Birds and Travels of 2018

I reckon I will have a look back at last year. I will attempt to briefly put into perspective the journeys and the birds of 2018. It was the year that these migraines became a regular part of my life and the battles with depression and anxiety continued to wax and wane as they do. But I am still here and I am not giving up. And I saw eleven new birds. Sure, one big dollar trip to the islands would have netted me more than twice that amount of lifers in a couple of weeks, but travelling around Australia in Troopi is so much more rewarding. However, I will go to those islands one day!   

The map is only an approximation of the travels and only includes life birds. I also went up to SEQ in February, but I dipped on finding an Oriental Cuckoo. I was also dealing with bad depression during that time.

 

The year began with a two Troopy trip in January to Tassie with Robert. There three pelagic birds including the ultra mega-rarity, Juan Fernandez Petrel were added to my list. It was a weird and beautiful time. In the last part of it, I plummeted into some of the darkest depression I’ve ever had, but lived through it as one does. That which does not kill me can still make me pretty damn miserable. You may quote me.
     

I did no more major travelling until April when I met up with Robert again and joined in with the Victorian birders on the beginning of their big birding adventure. At Coober Pedy, with the help of younger ears, I was able to find and add Thick-billed Grasswren to my list. And then I made a decision to make a massive dash north to Katherine, NT. My old bogie-bird, Yellow-rumped Mannikin was being very cooperative there and it was only about two thousand kilometers. I am very glad I made the trip and it had some funny moments (those blogs are here).
           

       

Bogey no more... the Yellow-rumped Mannikin

Then came the wonderful May trip up to Birdsville and then down to Lake Gilles, SA with James and Robert. Thanks entirely to James’ hearing we were able to locate the Grey Grasswren, my 700th bird in Australia. We found them at Bernie O’keefe’s spot down the track. It has become the go-to location for these birds. Lifer High does not get much better than that. I love the Birdsville Track and that area out there. As with so many parts of this wonderful continent, I will return. 

Robert's photo of me on the road to Birdsville

I am not a "badge wearer" this lives on the inside of Troopi's  sun visor beside the 600 badge. 

In June, James and I headed out to the Nullarbor. I was in pursuit of one bird, the Naretha Bluebonnet. We finally found it and James got several other lifers out there as well. We also saw some of the most beautiful rainbows and landscapes I have ever seen. It is beautiful out there. Here are some photos of that beauty (and the parrots).
   

On the way back we called in at Rupanyup where I saw my second Letter-winged Kite in Victoria. It was a lifer for James and a thrill to see. Also, our pal Gary Gale showed up and watched it with us. That was a memorable day.

   

Then there were not a lot of travels until the big trip in September, the Thunderbird Princess Parrot Expedition. That trip will remain one of the highlights of not only my birding life, but of my life in general. I will always cherish that adventure. Of course I blogged about it and you can read it here. I will be working on another book, possibly to be called, “After the Year” and that trip will fill several chapters. It was more than a birding trip. Some of that journey was internal and very necessary. And I saw about 50 Princess Parrots in total over three of the days out there. More importantly, two new life-long friendships were forged with Glen and Bernie. We remain close and in regular contact to this day.

Spring came with more migraine adventures. Botox injections, which had at first seemed like a miracle were working less and less. Then there came the amazing opportunity to move into a two-bedroom house. And we did. I am writing this from my study that doubles as our guest room. It is the bird room and the map room. It is the me room. But 2018’s birding was not done yet. Just after Christmas James and I dashed over to Whyalla, SA and twitched the Citrine Wagtail. That was the eleventh and last lifer for me in 2018. The Tufted-duck was probably already at the WTP, but no one knew it yet.

   

Now I will have a look through my photos for which ones to use to accompany this blog entry. This morning I began the seventh day in a row of migraines. Gratefully, they are mostly not intense. As I write, a migraine visual is blotting out the word that I am writing (that has now passed). The back of my neck aches and spreads into the pressure in my head like a tightening band around my temples and pressing into my forehead. It seems that for now, this is my new normal. I head off to Tasmania this Thursday evening for weekend pelagic trips and will return next week. I will do whatever I need to do to function through the trip and I know that I will enjoy much of it. When I get back, I will get onto my neurologist and see what we can try next. What we’ve been doing is no longer working and this is not a sustainable way to live. I will keep y’all posted. 

This is my desk where I write 

I write therefore I am. I share therefore it’s real. I love because it is why we are here.