ABC held its annual celebration party on January 24, 2017, celebrating our uber-birders for 2016. Plus we had a neverending spread of goodies and much good cheer! Thanks to those who brought goodies!

Big Year group snacks before presentation (Laurel, Brian, Blair, Jerry, Ken, Mike, etc)

Those who told about their Big Years included guest star Blair Bernson from Edmonds (#2 in the state), our own Brian Pendleton who was NUMBER ONE in the state, Ed Pullen who was the only one of us to show up on the NATIONAL LIST (as well as high on the Pierce and Kitsap lists), Bruce LaBar (NUMBER ONE in PIERCE, #4 in the STATE), Mike Charest who blew the competition out of the water in 2014 for Pierce and helped start this ABC tradition before anyone knew who he was (but we sure know now!), Heather Voboril who once she realized her year was going to be big went REALLY BIG in Pierce (#2) and Kitsap (#4), Ken Brown who continued on his quest to own Kitsap County (#3) and break 200 in that county (203!), and John Riegsecker, the Mason County specialist who wants to do away with the concept that Mason County is a birding desert.

Brian, #1 in Washington, shows slides of his 2016 catches.

Heather Voboril managed to take photos of her Big Year birds!

After catching our breath from those reports on ambitious birding, we started to roll through everyone’s 5 best photos from 2016, but there were so many we ran out of time. Yes, we have THAT many great birders and great photographers!

Big Year presentations to ABC on January 24, 2017, with Brian Pendleton shown here.

Eric Dudley volunteered a little time from his presentation next Month (Feb 21, same time & place) to finish showing the 5 best photos that we didn’t get to, knowing what a hit they are with the group. Eric’s presentation will be on his trip to the Svalbard Archipelago. Dress warmly!! Read more: http://abcbirding.com/svalbard-archipelago-feb-21-2016/