January Insanity

Well I've received a lot of emails and had quite a few folks asking about this Big January I've managed to get myself into....so here's the pure, unadulterated story folks.

I'm a lister, a chaser, basically a full out addict for seeing birds....in Ohio...or almost anywhere I can basically get to. I admit it. There, I'm out of the closet. Love me. Hate me. I don't care. I'm in it for the birds. Not the glory. Not the records. Just the birds. I was born this way. It wasn't a choice. It's a part of who I am. Face it people....it's 2013... And I am proud to be a birder.

I have tried for the big 100 January Century thing for the past few years:

2012-103
2011-121
2010-101
2009-98

Honestly, I don't work much in January and I find that it really helps speed the longest feeling month of the year up a great deal. It beats soap operas and reruns. Sure I take the summer off from birding to boat and drink and work a little. But I need help to get through January...I'm not a winter partier. And I'm an addict.

So this year I found 57 on day one and didn't leave the house, with a champagne hangover by the way, until 11:30...ok, a little winter partying never hurt anyone.
Then it was 100 by the 6th.
Then 110 by the 9th.
Then 120 by the 17th.

......holy sh*t....120 and I'm still missing A LOT of easy(ish) birds!....

Then the cheering squad kicked in:
"go Danno!"
" dude, go for it"
"seriously, you gotta try"
" Rack 'em up"
"chase that sh*t man!"
And so on and on and on and on....

So that's when it started...... Or really started anyway....my maniacal chase and zig zag across the state. My driving from Mentor to Sagamore to Vermilion in a day.
My going from Vermilion to Findlay to Killdeer to Millerburg and back to Vermilion. Multiple times.

By the 20th I was at 130 and still had a handful of easy(ish)-but slightly harder- birds to go. " Stupid" became the word of the day each day...Thanks JB.
Stupid that I was actually doing this.
Stupid that the weather has been this brutal.
Stupid that I keep tracking down these bird.
Stupid that I leave the state for five days.
Stupid that on the return chase trip for Northern Lapwings and Pink Footed Goose we hit Holden and in 6 minutes get Bohemian Waxwing and Hoary Redpoll as the sun sets...deeply behind dark ass clouds.
Stupid that I was getting multiple birds a day.
Stupid that Black-throated blue warbler is the 138th bird that ties the Ohio January record.
Stupid that I still don't have Wilson's Snipe or Eastern Meadowlark.
Stupid that I'm flying-yep-flying- to Kelley's Island on the coldest day of the year to spend 5 hours counting birds outside while spending a lot of time looking at that damn lake.
Stupid that there happens to be a Townsend's Solitaire on that same island and we saw it.
Stupid that I was actually STILL doing this.
Stupid meadowlark.
Stupid. I'm stupid...but I can't stop. I'm an addict remember?

Anyone who knows me knows that on any given day I can stand there and look out at Lake Erie in face blistering, hypothermia inducing, sleet, snow wind and downright frigid bullshit for.... Well.....maybe about 4 minutes. Six minutes on a nice day. "Boring". I hate flocks, I hate the lake, I hate waiting. Boring. boring boring. And those of you who have stood next to me, or upwind of me, at the lake or on a pelagic know that I say it a lot. Boring.
But then again not everyone gets my sense of humor.
But this month really and truly has been nothing even close to boring. It's been, dare I say it, fun. I've gotten to talk to and meet up with and hang out with some great birders. Really great birders. It's been a blast.
So with five days left I'm still at it. Tomorrow at 5am I will begin my trek to southern Ohio. There are still.....S.T.I.L.L. ....19 birds on my hit list....19!!!!!
I know, I know...there's something wrong with me...you're preaching to the choir. I'm a self admitted birding addict.
So to everyone who has sent a shout out, Facebook messaged, texted or called....these last five days are for you. To all who have reached out to help via Jen's post and prior, I thank you. I will most likely be contacting a few folks for help in these next few days. Shut your phones off if you don't want to help. :)


P.S. I'm not officially counting Trumpeter Swan So my total is 144

The Ebird List:

