A Birding Challenge

Greetings!

I’ve published this post as a page, as well, but I wanted it in both places.

It’s quite silly that I’m nervous to publish this, but I wanted it out there as a way to truly commit to the challenge.

So here’s goes:

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I’m trying to see all of the birds listed in the song Birding by the Swet Shop Boys (if you haven’t heard it, I’d highly recommend giving it a listen).

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There. It’s out there.

I’ve been a fan of SSB for several years now, and I was in a shopping mall when I got a notification they’d released a new EP. I 100% seriously gave a little scream when I saw the word “Birding” as one of the titles.

I downloaded that EP so fast, iTunes didn’t know what hit it.

I’ve been working at this challenge for about a year now, but I’m ready to be held accountable for it.

Below is the complete list of birds I need to see (in order of the song).

So far, I have 25/43. Only 18 to go! I’ll update the official challenge page as I see new species.

1. Brown Pelican
2. Swallow-tailed Gull
3. Boat-tailed Grackle
4. Tricolored Heron
5. Blue Jay
6. Ring-necked Pheasant
7. White-rumped Sandpiper
8. Flame-colored Tanager
9. Blue-winged Teal
10. Green-winged Teal
11. Curve-billed Thrasher
12. Gray-cheeked Thrush
13. Plain-capped Starthroat
14. Redhead
15. Red-throated Loon
16. Yellow-billed Loon
17. Pacific Loon
18. Common Loon
19. Arctic Loon
20. Nightingale
21. Atlantic Puffin
22. Montezuma Quail
23. Virginia Rail
24. California Black Rail
25. Black-footed Albatross
26. Cassin’s Auklet
27. American Bittern
28. Brewer’s Blackbird
29. Mountain Bluebird
30. Brown Booby
31. Indigo Bunting
32. Bushtit
33. Canvasback
34. Northern Cardinal
35. Grey Catbird
36. Chickadee (chickadee)
37. American Coot
38. Cormorant
39. Cowbird
40. American Crow
41. Common Ground Dove
42. Eurasian Collard Dove
43. Dowitcher

Happy Birding! (and wish me luck)