I couldn’t decide whether or not I wanted to do a posting about my life birds for 2020 or if I just wanted to throw together a little photo gallery showcasing them, I thought I would at least write something down about the subject.  2020 was certainly the year for life birds. What made this interesting was my seeing so many new species of birds without traveling abroad.  Dumb luck?  Perhaps in any event, most of it was getting red hot tips from ebird and encountering random birders in the field who were kind enough to point out the location of interest.

Life Birds For 2020

Red Throated Loon *

Short eared owl (no img)

Northern Shrike *

Great Cormorant (no img)

Brandt *

Surf scoter *

Wilson’s Snipe

Rusty Blackbird

Nashville Warbler *

Blue gray gnatcatcher

Cape may warbler *

Virginia Rail *

Red Phalarope (no img)

Pine Grosbeak*

Red crossbill*

Barnacle Goose*

2020 was definitely one hairy year. Even a year ago when 2020 began, the whispering voices in my head told me that 2020 was going to be the year of hindsight. Standing a year later I can say that in that aspect the year didn’t disappoint. I saw a total of 22 life birds for the year 2020.

The global pandemic and the resulting isolation aside, when it came to the spotting of life birds, the year 2020 was almost as great life bird wise as a trip abroad. So allow me to get started on the life birds I’ve experienced for the year 2020.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My first life bird of 2020 was a Red-Throated Loon. Initially, I thought it was the common loon I was chasing down on the same body of water. Later that evening upon closer examination of the photographs, I realized it was not the same bird. Enough said.  As things turned out Fall of 2020 was extremely festive with the life birds like the Red Crossbills, a real treat.  I stalked them until April 2021.  Another species worth mentioning was the Pine Grosbeak.  I never saw any adult males, but I did see several females and juveniles in Windsor, MA North Adams, MA and there were lots of them for several weeks at Wendell State forest.  I don’t recall if I saw the Harlequin Duck in 2020 or 2021, but that too was a lifer, since I’ve never seen one; particularly one so far inland.  (I can’t believe I forgot to publish this post!)