Alphabetic Taxonomic Location S/P Date
1 Canada Goose Volunteer Bay US-OH 01 Jan 2013
2 Mallard Volunteer Bay US-OH 01 Jan 2013
3 Red-breasted Merganser Volunteer Bay US-OH 01 Jan 2013
4 Common Loon Volunteer Bay US-OH 01 Jan 2013
5 Cooper's Hawk Volunteer Bay US-OH 01 Jan 2013
6 Bald Eagle Volunteer Bay US-OH 01 Jan 2013
7 Ring-billed Gull Volunteer Bay US-OH 01 Jan 2013
8 Herring Gull Volunteer Bay US-OH 01 Jan 2013
9 Great Black-backed Gull Volunteer Bay US-OH 01 Jan 2013
10 Downy Woodpecker Volunteer Bay US-OH 01 Jan 2013
11 Blue Jay Volunteer Bay US-OH 01 Jan 2013
12 American Crow Volunteer Bay US-OH 01 Jan 2013
13 Black-capped Chickadee Volunteer Bay US-OH 01 Jan 2013
14 Tufted Titmouse Volunteer Bay US-OH 01 Jan 2013
15 White-breasted Nuthatch Volunteer Bay US-OH 01 Jan 2013
16 American Robin Volunteer Bay US-OH 01 Jan 2013
17 Northern Cardinal Volunteer Bay US-OH 01 Jan 2013
18 Red-winged Blackbird Volunteer Bay US-OH 01 Jan 2013
19 Common Grackle Volunteer Bay US-OH 01 Jan 2013
20 House Finch Volunteer Bay US-OH 01 Jan 2013
21 American Goldfinch Volunteer Bay US-OH 01 Jan 2013
22 Lesser Scaup US-OH-Vermilion-5915 W Lake Rd US-OH 01 Jan 2013
23 European Starling US-OH-Vermilion-5915 W Lake Rd US-OH 01 Jan 2013
24 Mourning Dove Old Woman Creek National Estuarine Research Reserve US-OH 01 Jan 2013
25 Red-bellied Woodpecker Old Woman Creek National Estuarine Research Reserve US-OH 01 Jan 2013
26 American Tree Sparrow Old Woman Creek National Estuarine Research Reserve US-OH 01 Jan 2013
27 Song Sparrow Old Woman Creek National Estuarine Research Reserve US-OH 01 Jan 2013
28 White-throated Sparrow Old Woman Creek National Estuarine Research Reserve US-OH 01 Jan 2013
29 Dark-eyed Junco Old Woman Creek National Estuarine Research Reserve US-OH 01 Jan 2013
30 American Black Duck Huron Harbor West Pier US-OH 01 Jan 2013
31 Hooded Merganser Huron Harbor West Pier US-OH 01 Jan 2013
32 Common Merganser Huron Harbor West Pier US-OH 01 Jan 2013
33 Double-crested Cormorant Huron Harbor West Pier US-OH 01 Jan 2013
34 Trumpeter Swan Cedar Point Chaussee US-OH 01 Jan 2013
35 Tundra Swan Cedar Point Chaussee US-OH 01 Jan 2013
36 Gadwall Cedar Point Chaussee US-OH 01 Jan 2013
37 Bufflehead Cedar Point Chaussee US-OH 01 Jan 2013
38 Great Egret Sulphur Brook Estuary US-OH 01 Jan 2013
39 Killdeer Sulphur Brook Estuary US-OH 01 Jan 2013
40 Lesser Black-backed Gull Sulphur Brook Estuary US-OH 01 Jan 2013
41 Rock Pigeon Sulphur Brook Estuary US-OH 01 Jan 2013
42 Pied-billed Grebe East Sandusky Bay MetroPark US-OH 01 Jan 2013
43 Great Blue Heron East Sandusky Bay MetroPark US-OH 01 Jan 2013
44 Red-tailed Hawk East Sandusky Bay MetroPark US-OH 01 Jan 2013
45 American Coot Cold Creek at Sandusky Bay US-OH 01 Jan 2013
46 Belted Kingfisher Cold Creek at Sandusky Bay US-OH 01 Jan 2013
47 Carolina Wren Cold Creek at Sandusky Bay US-OH 01 Jan 2013
48 Swamp Sparrow Cold Creek at Sandusky Bay US-OH 01 Jan 2013
49 Horned Lark US-OH-Sandusky-2091-2451 Grand Army of the Republic Hwy US-OH 01 Jan 2013
50 Lapland Longspur US-OH-Sandusky-2091-2451 Grand Army of the Republic Hwy US-OH 01 Jan 2013
