Better Late Than Never.....

This blogging thing really is a lot easier than I thought it would be, so it is better to start now than not to start at all. Hopefully, this blog will take a bit more shape and get a bit better looking as I get the hang of it.

To bring this blog up to speed, I have decided, with a lot of inspiration from Russ Cannings' adventures last year, to try to set a new record for a Victoria Checklist Area big year. As much as I would like to venture further afield, work is keeping me close to home this year. The Victoria Checklist Area boundary, being North to the 49th Parallel and West as far as a line drawn from Ladysmith through Otter Point, is a little more manageable and a little easier on work, home, and budget.

The current record, established by Chris Saunders, stands at a daunting 251 (243 of these being self-found birds). It only takes a quick look at the Victoria Checklist to realize what exactly goes into that kind of number, and what exactly I have gotten myself into.

So I need to find 252 species. So far, I stand at 134, with a little over ten months left. The next 100 or so should be pretty straight-forward. The last 18, not so much. I have created a list page that I will keep updated as I go.

Along the way, I am looking forward to meeting Victoria birders I haven't had the pleasure of meeting yet, catching up with old friends, discovering some spots I haven't found yet, and maybe adding a lifer or two!

I may succeed, I may not, but either way it is going to be one heck of a fun year, and there are definitely worse things one could do than to spend a lot of time out birding! (and if I don't make it, there is always next year!)