Welcome to my updated blog. If you’ve been here before, you’re probably used to seeing posts about woodworking and making crafts out of old junk. Well, to be honest, I haven’t done any woodworking in quite some time, and I decided since I have the domain and website, I should use it.

As such, I decided to redo my website to chronicle my quest for a Big Year. So if you’re looking for crafts or woodworking, sorry to disappoint, but hopefully you’ll enjoy some fascinating tales of chasing elusive bird species and colorful photographs instead.

What the Heck is a Big Year?

You may be asking yourself, “What the heck is a Big Year?” A Big Year is a challenge to see the most bird species in a single year for a given area. The challenge typically refers to the American Birding Association (ABA) Area Big Year, which covers the 49 continental United States, Hawaii, Canada, and adjacent waters out to 200 miles. Perhaps you’ve seen the 2011 comedy “The Big Year” with Steve Martin, Jack Black, and Owen Wilson racing around the country trying to beat each other’s list count.

Why Do a Big Year?

I’ve always felt a deep connection to nature and the outdoors. Most of my childhood was spent camping with my family, participating in Boy Scouts, exploring the woods behind the house, fishing, and hunting. Growing up, I was fascinated by watching shows like Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom and Wild America. I always wanted to explore nature and see the amazing creatures Marty Stouffer and Marlin Perkins showed on screen. I suppose that’s what led me to a career in Natural Resources.

Unfortunately, as many of us find, childhood dreams don’t always become reality, even when you are working in your dream field. All too often, the rat race and daily chaos take over, and we don’t get to chase our youthful ambitions. I ended up serving in management positions most of my career rather than working in the field following the footsteps of my childhood heroes. Fortunately, after 25 years of service, I’ve been blessed to retire and now find myself bored by my current lack of responsibility and stress. What better time to explore the state in search of new birds?

While I’ve always enjoyed birding, I’ve never considered myself a serious birder. I’m not the guy who can distinguish all the little grey birds and tell you what is singing in the bush just by sound. I’ve had to rely heavily on friends with much more expertise to improve my knowledge. Thankfully, I’ve found the birding community to be very gracious and welcoming. I’ve been to several places and met perfect strangers, happy to help the novice along.

I don’t expect to “win” the challenge, or even be in the top ten. The goal of the Big Year for me is not to be the best birder in the state or to have the highest count. The real accomplishment is improving my birding skills, adding new birds to my life list, and experiencing the natural wonders this country has to offer. No prize or title could compare to the memories generated by spending time pursuing your passion in the great outdoors.

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