I ran nearly 100 miles in October (92.75) and the most notable achievement was hitting my 15th – yup, 1-5 – attempt to see the rare BLACK-HEADED GULL that’s been up and down the Potomac River between the Georgetown waterfront and the National Airport for weeks. I struck out every, single, time. It’s an ignominious […]
I targeted specific species on nearly every run in September, and I struck out pretty much every time, from the somewhat common Ruby-throated Hummingbird that had been seen around the U.S. Botanic Garden in migration; several Red-headed Woodpecker in a couple locations; and a Black-headed Gull—a rare visitor from Europe—that is attracting throngs of birdwatchers […]
If you’re a running birdwatcher in Washington D.C., August is a dim month. Thankfully my wife and child had to relocate near San Francisco for most of the month, where I was able to work remotely for over a week. Most importantly, at least for this effort, I was able to fit in four runs […]
With respect to my 2018 Big Running Year, July wasn’t the strongest month. I took the first two weeks of July off. No running, no birds. Don’t cry for me just yet. It was because we did an epic European road trip where, in addition to visiting eight countries (5 new), I secured Top 10 […]
Last month, May, courtesy of spring migration, was always going to be the best month of the year. And just as I knew the temperature and humidity would climb in June, so too was a drop expected in new species to my year list. I still tried my best with a couple trips to Theodore […]
If you asked me when I started this whole thing which month would’ve provided the most species for my year list, I would’ve said, without pausing, “May.” It’s the peak of migration and it didn’t disappoint. I ran three times a week (save one missed run due to a head cold) and I added a […]
It’s springtime: The weather is improving, the birds are moving and I’m on the chase. I tallied nearly 80 miles over 11 runs and added 25 more species for the year. Here are some highlights: My second run of the month was an 11-miler to Fletcher’s Cove on the upper reaches of the Potomac River […]
Foot willing, I got back to my “three runs a week” average in March. That, with two half marathons this month, poured a solid foundation for finding new species. Every run, though, left from the same point in the asphalt heart of D.C. While I’m proud that I’m not driving to target new species, this […]
Don’t tell my wife, but February 15th was arguably more significant than 24 hours prior—it marked the first run of the month. Taking off Weeks 5 and 6 certainly doesn’t count for a “strong start” to this 12-month effort, but a slight foot issue that had threatened to flare in January lingered a few days […]
There were only a few days left in 2017 before I decided to start a “running list of birds” in 2018. The first month is in the books and, by in large, I kept true to my vision: I ran like normal – three days a week averaging about 15-20 miles – and listed some […]