Congratulations on your 300th now every bird is just icing on the cake.
What a way to help the shoulder.

After reaching 300 in our Big Year Fund Raiser Competition for Vancouver
Audubon both us and the Bjorkmans breathed a sigh of relief but we are both
adding more birds but helping each other in a friendly competition to see
who can get the most. It Is a Fund raiser! We each still have to find the
birds even if we have directions and we have to thanks the Washington
Birders for all their posts.

Sherry Hagen
Vancouver, WA
littlebirder at gmail.com
On Jun 28, 2012 9:51 AM, "Blair Bernson" <blair at washingtonadvisorygroup.com>
wrote:

> I have been birding a lot this year and posting a lot as I went. Apologies
> for perhaps too much of the latter. BUT...there are reasons:
>
> Last year I had shoulder replacement surgery that significantly hampered
> my ability to hold binoculars and birding was a challenge. The surgery was
> supposed to correct that but did so only marginally and by the end of the
> year it had deteriorated and I had another surgery late in January. To
> help encourage recovery and distract from the situation a friend issued a
> challenge: See "X" number of birds in the state by the end of June and he
> would contribute that same $X to nature related charities of my choice.
> After a lot of thought and calculation I decided to "go for it" and we
> agreed on X to be 300 birds - as I wanted it to be challenging but
> possible. And as extra incentive I agreed to make a similar contribution to
> his "causes" if I failed.
>
> Thanks in large part to Tweeters, Opperman et al, Seattle Audubon,
> Washington Ornithological Society and EBird I covered a lot of ground and
> found a lot of birds but a number of "misses" (Chestnut Sided Warbler,
> Flammulated Owl, Long Eared Owl among others) and forgot abouts (Sage
> Grouse and King Eider among others) had me in a position this week where
> although I was very close, I was not sure I was going to make it. It did
> not help that some soul searching caused me to revise my spotting of a
> Hermit Warbler at Mt. Walker to "Hybrid" when observers saw the pictures I
> had posted and found hybrid traits that I had missed. A trip to Capitol
> Forest - beautiful but confusing place - fixed that. It also did not help
> when I had to take my car in to the shop this week for unexpected
> replacement of a transmission system, but a loaner car resolved that
> complication.
>
> Tuesday night I stood at 298 birds and wondered how I would find the final
> two. I am going to be at Sun Mountain Lodge on June 30 so I figured I
> would pin my hopes on a Poorwill (missed in Spokane) and a Dusky Grouse -
> good chance but the "chicken birds" are never a given at least for me.
> Then I saw Rick Taylor's post about Acorn Woodpeckers on Grayback Road. I
> had missed the Acorns at Lyle and also at the amazing sighting on Fox
> Island. Those were major bird disappointments but included some wonderful
> interpersonal times - those and others being MAJOR pluses from my journey
> on quest this year. It would be a long trip ... but maybe. Apparently my
> brain made up my mind for me as I woke up after only 4 hours of sleep at
> 4:00 ... wide awake. I was on the road before 5:00 a.m. and on my way for
> hopefully the Woodpecker and thought I might also stop at Bethel Ridge on
> the way home to try for a 3 Toed or maybe even stay late and seek a
> Poorwill at Robinson Canyon.
>
> I had maps and directions from Google and from Rick's post and my trusted
> Delorme but I still completely missed the turnoff onto Grayback Road from
> Goldendale Glenwood Highway. I know the route because it takes me to a
> favorite fishing spot, Stinson Flats on the Klickitat River where we camp
> on Steelhead Floats. Having gone past the turnoff, I birded Stinson Flats
> for a while and had best ever looks at Cassins Vireo but simply could not
> get a focused picture in the Oaks (a problem that recurred later). I saw
> several people there and on the road, locals and even a County official,
> and nobody knew where Grayback Road was. My hopes waned. But I re-read
> Rick Taylor's post and re-consulted every map and figured it had to be an
> unsigned road back a few miles. It was - no sign and a dirt road - so I
> was back on task after losing an hour to the day. As soon as I got to what
> I believed to be the Woodpecker spot, two woodpeckers took off and
> disappeared into an area behind a barbed wire fence. I would have bet
> money that they were Acorns but certainly very poor looks - not good enough
> for identification for my purposes. I tried there and at two more spots
> for more than an hour to see them again or to lure them in with a
> recording. No luck although I was pretty sure I had heard a single reply
> in the distance once. An incredible bonus was a young Golden Eagle that
> flew by me - no more than 50 feet away and no more than 10 feet off the
> ground and then it went off over the ridge down to the Klickitat Valley.
>
> Then I saw that my cell phone was finally working and it downloaded 20
> emails all at once including one from Rick Taylor who had responded to one
> from me. He gave me his cell and we ended up talking ... confirming that I
> was in the right spot. I spent another 30 minutes there and FINALLY two
> birds came around. Could never get a clear shot in the Oaks for a picture
> but clear views and definitely THEM. So off I went figuring I might try
> Bethel Ridge. (Apparently Russ Koppendreyer arrived at this spot not too
> long after I left...wish we had intersected as I always enjoy his posts and
> we have not met). BTW - the Grayback Road area is spectacularly beautiful
> with incredible views of the Klickitat River below and Mt. Hood and Mt.
> Adams in the distance. The road is easily navigated. Take the left fork if
> you go in.
>
> When I looked at the map I noted that Kennewick, while not on the way
> home..."was not all that far away". I had not seen a post on the N. Parula
> for a couple of days and did not know if the bird was still present. It
> was a beautiful day, I have never been to Tri-Cities so.... Off I went. I
> initially missed the Columbia Park turnoff so did some doubling back and
> then found "Kiwanis Park" - both areas. It was over 80 degrees, bright sun
> and I was hearing no birds anywhere as I got out of the car so I was
> hopeful but not optimistic. The area is larger than I expected with lots
> of trees of varied species - open and accessible. After about 30 minutes
> (and yes I did play the call more than once without any response), I heard
> what I thought was a similar call from large trees behind the building. I
> ran over and finally had a good luck at this beautiful little warbler. The
> quest was over. Number 300 - and what a great number 300 was found - a new
> state bird, although I had seen it in the East.
>
> It was a very long trip back (not helped by the 1 hour delay for
> "blasting" at Snoqualmie Pass area). More than 625 miles for the day. But
> a great feeling. WOS, Seattle Audubon, Ebird and Save the Tigers will all
> benefit.
>
> Thank you to everyone who helped and made this both possible and enjoyable
> (including perhaps some of you reading this and especially today to Rick
> Taylor). I do not like listing - much prefer simply birding - but this
> time it was worth it.
>
> --
> Blair Bernson
> Seattle
>
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