The chase is on. There are butterflies in my stomach. But the rush of Adrenaline is intoxicating. You know the feeling. Like a teenager on your first date? Or maybe when you and your buddies were hanging around your college dorm on a Friday afternoon then impulsively decide to make a 200 mile mad dash to the Dire Straits concert three hours before start? The chase is on. There’s a Garganey in Harrison, OH. Been there for ten days now! I had written it off; after all I just returned from AZ last night, but the bird continues to hold for me. In fact yesterday both Jon Dunn and his Wings tour group got it AND Matt from Ohio, the only other person doing a big year in 2011, both saw the duck. I booked a flight last night with American Airlines. The cost would have been $1200.00. Preposterous, so I used miles. I fly to Cincy thru Chicago (scary) at 6:00 AM arriving in Cincy by 1:30 PM. The bird has been seen with Blue-winged Teals in several ponds at the Fernald Preserve in Harrison only 40 minutes from the Cincinatti/Northern Kentucky airport. I’d leave today but there’s a customer project that needs to be completed. I’d better get back to that……..steady the nerves……….and pretend to forget that the chase is on. Stay tuned
John,
Ken Wilson here, we met at Sabine Woods and discussed camera setting and such. We also photographed the LA Waterthrush. I’m checkin in our your quest and just wanted to say congrats on a great job so far and a wish for continued success. Are you feeling better about your photos? Any questions that I might be able to help with? Anyway big year dude take care and hope you’re having all the fun in the world. I’d love to do what you’re doing.
Ken
Best of luck with the Garganey! What was the verdict on the Arizona trip? You seem to have had 29 bird species there, this after posting that “There are 40 bird species I could possibly get (not counting megararities) but I’d feel good about twenty species if they’re the right 20.” Did the right 20 come your way? You see, you have us hooked now!
— Nick
http://www.ilbirds.com/index.php?topic=48297.msg64512#msg64512
GOOD LUCK John! I was there last night at 7:15 pm and the Garganey was in easy view. BEST OF LUCK!
Hey Gabriel. You saw the bird? Where did you come from? Congratulations!!