2018 Goals, FOS American Woodcocks + B250X

Just a short posting today. I had some noteworthy sightings (hearings?) lately that include a first of year American Woodcock peenting and timberdoodling in my back field. I guess they were seen a month ago in various Ontario hotspots- so I guess I'm not breaking any early sightings records with this observation.  I also heard my first Song Sparrow songs yesterday on March 17th.  I could swear I heard a mimid yesterday (Brown Thrasher or Northern Mockingbird?) but I couldn't locate it!

Some of my goals this year are to travel more during the summer. I want to make some ambitious travel plans this summer that might give me a sighting of a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher or perhaps some new southern butterfly species. Below is a list of places that I would like to go but of course, I will not be able to go see them all.

Some places I would like to go are:

• Thunder Bay area
• New Brunswick again (with my own car this time)
• Gulf States, Texas / Southwestern US
• Tobermory (orchids)
• Ottawa/Gatineau Area
• Walpole Island (Prairie tour?)

I want to incorporate my biking into my naturalist appreciation efforts. I would like to bike to Point Pelee from Windsor using the Chrysler Greenway (an abandoned railway corridor that has been converted to a county wide biking/hiking pathway). 

One final challenge that I want to do is something that I affectionately call: "B250X" ! I want to make an effort to identify and photograph 250 species of plants this year. I would love to somehow involve more people into this challenge in an effort to raise awareness of Botany and biodiversity.  I wonder if there is a way to use iNaturalist.ca in such an effort. 

Anyway, it seems to be an exciting time of year for birders. Spring is just around the corner!

Good birding!

Dwayne