Sorry for the delay in posting the COMAL (Challenge Of a Missouri Annual List) results for the end of June. I've had carpal tunnel surgery & 1-handed typing goes slowly. But hey, I shouldn't complain ... Joe Eades wrote: "Six weeks after major knee surgery and I'm finally off crutches. Those other guys better watch out!" It reminds me of Bob Fisher's car accident and resulting injuries & how it slowed his birding down last year. (Or was it two yrs ago?) Amazing how birders just chomp at the bit to get going again; in fact, a real birder just can't give this avocation up!!!

Leslie Keith Koller wrote: "Have added at least 12 species for my Missouri list this year, of which 4 are lifers! Thanks so much for The Challenge!" Good for Leslie!!!

And, Kyle Driggers from Liberty shares "June has been a very trying month for me. Even though I picked up 24 new COMAL birds, which is 23 more than I have ever picked up in June before, I had many misses.
Some of the misses were:

King Rail - spent 4 hours at Prairie Slough CA - no show
Painted Bunting - spent 4 hours at Katy Trail - no show
Bachman's Sparrow - spent 5 hours at Caney Mountain CA - no show
Swainson's Warbler - spent 6 hours at Greer Crossing - no show (Did hear 3 on the river)
Hooded Warbler - Same as Swainson's except didn't hear any either.

Even though I have surpassed my previous year record by 18 already, a little luck would sure help.

I have started taking my 11 year old son on these trips with me and I think I may have a new birding partner. I call him my "lucky charm". Even though I personally feel a little more luck would help my numbers, I couldn't be luckier than to have a son that is interested in birding. However, my wife didn't really appreciate the fact that I have put 3500 miles on her new Ford Explorer, when she has only put 79 miles on it.

The worst news of all this month was when I just got home on Monday from a float trip where I visited Otter Slough on Sunday afternoon trying to pick up a Black-necked Stilt. I managed to find a couple on the area and decided not to go to the Dexter Rice fields. Well, you know the rest of that story."

Now that's a true "birder's tale." Get home from a long drive only to learn about the Fulvous Whistling Ducks Poor guy!!!
COMAL 2003



      NAME
     CITY
     DATE
     # SPECIES SEEN
     
      Kathleen Anderson
     Columbia
     06/30/03
     213
     
      Jim Arl
     Eureka
     05/01/03
     163
     
      Lisa Berger
     Springfield
     04/02/03
     123
     
      Judy Bergmann
     Silva
     05/31/03
     173
     
      Charley Burwick
     Springfield
     05/01/03
     192
     
      Will Chatfield-Taylor
     Johnson County, KS
     06/30/03
     129
     
      Frances Cramer
     St. Joseph

      Bean Lake Cabin
     05/31/03

      05/31/03
     153

      77
     
      Steve Dilks
     Linn
     05/31/03
     236
     
      Anne Downing
     Edina
     05/31/03
     215
     
      Kyle Driggers
     Liberty
     06/30/03
     259
     
      Barb Duncan
     Jefferson City
     05/31/03
     145
     
      Joe Eades
     St. Louis
     06/30/03
     271
     
      Susan Eaton
     Kirkwood
     06/30/03
     184
     
      Bob Fisher
     Independence
     06/30/03
     226
     
      Matt Gearheart
     Overland Park, KS
     06/03/03
     193
     
      Patrick Harrison
     Shelbyville
     06/30/03
     275
     
      Rhonda Harrison
     Shelbyville
     06/07/03
     123
     
      Donald Hays
     Union
     07/01/03
     184
     
      Susan Hazelwood
     Columbia
     06/30/03
     229
     
      Bonnie Heidy
     Columbia
     05/01/03
     141
     
      Larry Herbert
     Joplin
     06/30/03
     166
     
      Jan Horton
     Springfield
     07/05/03
     163
     
      Gareth (Gary) Johnson
     Kansas City
     06/01/03
     223
     
      Scott Johnston
     Jefferson City
     06/02/03
     148
     
      Steven Juhlin
     Sullivan (soon to be Cape Girardeau)
     06/02/03
     195
     
      Leslie Keith Koller
     Sikeston
     06/30/03
     157
     
      Larry Lade
     St. Joseph
     05/31/03
     237
     
      Bob Lewis
     Farmington
     07/03/03
     229
     
      Pat Lueders
     Webster Groves
     06/30/03
     230
     
      Jim Malone
     Chesterfield
     06/30/03
     261
     
      Gale March
     Macon
     05/02/03
     119
     
      Kim March
     Macon
     05/02/03
     123
     
      Nicholas March
     Macon
     05/02/03
     118
     
      Rachel March
     Macon
     05/02/03
     120
     
      Kristi Mayo
     Kearney
     07/02/03
     227
     
      Lynn Miller
     Lone Jack
     06/30/03
     120
     
      Terry L. Miller
     Kearney
     04/30/03
     121
     
      JoAnn Moroz
     Lee's Summit
     06/30/03
     248
     
      Pete Moroz
     Lee's Summit
     06/30/03
     246
     
      Maggie & John Mundhenk
     Bellflower
     01/31/03
     28
     
      Adam Nisbett
     St. James
     05/31/03
     168
     
      Mike Niles
     Kearney
     04/30/03
     132
     
      Stephen Painter
     Kansas City
     05/31/03
     123
     
      Robert Partridge
     Kearney
     05/01/03
     103
     
      Ralph Pike
     Overland Park, KS
     04/01/03
     57
     
      Debra Fortenberry Priest
     Hannibal
     07/05/03
     86
     
      Jim Rathert
     Jefferson City
     05/31/03
     198
     
      Bill Reeves
     Farmington
     06/02/03
     220
     
      Brandon Routh
     St. Joseph
     04/30/03
     191
     
      Lee Kraft-Schiffel
     Columbia
     06/30/03
     225
     
      Chris Snook
     Columbia
     04/25/03
     136
     
      Josh Uffman
     Ferguson
     06/30/03
     277
     
      Nancy VandenBrink
     Springfield
     07/01/03
     148
     
      Denise Vultee
     Columbia
     06/30/03
     125
     
      Edge Wade
     Columbia
     05/31/03
     212
     
      Mike Warnock
     Columbia
     06/30/03
     246
     
      Clare Wheeler
     Lake Ozark
     04/04/03
     77
     
      Doug Willis
     Farmington
     01/31/03
     91
     


Good Birding
Susan Hazelwood
Columbia, Boone County, Missouri
[log in to unmask]

__________________________________________________
* Audubon Society of Missouri's *
* Wild Bird Discussion Forum *
*------------------------------------------------*
* To unsubscribe send the message *
* SIGNOFF MOBIRDS-L *
* to [log in to unmask] *
* To subscribe send the message *
* SUBSCRIBE MOBIRDS-L your name *
* to [log in to unmask] *
*------------------------------------------------*
* To access the list archives from July 2002 on: *
* http://po.missouri.edu/archives/mobirds-l.html *
##################################################