51 Brewer's Blackbird US-OH-Sandusky-2091-2451 Grand Army of the Republic Hwy US-OH 01 Jan 2013
52 Brown-headed Cowbird US-OH-Sandusky-2091-2451 Grand Army of the Republic Hwy US-OH 01 Jan 2013
53 American Wigeon Castalia Pond US-OH 01 Jan 2013
54 Northern Shoveler Castalia Pond US-OH 01 Jan 2013
55 Northern Pintail Castalia Pond US-OH 01 Jan 2013
56 Great Horned Owl Willow Point Wildlife Area US-OH 01 Jan 2013
57 Northern Harrier Pickerel Creek Wildlife Area--Pearson Rd. US-OH 01 Jan 2013
58 Snow Bunting Pickerel Creek Wildlife Area--Pearson Rd. US-OH 01 Jan 2013
59 Merlin Lakeview Park US-OH 02 Jan 2013
60 Ring-necked Duck Lorain Harbor US-OH 02 Jan 2013
61 Ruddy Duck Lorain Harbor US-OH 02 Jan 2013
62 Bonaparte's Gull Lorain Harbor US-OH 02 Jan 2013
63 Redhead Lorain Impoundment US-OH 02 Jan 2013
64 Greater Scaup Lorain Impoundment US-OH 02 Jan 2013
65 Rough-legged Hawk Lorain Impoundment US-OH 02 Jan 2013
66 Red-shouldered Hawk US-OH-Amherst-8260 Leavitt Rd US-OH 02 Jan 2013
67 American Kestrel US-OH-Elyria-9799 Leavitt Rd US-OH 02 Jan 2013
68 Long-eared Owl Pyle Rd. Reservoir and Wildlife Area US-OH 02 Jan 2013
69 Red-breasted Nuthatch Pyle Rd. Reservoir and Wildlife Area US-OH 02 Jan 2013
70 Northern Mockingbird West Park Cemetery US-OH 02 Jan 2013
71 Common Goldeneye Cleveland Lakefront SP--Edgewater Park US-OH 02 Jan 2013
72 Mute Swan Cleveland Lakefront SP--Gordon US-OH 02 Jan 2013
73 Horned Grebe Cleveland Lakefront SP--Gordon US-OH 02 Jan 2013
74 House Sparrow Cleveland Lakefront SP--Gordon US-OH 02 Jan 2013
75 Eastern Screech-Owl Backyard US-OH 03 Jan 2013
76 Pileated Woodpecker Backyard US-OH 03 Jan 2013
77 Eastern Bluebird Backyard US-OH 04 Jan 2013
78 Winter Wren LaDue Reservoir US-OH 04 Jan 2013
79 White-winged Crossbill LaDue Reservoir US-OH 04 Jan 2013
80 Common Redpoll LaDue Reservoir US-OH 04 Jan 2013
81 Pine Siskin LaDue Reservoir US-OH 04 Jan 2013
82 Hairy Woodpecker West Woods US-OH 04 Jan 2013
83 Cedar Waxwing West Park Cemetery US-OH 05 Jan 2013
84 Sharp-shinned Hawk US-OH-Bay Village-28750 Northfield Rd US-OH 05 Jan 2013
85 Barred Owl US-OH-Bay Village-28750 Northfield Rd US-OH 05 Jan 2013
86 Red-headed Woodpecker US-OH-Bay Village-28750 Northfield Rd US-OH 05 Jan 2013
87 Red Crossbill US-OH-Bay Village-28750 Northfield Rd US-OH 05 Jan 2013
88 Long-tailed Duck Rocky River mouth US-OH 05 Jan 2013
89 Surf Scoter Sims Park US-OH 05 Jan 2013
90 White-winged Scoter Sims Park US-OH 05 Jan 2013
91 Black Scoter Sims Park US-OH 05 Jan 2013
92 Short-eared Owl US-OH-Cleveland-22001 Cedar Point Rd US-OH 05 Jan 2013
93 Canvasback Huron Harbor West Pier US-OH 06 Jan 2013
94 American Pipit US-OH-Greenwich-7701-7999 OH-13 US-OH 06 Jan 2013
95 White-crowned Sparrow US-OH-Ashland-2050-2096 OH-603 US-OH 06 Jan 2013
96 Carolina Chickadee Mohican SP--Gorge Overlook US-OH 06 Jan 2013
97 Brown Creeper Mohican SP--North Rim Trail US-OH 06 Jan 2013
98 Golden-crowned Kinglet Mohican SP--North Rim Trail US-OH 06 Jan 2013
99 Yellow-rumped Warbler Funk Bottoms Wildlife Area US-OH 06 Jan 2013
100 Savannah Sparrow Wilderness Rd. US-OH 06 Jan 2013
101 Peregrine Falcon US-OH-Independence - 41.4091x-81.6256 - Jan 7, 2013, 8:47 AM US-OH 07 Jan 2013
