Rare Bird! Eared Grebe in Toronto plus Our 2024 CHALLENGE REVEALED

[@kylegage87]

Good luck on next year’s challenge! I find having goals like a year list helps motivate me to go out, even if the weather/location of a bird/etc. isn’t ideal. I’ve been fortunate to surpass 300 each of the last 4 years in NY with my total this year currently at 333, my highest ever. It did require making a few downstate/Long Island trips (I live Upstate in the Finger Lakes) as well as a pelagic trip but it’s been worth it with many new lifers & state lifers.

[@BritHikesOntario]

Thanks Kyle, we found it motivating, too. And it forced us to improve as birders. I've never been to the Finger Lakes area, but it has been recommended to me 👀

[@TheBackyardAviaryAdventures]

Lovely British type weather.

[@BritHikesOntario]

Yep! Very much been that way for most of December. Unfortunately we don't seem to have the network of hides that are quite common over there and are handy for taking shelter in!

[@grahamhall4465]

Will you be starting your challenge from 0 or 250 ????

[@BritHikesOntario]

We have to see 300 birds in 2024. So from zero.

[@brighteyedbirding]

YES 300 ON CAMERA it is 😉 Best of luck! I'm excited to see you progress!

[@BritHikesOntario]

Woo, let's do it! 😂😆

[@karentiel]

Exciting times ahead! Looking forward to watching.

[@BritHikesOntario]

Thanks Karen, we can't wait to get out this weekend 🐦😁

[@Handmaiduns]

Great vid! Looking forward to seeing your 2024 challenge ✨

[@BritHikesOntario]

Thanks Kate, appreciate it lots

[@MrTmiket0007]

Thanks so much for sharing another wonderful video like always 😊

[@BritHikesOntario]

Thanks Miguel! 😁

[@NathanWebb-c5h]

That's awesome and I hope you'll get to photograph 300 birds.

[@BritHikesOntario]

Thanks, hope so! 😊

[@docdiguise]

Good luck! Can't wait to see your new videos!

[@BritHikesOntario]

Thanks, we are excited to get back to it 😁

[@chrishamilton2858]

Good luck!

[@BritHikesOntario]

Thanks Chris

[@erniescabin4256]

Thank you, great videos love the birds good luck 😊💕

[@BritHikesOntario]

Thanks you! We are optimistic so long as we keep going all year! 😊

[@92kingsly]

Looking forward to your new quest -- should be doable since you missed the warbler migration this spring, so a few days at Point Pelee should produce dozens of species. Or maybe a cheap flight to Florida for some Everglades birding? Good luck.

[@BritHikesOntario]

We would like to do Pelee closer to peak. Perhaps the island, too. Been a while. Florida would be awesome, and we have mooted the idea. Certainly will need to be more organised around timings of trips to maximise what we see.

[@marcussmith1768]

Merry Christmas and a Happy new year to you both.

[@BritHikesOntario]

Thanks! Happy New Year 👍

[@caseyoingo6440]

300 is it possible I suppose we have to wait and see 😊

[@BritHikesOntario]

Well... if we learn and get better at wading birds, if we are willing to chase more rare birds, if we have a better summer, if we don't have any family, work or transport issues and if we are able to travel 2-3 times out of province... then we are quite optimistic. But if a couple of things from that list don't go our way, it may not happen. Shall we take bets? 😆

[@l15t47]

Darn! Not coming back to California 😢 Florida? You'd all look in the everglades dodging gators...can't wait!!!

[@BritHikesOntario]

Not in 2024, unfortunately. But we would LOVE to come back to California and see even more of it. Maybe a sneaky look into Oregon, too 😇

[@BritHikesOntario]

We are definitely interested in Florida, btw. Our best shot at extra species not found further north.

[@chrischeatle6623]

Good luck. Yeah 300 in Ontario is a challenge. You need a lot of flexibility to travel. You can achieve it, but it's stressful. One reason I don't personally track a year list. I'm not going to stress about driving all around because I've not got species X on my list this year.

[@BritHikesOntario]

Yeah, I get that. There were times we were feeling the pressure this year. For a while we were not going to do another challenge, maybe slow down a bit... but we found some aspects of it rewarding, too. And so we decided to do it once more.

[@chrischeatle6623]

@@BritHikesOntario Even 300 is a big goal, unless you know you are getting to say Florida or far south in your permitted geography. Most I've ever done in a year in Ontario is 275 (ironically I've hit that exact number in 2 separate years). That was when I had more flexibility, but still not really being driven by what the number was.

[@tracyreaume6451]

I saw a rare bird today, a Yellow-billed Loon in central Alberta! Will be here supporting you in ‘24, 300 is a big number.

[@BritHikesOntario]

Thanks Tracy, appreciate that. That's a nice sighting, congrats! We have tried for the Pacific Loon a couple of times this year, without success. Perhaps 2024 is the year.

[@tracyreaume6451]

@@BritHikesOntarioI mean Yellow-billed Loon. 😬

[@BritHikesOntario]

Haha. Even better 😆

[@muses79]

Looking forward to another year of entertaining videos! Good luck with the new challenge: it's going to be challenging indeed... Greetings from the Netherlands😊

[@BritHikesOntario]

Hi, thanks for commenting. We are optimistic, but yes, challenging, and we will have to chase down some rarities and have a much better summer than 2023. We are excited 😁