Racing Towards the Finish Line

As I prepared to return to the US mainland, I checked the eBird standings for ABA Area, ABA Continental and Lower 48 using the Explore tab in eBird.org and then clicking on Top 100 and selecting among the list for Major Regions. Some day I hope to see USA and Territories included in the list of Major Regions but I will have to be patient.

While I was vacationing in the South Pacific, Gino Ellison was diligently working on adding new species to his Lower 48 list, and had moved into third place in all three lists by 6 species. David and Tammy McQuade had also increased their ABA area totals and were firmly out of reach, occupying first and second place.

I would have to work hard and efficiently to catch Gino, and hope that he had hung up his binoculars for the final week of competition. The number of possible adds for my ABA area list were quite limited. These included 5 species in Texas, 3 species in California, a couple of vagrant waterfowl in the northeast, and one or two pelagic species offshore in the Atlantic Ocean. Also one Rosy-Finch in my home state of Colorado. Another consideration was species that I had already seen in Alaska but I could add to my Lower 48 list. Species in this category included Rusty Blackbird, Rock Sandpiper, and Yellow-billed Loon.

My departure ticket from Guam was only purchased to Honolulu, so I extended it to Boston, with arrival scheduled for 2:30 PM on Wednesday, December 27, 2023. My plan was to try to find Dovekie, a tiny seabird, from shore. I consulted with my old time friend Alf Wilson, who told me that a week earlier Rick Heil had counted more than 1200 Dovekie from Andrew’s Point, a rocky promontory in Rockport on Cape Ann north of Boston, during the Christmas Bird Count. Dovekies were seen from other vantage points along Cape Cod shoreline during the same period. Winds were strong from the east that day. Subsequently there were no reports anywhere along the Massachusetts coast. Fortunately, the forecast included stormy weather Wednesday night so I was hopeful for finding in-shore Dovekie on Thursday. Dovekie are known to occasionally seek shelter from the wind in harbors where they are much easier to find. Dovekie is a fish-eating black and white diving bird in the family Alcidae, which also includes murres and murrelets, auks and auklets, puffins, guillemots and Razorbill. All of these birds use their wings as flippers to propel themselves through the water. Underwater cameras have captured these birds in deep water while foraging for fish. They appear to fly under water. If I missed the Dovekie in Massachusetts on December 28, my backup plan was a pelagic boat trip scheduled for December 29 from Ocean City, Maryland.

The United Airlines flight departed Guam at 7:35 AM on December 27, 2023, and landed in Honolulu, more than 3700 miles to the east across the international date line, shortly before 7 PM on December 26, 2023. I was encouraged when I realized that I had gained an extra day for birding. Unfortunately much of the day was spent on an airplane.

The Boston flight departed Honolulu at 9:15 PM on December 26 and landed in Denver at 6:30 AM. As the plane descended it occurred to me that I might need an extra day in Texas on the final day of the year, and thus would miss out on another opportunity to chase Black Rosy-Finch in the Colorado mountains. Conditions were currently overcast with a thin layer of fresh snow on the ground, reasonably good for feeder-happy finches. What if I didn’t get on the connecting flight to Boston and instead searched for finches? I could probably get on a later flight to Boston. The 2:30 PM arrival in Boston was too late anyway to find Dovekie the same day as the short winter days in Boston lose adequate light for birding by 4 PM. I presumed that I could pick up my checked bag at the baggage office in Boston. This would have to be a quick chase. The next flight to Boston was a couple hours later. I called my speedy friend Danica Patrikk and explained the proposition. She was all for it. “I will pick you up at the airport at 

7 AM,” she said.

I hurried off the plane, and speed walked to the passenger pick up area of Denver International Airport where she was already waiting for me. She revved the engine as I climbed into the copilot’s seat, no time for pleasantries. “Where to, Cap’n?” “Golden,” I said. “I have two hours before the next flight leaves for Boston.”

We arrived at 7:45 AM, but the flock of Rosy-Finches was absent from the feeding station. We called the owner who confirmed that the flock of 65 Rosy-Finches had visited briefly at 7:15 and contained several Black Rosy-Finch. My friend Tomas Heinrich arrived a few minutes later, having biked from Boulder to Golden, about 35 miles. He is a dedicated green birder who had grown up near me in eastern Massachusetts before settling in Colorado. Tomas watched the feeders as we searched the neighborhood by automobile for the missing finch flock. He also told us of his intentions to search for a staked out Rusty Blackbird about 10 miles away at Wheatridge Greenbelt. At 8:00 AM, still no finches. I called my friend Scott Rashid in Estes Park. “A flock of Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch was here all day yesterday with an immature Black. They are still here this morning.” I asked Tomas to call if the flock showed up in Golden, and we sped off towards Estes Park. He called 20 minutes later, but it was too late. We were well on our way to Estes.

Scott welcomed us as we arrived. Scott and I had spent a fun week of birding together in Arizona in March. He was thrilled to help me add another species for my year list this late in the game. He pointed out the pale gray finch in the flock perched in the tree overlooking his feeders. This was the immature Black Rosy-Finch (USA and Territories Year Bird number 879).

I did not stay long. I had missed the Boston flight but presumed there would be another during this busy travel season. “Where to?” Danica asked. “Wheatridge Greenbelt.” We sped off again. At Wheatridge we quickly found and photographed three gorgeous Rusty Blackbird. I showed them to Tomas who had just arrived. Do you have Barn Owl yet, Danica asked. There are a couple roosts near the airport. Yes, but I still need a photo. We found one of the owls inside an Airport Parking hangar but it did not pose for photos.

Daylight was waning by the time I got back to the United Airlines check-in counter. For some reason (Christmas spirit?), United Airlines honored my boarding pass from the morning flight and issued me a new ticket. I arrived in Boston at midnight. My bag was waiting for me at the United Baggage office. What a relief! When I did not board my original flight in Denver I had received a message from United Airlines informing me that they had cancelled my flight. I was worried that they might have returned my bags to my starting point in Hawaii or even in Guam. 

I invited my mother Karen to join me for the Dovekie hunt on Thursday, December 28, 2023. The weather was rainy with brisk winds from the north. Alf Wilson joined us as well at Andrew’s Point on Cape Ann. Few birds were flying. In the surf we spied Common Eider, Harlequin Duck, and several species of scoter, a type of sea duck. But no alcids. We split up to cover more territory. Alf went towards Annisquam. Karen and I went towards Gloucester Harbor. Other than one Razorbill in the harbor, there was no sign of any flight of alcids.

The pelagic trip off Ocean City (Maryland) on December 29 was full, and travel logistics were complex so I didn’t count on a last minute cancellation and instead headed a day early to south Texas where EJ Raynor, a friend from Fort Collins, Colorado, had offered to drive for me. He was chasing some of the same birds I was. I was able to find a last minute flight on Southwest Airlines from Boston to San Antonio, with a change of planes in Nashville. I arrived shortly after midnight in the wee hours of December 29, 2023.