Reflections of 2009!

Although in 2009 I did not hit my birding goals, the year still turned out to be nothing short of absolutely fantastic! This was a big year in my world of birding! I was blessed to bird in both Florida and Ecuador as well as attend several birding events for the first time.

I wrapped up the year with 330 species total - 173 Life Birds! This brings my World List to 425, my ABA List to 230, and my Indiana List to 199. Indiana brought me 165 birds in 2009, 1 more than 2008. Not much of an increase but, an increase nonetheless.

2010 is going to be another awesome year! I can feel it! So far, I have planned trips to Florida, Denver, Lake Erie, San Blas, MX, and hopefully the Outer Banks. I am hoping that these trips will help me achieve my year goal this year of reaching 525 World Species - 100 new birds!

So... in no particular order, here are some memories from 2009 - a year that...

brought Indiana's first official Young Birders Club!

gave me the opportunity to take my family to Mammoth Cave, KY.

allowed me to see my first Florida Scrub Jay.

gave me a glimpse of these Roseate Spoonbills in Florida!

took me took Ecuador to see more than 20 species of Hummingbirds, including this Purple-bibbed White-tip...

a Booted Racket-tail, and and Purple-throated Woodstar.

gave me the best picture of a Blue Jay I have taken to date.

let me and the family see more that 7,000 Sandhill Cranes at Jasper Pulaski in Indiana.

has given me a record low backyard bird count thanks to our neighborhood Coopers Hawk.

gave my son and I a chance to bird Lake Erie with the Kaufman's and other fine birders!

my kids took turns looking through the scope at Eagle Creek, Indianapolis.

I witnessed a murder before my very eyes!

my neighbors had a Golden-crowned Kinglet in their garage that did not want to leave.

introduced me to the experience of trampling around in a wet mess in the rain to see a LeConte's and Nelson's Sparrow... and to get a chance to bird with some very good birders!

gave my nephew a chance to experience how nuts birders can be at Lake Michigan, IN.

miraculously gave me an opportunity to see a Kirtland's Warbler while at the Midwest Birding Symposium along the coast of Lake Erie!

let me bird with the team from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology... OMG!

gave me another lifer... a Philadelphia Vireo at Magee Marsh.

gave me a chance to see this gorgeous sunrise at Ottawa NWR.

let me get a picture with THE Kenn Kaufman! Yeap, THE Kenn Kaufman!

made me appreciate those who spend their time to saving wild birds. This gorgeous Peregrine Falcon was a patient.

made me appreciate the ugly beauty of this baby Indigo Bunting.

brought a good number of Caspian Terns to Eagle Creek Park in Indianapolis.

I realized how photogenic a birder can be!

I saw a copycat of the Hummingbird.

I saw my first Dickcissel at Goose Pond, IN.

my House Finches drank more sugar water than the Hummingbirds did.

my insect-eating plants bloomed as if they were normal innocent flowers.

my kids continued to learn that being outside is always more fun than sitting behind a TV.

I come to appreciate even more that there is nothing more relaxing or peaceful than being able to spend time outside watching birds!

Now, I am off to 2010!