coming in 2023…? Let’s find out…thanks for reading!