ABA Blog in Review: July 2013

Two words this month. Wood. Rail.

Yes, July was the month of the Rufous-necked Wood-Rail and the ABA Blog and the ABA Rare Bird Alert Facebook page were the hot spots to get information for the dozens of birders from across the United States and Canada who traveled to New Mexico to see the bird.

Birders await an audience with the Rufous-necked Wood-Rail at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. Photo ©Jeffrey A. Gordon

And more than just birders were looking to the ABA for information, ABA President Jeff Gordon was featured in nearly every mainstream media report on Matt Daw's fantastic bird, culminating in an appearance by Jeff on CBS This Morning, Saturday July 27, to talk about wood-rails and birding in general. How about that? Your ABA in front of millions of television viewers.

But there was more at the ABA Blog than wood-rail related news, though for a while it seemed like there wasn't. Here's a quick run-down on the posts you have missed while you were traveling to New Mexico (in actuality or in your dreams...).

Events Coordinator George Armistead went beyond this mortal realm to consider the Top 10 ABA Area birds as which to be reincarnated.

Big Year guru and Board Member Lynn Barber does two Big Years at one time (pausing to ask why on earth anyone would), and pauses to breath and consider the rest of the year in her county.

Jennie Duberstein shares the 2013 State of the Birds report, which focuses on private lands in the US.

ABA President Jeff Gordon wants to know what you think about the ABA's periodicals, and introduces us all to Matt Daw, NM rail-finder.

Photo and tech expert Bill Schmoker tries out a new smartphone digiscoping bracket, and shares some remarkable photos of a Bald Eagle foraging on the shoreline.

Inveterate county lister Drew Weber makes the case that it's easier than ever to list on the small-scale.

Guest writers this month included Rick Simpson, whose Wader Quest project took him to Thailand and the UAE, and Alvaro Jaramillo with a recap of the ABA's North Carolina tubenose IFO.

Book Reviews this month include Rick Wright's look at a pair of books on Wilson and Audubon, Eric Salzman's reviews of two new titles on rare birds, and Frederick Davis' thoughts on a new Ridgway biography.

Aside from the hullaballoo surrounding the wood-rail, vagrants in the ABA Area this month include Lesser Sand-Plover and Sharp-tailed Sandpiper in California and a Slate-throated Redstart in Arizona.

Thanks for your continued support and comments. We appreciate that this blog has turned into such a vibrant community of ABA members and friends. And if you're not a member, please consider joining us! We'd love to have you in the fold!

See you in August!