Except for politics (which I never write about), 2017 was a great year. I walked 726 miles, bouncing back from my broken leg that caused 2016’s low 278 miles. I set two birding records: the most winter bird species seen on a single walk at 26 and the most summer bird species at 30. My most exciting bird experience was getting up close to a golden eagle (above) that had caught a squirrel (or someone’s chihuahua) in a backyard and took off when I got about 25 feet from it. The bird had a 7-foot wingspread! Other interesting sightings:
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- This is the bird that set the record of 30 species in one 4-mile walk, a lesser nighthawk.
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- This is a blue morph snow goose. Normally the bird is solid white.
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- This ring-billed gull was flying north over the Rio Grande.
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- This Lewis’s woodpecker, named after the famous explorer who went west with Clark, is the first one I’ve ever seen.
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- Uncommon in the South Valley, this is a spotted towhee.
As far as books are concerned, here are my favorites from 2017:
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- Best True Crime Book
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- Best Travel Book
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- Best Hot & Spicy Book
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- Best Crime Fiction
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- Best Bird Book (Tie)
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- Best Bird Book (Tie)
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- Best History Book
