30 December 2008

Top Ten Lifers of 2008: Number 2

To get a really crazy life list I guess at some point you have to chase a few rarities. My first twitch gave me my Number 2 lifer of 2008, the Brown Booby.


For a few months in early 2008 a Brown Booby was being reported on the St. John's Fishing Pier near St. Augustine. So on a trip up north I decided I had to take a chance and chase this bird. The chasing part was easy, a short 15 minutes off the interstate and I was at the pier parking lot. I gave the attendant my 25 cent fee and seconds later I was staring down my lifer Brown Booby.

This particular Brown Booby was a juvenile and had been living off of fish scraps from the fishermen all winter. But this bird wasn't just free-loading. While I was there it took flight and tried to catch some food. By spring time the bird was gone but it was a successful trip for me and definitely a birding high spot for the year. I'm sure the next Brown Booby won't nearly be as easy to see and certainly won't let me take photos from a few feet away.



Tomorrow's post will highlight my Number 1 Lifer bird of 2008. Any guesses on what it could be?

2 comments:

Dawn Fine said...

It has been fun reading your top ten lifers...cant wait to see what your number one is...Happy Birding..
My husband and I will be in West palm beach area on sunday...
staying at lake worth rv park for a few weeks before going north to the bird festival in merrit island...then to the panhandle for a few weeks...Yipeee

Eva Matthews said...

The Space Coast festival is really great! Stop by Green Cay while you're in town and say hi. You can ask for me at the desk, Eva Matthews.