Launching a Big Year

January 22, 2015

By George Peyton

In February, 2005, after reading The Big Year by Mark Obmasick, later made into a popular movie, my other half, Lani Rumbaoa, announced that she intended to do her own Big Year of Birding, but limited to the Lower 48 States rather than all of North America. I thought she was a bit crazy, but when Lani decides that she wants to do something, she is very determined. So even though we were both working full-time and had limited time for travel outside of the Bay Area, she ended 2005 with a total of 428 bird species.

In 2014, Lani announced that she wanted to do her second Big Year, to compete against her 2005 total, but with a goal of seeing 600 species. I shook my head in disbelief, since I knew that it would be far more difficult seeing 600 species than 428 – but Lani had made up her mind.

So here we are in January, 2015, all geared up for her to see as many bird species as possible.

Here are some specifics. Lani is 53, has been birding for 14 years, including 15 international bird tours, has great eyes for spotting birds, lots of energy, major enthusiasm – and most important, she is absolutely determined to see at least 600 bird species during 2015. One more key factor is that she will be continuing her work as a store manager full five-day workweeks for at least 26 weeks out of the year, which will restrict her ability to drop everything and travel promptly to see some rare bird that has shown up in California or elsewhere.

Lani and George on the Big Island of Hawaii in 2014

In contrast, I am 76, have been actively birding for 66 years, and have organized and escorted over 40 international bird tours. I am not as expert a birder as Joe Morlan or Dave Quady or Bob Lewis, but have many years of active birding experience.

My title is Big Year Coach, Cheerleader, and Primary Bird Guide, but it also includes being Planner and Chief Sherpa, carrying the scope, field guide and pack on our many upcoming days birding in the field.

I have already spent over 300 hours planning where and when Lani should go to see at least 600 species during 2015, as well as making plane, rental car, and motel reservations for our many out-of-state birding trips. I’ve been reading as much as I can of other Big Years to get ideas from those successful in the past, talking with many other birders to tap their brains, and arranging for local birders or guides to certain locations.

Allen's Hummingbird seen by Lani on January 2, 2015 — Allen’s Hummingbird seen by Lani on January 2, 2015 in San Diego County / Photo by Matthew Binns

Little Blue Heron seen by Lani on January 2, 2015 in San Diego County (Imperial Beach). Photo by Matthew Binns.

Bob Hirt, a close birding friend and currently president of Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society, will be accompanying us on two important out-of-state trips where he has birded many times. Wayne Petersen of Massachusetts Audubon will be leading us in the Greater Boston Area in late January to see a number of species that winter there from the far north, such as Razorbill, Black Guillemot, Snowy Owl and Snow Bunting, which are normally not seen in the Bay Area.

We plan to bird in South Texas and the Rio Grande Valley, and also look for Whooping Cranes. We’ll also do a Colorado Chicken Tour (aiming to see 7 species of ‘chickens’” such as Greater and Lesser Prairie Chicken, Sharp-Tailed Grouse, etc.) and hit South Florida, the Texas Coast, High Island, Texas Hill Country, Magee Marsh in Ohio, Michigan, Southeast Arizona, Minnesota, North Dakota, etc.

Based on our current schedule, we will be intensely birding outside of the Bay Area approximately three out of the first six months of the year alone. While in the Bay Area, Lani will bird at least one day and sometimes both of her days off from work. Most of our our out-of-state trips will be approximately two weeks in length, birding long days of 10 hours or more, so that by the end of those two-week trips we are both likely to be exhausted. We have two approximately month-long trips, which will be a real test of our stamina.

Wandering Tattler seen by Lani on January 2, 2015 in San Diego County. Photo by Matthew Binns.

Least Sandpiper seen by Lani on January 2, 2015 in San Diego County. Photo by Matthew Binns.

As we progress through Lani’s Big Year of Birding, I will provide periodic updates on Lani’s progress. Hopefully, she will be as successful as our very own GGBA Member, Logan Kahle, with his amazing feat of seeing 470 species in California alone during 2014.

Finally, a brief update on Lani’s progress during the first 20 days of January: She birded for 16 out of those 20 days, mostly full days of birding, starting in San Diego on January 1, and doing an eight-day Bird Blitz working her way back to the Bay Area. She has now seen 202 species, which is a good start. More later.

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George Peyton practiced law for 44 years, dividing his time between a private practice and work as Piedmont City Attorney. He has served on the boards of Golden Gate Bird Alliance, Point Blue (formerly PRBO), Audubon Canyon Ranch, and National Audubon. He played a leading role in National Audubon’s work to save Mono Lake. He has been an active birder for 66 years and seen about 6,500 bird species. He recently wrote a two-part blog post about doing the Christmas Bird Count by boat.