12/12/09: Fall highlights in MA; SEOwl, NSOwl, Lapland Longspur, Brown-chested Martin. Trips to CA and NJ. Highlights many including Mountain Quail, Lawrence's Goldfinch, Northern Pygmy-owl (all CA), and Connecticut Warblers in NJ. Pelagics from MA, Black-capped Petrel, Audubon's Shearwater etc, Recently in CO & WY, plus Henslow's Sp seen locally. TX; Swallow-tailed Kite, Varied Bunting, Masked Duck, Elf Owl and GC Warbler amongst highlights. MA: Common Redpoll MA, Slaty-backed Gull CT, Tufted Duck RI; Recent trip to TX and NM. Many highlights: Blue Bunting, Sprague's Pipit, Longeared Owls. Pics at my blog http://pioneerbirding.blogspot.com/

King Eider (WA), Common Black-Hawk (AZ), Slaty-backed Gull (BC), Yellow-footed Gull (CA), Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl (TX), Spotted Owl (AZ), Great Gray Owl (BC), White-eared, Lucifer & Violet-crowned hummers (AZ), Rose-throated Becard (TX), Gray Vireo (CA), Sinaloa Wren (AZ), Black-capped Gnatcatcher (AZ), California Gnatcatcher (CA), Bendire's, LeConte's and Crissal thrashers (AZ), Tropical Parula (TX), Rufous-capped Warbler (AZ), Flame-colored Tanager (AZ), Blue Bunting (TX), White-winged Crossbill (AB), Lawrence's Goldfinch (CA).

Gray-collared Becard, Brown-backed Solitaire, Plain-capped Starthroat, Tufted Puffin, Island Scrub-jay, Crested Caracara, Black Swift, Black-bellied Whistling-duck, Ruddy Ground-dove, Berylline Hummingbird, Sinaloa Wren, Buff-collared Nightjar, Five-striped Sparrow, Rufous-capped Warbler, Flame-colored Tanager, Yellow-billed Magpie, Yellow-footed Gull, Magnificent Frigatebird, White-tailed Hawk, Red-cockaded Woodpecker, Nelson's Sparrow, Great Black-backed Gull, Horned Grebe, Black-legged Kittiwake, Black Scoter, Little Gull, Ancient Murrelet

Black-headed Gull, Leconte's Sparrow, Seaside Sparrow, Nelson's Sparrow, Saltmarsh Sparrow, All regularly occuring Woodpeckers, 6 species of Thrasher, Short-tailed Hawk, All 6 Quail, Red-necked Stint, 13 species of Owl, 16 species of Hummingbird, Rufous-capped Warbler, Sinaloa Wren, 4 sp. Grouse

Final total updated 31 Dec.; Highlights: Am. Three-toed Woodpecker in Maine; two pairs of nesting Mississippii Kites, Black-backed Woodpecker and Bicknell's Thrush in NH; Pacific Golden-Plover, White-headed Woodpecker in CA; Black-capped Petrel, Audubon's Shearwater, White-faced Storm-Petrel, Band-rumped Storm-Petrel, Ivory Gull, South Polar Skua, Long-tailed Jaeger, Brown-chested Martin, Painted Bunting, and Henslow's Sparrow in MA; Blue Mockingbird, Rufous-capped Warbler in AZ; Rose-thr. Becard, Tropical Parula, Crimson-collared Grosbeak, Blue Bunting in TX.

Little Gull (Nov 28, 2009)

Update after Sierras, and North Carolina and California pelagics

Masked Duck, Red-billed Pigeon, Purple Sandpiper, Rock Sandpiper, Black Rail, Blue Mockingbird, Rufous-capped Warbler, Parakeet Auklet, Black-capped Gnatcatcher, Pacific Golden-Plover. 16 Aug update

5/25/09 - Black-footed Albatross, Ruddy Ground-Dove, White-eared Hummer, Violet-crowned Hummer, Lucifer Hummer, Elegant Trogon, Mexican Chickadee, Sinaloa Wren, Black-capped Gnatcatcher, Rufous-capped Warbler, Flame-colored Tanager, Five-striped Sparrow

Bare-throated Tiger-Heron, 12/29/09

Brown-chested Martin,Snail Kite, Ivory Gull, Northern Goshawk, Snowy Plover, Bachman's Sparrow, Gunnison Sage Grouse, Greater Sage Grouse, Lesser Prairie Chicken, Greater Prairie Chicken, Sharp-tailed Grouse

11-24 - AZ/CA/NM/ID/NC/MD/WV/VA/DC - Latest: AZ - Red-breasted Sapsucker, Horned Grebe, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Blackpoll Warbler, Rusty Blackbird, Bay-breasted Warbler

Ohio, Oregon, So Cal, Colorado::: NORTHERN WHEATEAR (OH), Sooty Grouse, Tufted Puffin, Yellow-footed Gull, Xantus's Murrelet, Island Scrub-Jay, California Gnatcatcher, Smith's Longspur and Golden-crowned Sparrow in Ohio, Lawrence's Goldfinch. Visit: http://birding.posterous.com

Updated Nov '09

FINAL [CO, TX, WA, WY, NM]

Just SoCal & SE AZ (non-birding trip) so far.....best birds: Rusty Blackbird, Oceanside, San Diego Co.; Snow Bunting, Ocean Beach, San Diego Co. CA; Blue-footed Booby, N.Shore Salton Sea, Riverside Co. CA; Black-throated Blue Warbler, Riverside Co. CA; Dickcissel, Desert Center, Riverside Co. CA; Great Crested Flycatcher, O.C. CA; Ovenbird, O.C., CA; 10/19/09: Sedge Wren & Painted Bunting Glen Helen Regional Park, SB Co. CA; 10/31/09: Bar-tailed Godwit, Newport Back Bay, CA; 11/09/09: Bay-breasted Warbler, Cactus City Rest Stop, CA; 12/28/09: King Eider, Cabrillo Beach Pier, L.A. Co. CA; and a good finale to 2009 = 12/30/09: White (Black-backed) Wagtail, Santa Barbara Co. CA

Indiana, West Virginia, Texas, Michigan, and one species at the Miami airport. Aplomado Falcon, Ancient Murrelet, Green Parakeet, Black-capped Vireo, Yellow-green Vireo, Mangrove Warbler, White-collared Seedeater. Latest bird: Pacific Loon 11/29/09

Updated 10/6. Recent Additions- Lark Sparrow, Lincoln's Sparrow, Northern Wheatear

3 weeks in Western Canada, May/June '09

Blue Mockingbird, Yellow-footed Gull;Sinaloa Wren(nice try!);Ruddy Ground Dove;Northern Pygmy Owl

Winter Wren, Gadwall, Purple Sandpiper 12/19/09

5/21/09 - Glossy Ibis (Bishop, Ca.) Vermillion Flycatcher (Kern Co.) Green-tailed Towhee (Ventura Co.)

Rufous-capped Warbler, Sinaloa Wren, Brown-crested Flycatcher in LA, Reddish Egret in AZ, Black-capped Gnatcatcher, Long-tailed Duck in LA, Groove-billed Ani in LA, Clay-colored Sparrow in LA