Things I am Grateful For in the Outdoors

 

The best photo I got of any of the 
mega-rare birds, Little Stint

Yikes, this is not an easy year to write my annual Thanksgiving Day post but I will give it a try

1. First, although no one close to me has died, I am not going to give thanks for that, at least not here.. Many others have suffered because of this virus, and I feel awful for them. I have not known anyone personally to die. However, someone I worked with lost a father, and someone I went to school with lost a father-in-law. I don't feel "blessed" this virus hasn't hit home for me, I feel lucky.

2. This has been the best year of birding in Rhode Island possibly ever. Four Mega-rarities from across oceans landed in RI. These birds no one would ever expect to show up from half way around the world gave thousands of birders a chance to see them. Besides the crazy rare birds, many other great birds showed up this year such as Wilson's Plover and Red Headed Woodpecker. I had seen those species before, but I have gotten eight lifebirds so far this year. I never would have dreamed that possible.

3. I am thankful that Dave is still my friend despite the fact I bird way more than I fish. I appreciate his phone calls and catching up for more than he knows. He is a good friend.

4. I am amazed I actually crossed something off of my bucket list this year. For the first time, I saw whales breach and I got to photograph it. What an absolutely unbelievable memory I will never forget.

5. I am grateful I live near the ocean and mountains. 

6. I don't get political on here often, and this will be my only comment about politics... I am looking forward to the new administration fixing many of the environmental rollbacks of the last few years. Many of them affected me personally. National Monuments have been shrunk that I have visited. The Migratory Bird Treaty that survived presidents from both parties for over 100 years had been watered down as was the Endangered Species Act. I like clean water and clean air and I am happy those regulations will be restored.

7. I am happy for my birder friends. We are pretty close knit and talk most every day. Many of them get to bird everyday. Most of the time I'm not jealous they are out birding, I'm jealous I can't be with them. You all know who you are, and you're probably the only ones still reading after #6

8.  I am happy I made one trip to New Hampshire. Though I only spent two days there all year, I packed in a lot. I hiked Mt. Tremont to a gorgeous summit view, I saw a bear, went birding, and took tons of photos of peak foliage. I've said it before, it is nice that the mountains are close by.

9. I am grateful for May 16, 2020. For ten days the east side of the country was pummeled with north winds. This held back millions of birds heading north. When the winds shifted the night of May 15 all of these birds that had been bottlenecked took flight. Then around 10 pm it started to rain. This forced the birds down. When we woke up the next morning birds were everywhere. I went to Miantonomi Park in Newport as did almost every other birder. The place was dripping with birds. Every tree had multiple good beautiful birds. It was an incredible experience.

10. I am grateful that I was asked to go on the dedicated pelagic on Sept 8. We saw a lot of good birds, Pilot Whales, and Atlantic White Sided Dolphins. I also got to catch a Mahi-mahi and my largest fish yet a Yellowfin Tuna. Thank you Carlos.

11. Of course, thanks to Laurie for not complaining too much when she comes over on Sunday's unsuspecting that she will be dragged on another bird chase. 

12. Lastly, as always, I love living in this country. The amazing scenery, wildlife, and history are all thing I cherish. Without these things, I would have no purpose in life. But because of them I have an entire notebook of bucket list ideas that range from catching a Peacock Bass to hiking trails in the San Juan Islands in Washington State.