A Listing History...

Australian King Parrot (so, obviously, not a Peruvian bird. Which will be understood in a moment).

Numbers 1 to 100 [Prior to 1997]

I was only a casual birder, but the 'listing bug' was there. Most of the birds were the common ones seen at a backyard feeder, including my favorite bird the Northern Cardinal, as well as Black-capped Chickadee, American Robin, and Mourning Dove. I do recall seeing an Baltimore Oriole sometime when I was young, as well as an American Goldfinch. When I was in college, the 'bug' was born. I was introduced to birds I had seen but never knew the name of: White-throated Sparrow, Downy Woodpecker, White-breasted Nuthatch. I was also introduced to birds I had never heard of: Black-billed Magpie (a trip to Colorado), American Coot, and Horned Grebe.

100 to 200 [1997]

Already in this stage I began my international listing, during my first field job and the work we did on the Mexican Plateau in 1997. During the road trip from Colorado to there, I also got new birds. Many, in fact. In the US, I got Spotted Sandpiper, Western Screech Owl, Sandhill Cranes, and numerous duck species. In Mexico, the highlights for me were Greater Roadrunner, Aplomado Falcon, and 5-Striped Sparrow (the first bird I ever saw not found in the US [I may have the name wrong]).

200 to 300 [1997 - 1998]

My list continued to grow in the US, working that same first field job, only this time in the Middle Park area of Colorado. Sagebrush dominant habitat, but I also had opportunities to go to Rocky Mountain National Park, and Colorado National Monument. Even now, I can recall so many of the situations around certain birds, like the Pine Grosbeak in Rocky Mountain National Park, Flammulated and Boreal Owls in Colorado National Monument, and Sage Thrashers in the sagebrush in our work sites. As well as the flamboyantly colored Western Tanager, the first really colorful bird I ever saw. I also still rounded out my list in New York, while going to college. I was already refining my bird skills when I could. I also began to grow the list internationally again, across the pacific ocean, in Australia.

300 to 400 [1998]

Australia dominates this portion. My first trip there, if I recollect correctly, I saw 135 new species of birds. Including my first parrots (oodles of parrots). The bird life was so different there, it was AWESOME. I was so happy I "broke the bank" and went on that trip. I really began to learn what the world had to offer. My highlight of Australia at this point? Was, and will always will be, Rainbow Lorikeets, Kookaburras, and Fairy-wrens.

400 to 500 [1998-2000]

Australia numbers continued to be added, including some from the Great Barrier Reef! I saw my first birds I consider true "sea birds", the Brown Booby and Australasian Gannet. I added more birds from another country as well: New Zealand. Though I was only there for a few days, I saw a few native birds, including my e-mail tag line bird the New Zealand Dotterel, and the Tui. As well as numerous introduced species from Europe. After a short time in New York adding a few birds here and there, I headed to another field season in Iowa. Followed by Mississippi.

And added oodles of birds again, since I had birded in the East, and birded in the western mountains, but not in the great plains. So, grassland birds galore, like Upland Sandpiper, Common Yellowthroat, Grasshopper Sparrow, and American Woodcock, among others. Mississippi gave me an endangered bird (Red-cockaded Woodpecker), as well as some southern specialties, like Brown-headed Nuthatch. And I took some coastal trips to admire migrants, where I added many waders like Reddish Egret and Tricolored Heron, and shorebirds like Black-necked Stilt.

400 to 500 [2000-2003]

My numbers slowed down somewhat, as I remained in the US. But where I went helped add little clusters of numbers here and there. I worked in California, in the Sierra Nevada, where I added numerous far western birds, including the Yellow-billed Magpie, a species only found in California. Other birds during my time there included the Hermit Warbler, Hermit Thrush, Swainson's Thrush, Townsend's Solitaire, and Lazuli Bunting. Another field job in Texas added numerous birds, as I discovered migrants passing through during my work on the special birds of the Edwards Plateau: the Golden-cheeked Warbler and Black-capped Vireo. Magnolia Warbler, Ovenbird, and Cuckoos were among my highlights there. But the Scissor-tail Flycatchers will REALLY stick in my mind, for their gaudily long tails.

500 to 600 [2004-2006]

I took my first job in the eastern United States, and I was well rewarded. Wood-warblers galore! Northern Parula, Golden-winged Warbler, Hooded Warbler, Kentucky Warbler, and more. Whip-poor-wills (though I never got a good luck till years later in Missouri). Chimney Swifts. All the birds I had been "missing" since I hadn't been in the east actively birding, well, ever. I also achieved species number 300 while working in TN. I knew at this point my numbers in the US would slow down a little.

I returned to California again for a couple of field seasons, as well as to Texas as well. I added a few scattered birds here and there while working, but a big jump occurred with my first neotropical experience (kind of) with a weekend trip to south Texas. 2 days, 35 birds, but it was the species of birds that really blew my mind. Two additional kingfisher species, a couple of kingbird species, the Altamira Oriole, Great Kiskadee, Least Grebe, and that gaudy of gaudy birds (for the US), the Green Jay.

600 to 700 [2007 - also known as the year the addiction begins to take serious hold]

And now, the list grows fast! I rounded out my numbers on the mainland US a bit, when I wrapped up 2006 in Louisiana on a very brief field job (but which provided contacts for more jobs with many more new birds in the Pacific Northwest and Australia). Then, I traveled over an ocean in March of 2007, to Hawaii. And got some fantastic and wild looking native Hawaiian birds. Just the names are wild. Puaiohi. Apapane. I'iwi. Elepaio. Nene. Akikiki. Akeke'e. And some non-native birds from there as well.

