My 2012 Birding Year

I ended the year with 414 species, just fourteen more than my target. My ABA total ended on 338 (8 less than last year). I should have equaled last year’s total - I had failed to get the Purple Martins on Old Walnut Canyon Road, American Three-toed Woodpecker at the Schultz Burn and missed Cordelleran and Hammond’s Flycatcher, Green-tailed Towhee, Sage Sparrow, Lawrence’s Goldfinch  and Blue Grosbeak – and with more effort could have reached 350.

I had 30 lifers (10 short of my target), many of which were quite fabulous including Red-necked Grebe, Buff-breasted Flycatcher, Yellow-throated Warbler, Northern Saw-whet and Flammulated Owls, and the three Rosy Finches. But perhaps my favorite was Buller’s Shearwater. This outdid the Black-footed Albatross that I had expected to be the best of my pelagic birds.

I had 257 species in Arizona, managing to reach my goal of 250 and through the wonders of eBird learned that I saw 181 birds in Coconino county.

My year end totals are as follows:
 

Life List
ABA List	520
Arizona List	381
Coconino County List	250
Yard List	94