Birding 2013

I don't know why, but I can't help but put some significance on the first bird I see each year. It's as if I think that bird is a harbinger of the year. Intellectually I know that is not true, but that doesn't mean I don't feel that way regardless. For example, in 2011 my first bird was a house sparrow but that same day I spotted a whooping crane (a lifer), so it is demonstrably not true.

In 2012 we did the Wild Bird Rescue Big Day fundraiser and the first bird was a white-crowned sparrow, the start of a good count.

White-winged dove
Photo by Dan Pancamo via Wikimedia Commons

This year, the white-winged doves were first up. What does that say for my birding year in 2013? I must say, so far 2013 hasn't been very exciting on the birding front. However, if you want to see birds, you have to bird, and so far this year, I haven't been out much at all. But I intend to change that. I made some birding resolutions for 2013. Since I am known to be a little compulsive on my New Year's resolutions (especially after sharing them with you,) I am looking forward to a good year.

What are my birding resolutions this year?

• Attend two birding festivals. Right now I plan for those to be the Birdfest Texoma in May and the Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival in November. If I can fit in one of the Texas Ornithological Society (TOS) meetings, I will. But the Winter and Spring meetings don't fit my schedule, so we'll see about the Fall meeting.
• Be more consistent in keeping up this blog--in order to do that I have to get out and see some birds. I am shooting for a minimum of 1 blog post a week. I have done more than that in previous years, so it shouldn't be a problem.
• Update my sightings in eBird regularly. I can use eBird to keep track of the birds I see. After having lost my life list not once, but twice, this is a good thing. I can't replicate those earlier records, which is discouraging, but at least I can avoid a similar disaster.
• Add five counties to  my Texas Century Club count. This will force me to get out and bird, which is the only way to become a better birder. I am not as competitive as many people participating in this program, but I am using it as a way to encourage me to get out and bird.

I am planning for a great birding year. What are your birding resolutions this year?

Good birding!