First, to
the many birders across the country who gave willingly of their time to help us
find regional specialties. Your companionship made for an extra dimension to
the year which was unexpected and highly appreciated. One moment among many stands
out: Anne Hughes perching precariously on the cliff top at Cape St. Mary to
find us Thick-billed Murres among the many seabirds nesting on the cliffs, and
the fog lifting just in time.
Secondly,
to my fellow fur and featherers, Brian, Mike and Ray. Most Big Years are
conceived as solo efforts. Ours was different, a team event, which made for a
year which was full of fun, both the long hours in the field and the brief periods
of relaxation. Eating chocolate-coated almonds to celebrate a success, mid-afternoon
ice cream cones as a pick-me up, and tasting local beers from across the
country became important rituals for our tribe. We ended the year having
enriched our friendship, with absolutely no friction along the way – remarkable!
To the
readers of this blog, your interest was a great source of inspiration. Writing
the blog was not always the first thing we wanted to work on late in the evening,
but the discipline of keeping our readers up-to-date meant that we documented
our journey as we went along and provided us with a valuable record. It was
also a great showcase for many of Brian and Ray’s wonderful photos, and one of
mine, which I never stopped talking about!
Finally, to
my wife Rae and our family, my heartfelt thanks for your love and support for
my participation in Fur and Feathers 500. It was a very eventful year for our
family, and I will never forget your generosity in allowing me to head off on all
those trips, sometimes at very difficult times.
A Happy New
Year to everyone: I hope you will be able to realize your own dreams.
Phil
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