102 Northern Shrike Frohring Meadows US-OH 07 Jan 2013
103 Northern Flicker Castalia State Fish Hatchery US-OH 08 Jan 2013
104 Hermit Thrush Castalia State Fish Hatchery US-OH 08 Jan 2013
105 Rusty Blackbird Castalia State Fish Hatchery US-OH 08 Jan 2013
106 Black-crowned Night-Heron Cold Creek US-OH 08 Jan 2013
107 Wild Turkey US-OH-Butler-2932-3072 OH-97 US-OH 09 Jan 2013
108 Evening Grosbeak US-OH-Perrysville-921 O D N R Mohican Rd 51 US-OH 09 Jan 2013
109 Black Vulture US-OH-Loudonville-3052 OH-3 US-OH 09 Jan 2013
110 Common Raven Knox Raven US-OH 09 Jan 2013
111 Sandhill Crane Killbuck Marsh (Holmes Co.) US-OH 09 Jan 2013
112 Turkey Vulture US-OH-Millersburg-3126-3142 Co Rd 600 US-OH 09 Jan 2013
113 Cackling Goose Wellington Upground Reservoir US-OH 09 Jan 2013
114 Rufous Hummingbird 24233 Ambour Drive RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD US-OH 10 Jan 2013
115 Bohemian Waxwing Holden Arboretum US-OH 14 Jan 2013
116 Hoary Redpoll Holden Arboretum US-OH 14 Jan 2013
117 Ring-necked Pheasant US-OH-Bowling Green-14028-14140 Township Hwy 216 US-OH 15 Jan 2013
118 Wood Duck Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District 49th St. outflow US-OH 17 Jan 2013
119 Field Sparrow Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District 49th St. outflow US-OH 17 Jan 2013
120 Fox Sparrow Seiberling Nature Center US-OH 17 Jan 2013
121 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Cuyahoga Valley NP--Ira Rd./Beaver Marsh/Indigo Lake US-OH 17 Jan 2013
122 Eastern Towhee Cuyahoga Valley NP--Ira Rd./Beaver Marsh/Indigo Lake US-OH 17 Jan 2013
123 Purple Sandpiper Headlands Dunes State Nature Preserve US-OH 18 Jan 2013
124 Purple Finch North Chagrin Nature Center US-OH 18 Jan 2013
125 Golden-crowned Sparrow GCSP US-OH 19 Jan 2013
126 Barn Owl Killdeer Plains Wildlife Area--Owl Pines US-OH 19 Jan 2013
127 Northern Saw-whet Owl Killdeer Plains Wildlife Area--Owl Pines US-OH 19 Jan 2013
128 Snow Goose US-OH-Sandusky-3416 Tiffin Ave US-OH 20 Jan 2013
129 Thayer's Gull Yetter Rd. fishing access US-OH 20 Jan 2013
130 Harris's Sparrow Pickerington Ponds US-OH 20 Jan 2013
131 Green-winged Teal Blendon Woods Metro Park US-OH 20 Jan 2013
132 Franklin's Gull Metzger Marsh Wildlife Area US-OH 21 Jan 2013
133 Iceland Gull Ottawa River Interpretive Trail US-OH 21 Jan 2013
134 Glaucous Gull Ottawa River Interpretive Trail US-OH 21 Jan 2013
135 Chipping Sparrow Cricket Frog Cove US-OH 21 Jan 2013
136 Townsend's Solitaire Quarry Condos US-OH 22 Jan 2013
137 Orchard Oriole US-OH-Dalton-1351-1391 Wenger Rd S US-OH 23 Jan 2013
138 Baltimore Oriole Baltimore Oriole US-OH 23 Jan 2013
139 Black-throated Blue Warbler Black-throated Blue Warbler US-OH 23 Jan 2013
140 Palm Warbler Palm Warbler US-OH 23 Jan 2013
141 Fish Crow US-OH-South Euclid-1480-1498 Dean Dr US-OH 24 Jan 2013
142 Brown Thrasher Mentor Marsh State Nature Preserve--Kerven Trail US-OH 24 Jan 2013
143 Varied Thrush VATH Location US-OH 25 Jan 2013
144 Virginia Rail Holmes County Trail--Millersburg US-OH 25 Jan 2013
145 Ovenbird US-OH-Olmsted Falls-7233-7315 OH-252 US-OH 26 Jan 2013