And then - my first truly neotropical experience, where I realized what I had been missing. August of 2007 found me on a plane to Ecuador, to work in a cloud forest on a species only known for 10 years, and whose numbers were in the double digits. So, not only did I see the Jocotoco Antpitta, but also the Shining Puffleg, Amethyst-throated and Flame-throated Sunangels, Long-tailed Sylph, other Antpittas, and tanagers galore. I was in bird heaven, as a friend described.

700 to 800 [2007]

I remained in bird heaven in Ecuador. Ecuador gave me nearly 210 species for the country, nearly all of them new. I added birds from Paramo (high altitude habitat), and low-elevation cloudforest as well. Lots of new world flycatchers. Lots of hummingbirds. And birds in other groups I had only read about to that point: Antbirds, antshrikes, antwrens, spinetails, woodcreepers, thistletails, and more. As I said, I was in bird heaven.

800 to 900 [2007-2008]

I got my 400th US life bird in this stage, and continued to add international birds. I worked in Tennessee for a while, adding numerous waterfowl species I hadn't seen. Then I worked in the Pacific Northwest, a job I got through my contacts in Louisiana. I was able to add some boreal birds, that were spending the winter in that area.

And then, since I had some free time, I took a birding pleasure trip to Costa Rica. I was not disappointed. Amazing to me now is how quickly that trip came together for me. I added fewer new birds than I expected, but I did not travel as much, and instead birded the heck out of the few areas I visited. My highlights here? The first bird I saw in country was the Resplendant Quetzal (and wow, what a bird!). As well as the Orange-bellied Trogon. Silky-flycatchers. Volcano Hummingbird. Scarlet Macaw (second favorite bird ever!). I was happy.

900 to 1000 [2008-2009]

I returned stateside for a brief field season during migration in the desert southwest. I was now into the "specialized habitat" of my US list. So part of the reason I took that field job was the opportunity to see new species. Verdin, Abert's Towhee, Costa's Hummingbird were the highlights there, as well as the Scott's Oriole.

Then, I returned to Costa Rica, and got to work in an area I hadn't visited, and stay there for a good length of time. Not only did I add numerous species at my work site (like Stripe-headed Sparrow, Black-bellied Trogon, and various hummingbird species), I took some trips to other areas in the country when I was done, to check out birds there. Like Bare-throated Tiger Heron. Jabiru. Saltators. Hummingbirds (again!). I was still happy.

And these two trips provided me with the opportunity to nail number 1.000 for the world. Something I could not believe had happened, and made me realize I really was getting serious about this. I was able to procure an opportunity to work as a guide in Costa Rica, on the Osa Peninsula, in "the most biodiverse region on the planet" [National Geographic's words]. I added oodles of species in the first few days, like White Hawk, White-tipped Sicklebill, Band-tailed Barbthroat, Black-cheeded Ant-tanager, Yellow-billed Cotinga, Turquise Cotinga, and Red-capped and Orange-crowned Mannakins, and Laughing Falcon.

1000 to 1100 [2008-2009]

I was still in Costa Rica! And went through birds like mad. I got number 1100 during a personal trip to Rara Avis in Costa Rica, but not until after a short side trip to Panama. Panama didn't give me many, but I did get a few there. Every bird counts, no matter where I see it.

Green-fronted Lancebill. Black-throated Trogon. Baird's Trogon. Black-faced Antthrush. So many birds, so many.

1100 to 1200 [2009]

And the dividends of numerous field jobs and my contacts pay off. After rounding out a few birds in Missouri in May, June, July, and August, I went to Maine for 2 months. Not many new birds, but those I got, were great! Common Eider. Black Guillemot. Parasitic Jaeger. Wilson's Storm Petrel.

And then...my other Louisiana contact had me come to Australia. And I continued to add numbers, and the dance to when I saw a new bird. Variegated Fairy Wren. Buff-banded Rail. Pacific Baza. Did I mention how much I love bird names?

And then...I knew EXACTLY where I was...and I went to New Zealand. Where, on "Boxing Day", December 26th, I got species number 1200 in a wildlife sanctuary. The Kaka, a type of Parrot. Other species that day were the Stitchbird (Hihi), New Zealand Scaup, New Zealand Falcon, and Paradise Shelduck, among others.

1200 to 1231 [2009 to 2010]

New Zealand is not very diverse, currently, for bird life. But those I saw were fantastic. My last new bird of 2009 was the Tomtit (or the Brown Creeper, I can't fully recall). During the end of my trip to New Zealand, I got my first flightless birds: PENGUINS! Two species, as a matter of fact. And I added the complete opposite of flightless, masters of flight, in two Albatross species.

And then I headed back stateside. And worked in Wyoming. Where I added to my US list, and my world list, with American Three-toed Woodpecker, Red-necked Phalarope, Clay-colored Sparrow, and Harris's Sparrow.

And then, in August, I came to Peru. And as diverse as a rainforest is, it is actually hard to find, and see, the birds down here. So I slowwwwly added birds one by one (and sometimes two or three). Stipple-throated Antwren. Saffron-crested Pygmy Tyrant. Long-tailed Hermit. Fork-tailed Woodnymph. White-tailed (or Green-backed) Trogon. And we come to 19 October, 2010, and the day we arrived in San Martin, with my list at 1.295.