Recap, and Looking Ahead

2016 is over; ding dong the year is dead.

2016 gave me 19 new birds on my life list. Five of those came from Pelee in May, and another six were from my trip to Pennsylvania. I came up-close-and-personal with my first beautiful Canada Warbler during the Credit BioBlitz. And most recently, I finally found my Snow Buntings. Finally.

With a bonus Lapland Longspur hiding amongst the flock - center left, below, with the dark loop coming back off the eye. Somewhat similar to the drab Horned Lark found center right in the photo below, but if you look at the shape of the beak, the lack of dark throat-band, the streaking on the sides...

And now it's a new year. I wonder if I can do an eBird checklist every day for 2017? Or, at least the equivalent of that. A total of 365 for the year. Based on past performance, it's probably not a realistic goal, but it sure sounds nice. I'm 2/2 so far, but today is rainy and blah, I'm not very likely to get outside.

So more realistically, I'll just hope to get some new birds again this year (Wilson's Warbler and Blackpoll Warbler, I'm looking at you), enjoy some of the old ones all over again, and enjoy the fresh air and birdsong wherever I end up.