Thoughts about…

Tahoe Big Year Update

I apologize for not having more to offer this month, but I’ve been obsessed with birding. Not surprising, of course! I had a hot streak during the first half of May, logging between 35 and 40 species, but my numbers dropped off precipitously soon thereafter. So I’ve been trying to recapture that feeling ever since.

It’s been exhausting because I haven’t hardly seen any new birds for over a month. I think I’ve had one to three at most. We’re midway through June already, so it’s interesting how slow it’s become. I checked my records from 2021 and determined that in June of 2021, which was the last birding big year, I only logged between six and seven new species. At this point, however, I’ve already found approximately half of those birds. A couple of them from 2021 were pretty random that I hope to eventually find. But June was a quiet month back then, and that’s proving to be the case this year.

View from Cove East on May 5, 2024. © Jared Manninen

Last week, there was a rare sighting of a bird called a Veery, which doesn’t have many records in California. I spent three days looking for it. I heard it plenty, but never saw it. And for the Tahoe Big Year, you have to actually see the species. So I was skunked on that one.

Now I’m in the process of trying to find a Swainson’s Thrush, which is another uncommon bird that doesn’t tend to stick around. This one’s not nearly as rare as the Veery, but it’s definitely not one that most people will ever see. In fact, I’ve never actually seen one myself. Today was day three of looking for it. I went before work, and then I’ll go again after work because I do need that bird. Last night, my friend, who was on scene about 20 minutes before me, did actually see it. But we lost it in the trees and the sun was going down, so it was impossible to find despite it singing a lot. This morning wasn’t much better in spite of the fact that it was singing and I thought I saw it fly away. But I can’t be 100% certain that it was the actual bird so I won’t claim it.

Upper Truckee Marsh on May 8, 2024. © Jared Manninen

Yeah, it all can just be very frustrating and demoralizing. That’s because you put in the time, you hear it, you get within 20 meters of it, but you can’t see it because it could be on the ground, it could be high up in the tree, it could be midway on the tree. And there’s a lot of foliage now because we’re in full spring mode, getting into summer. All the leaves on the trees makes it’s really hard to find things. Also, when birds angle their heads away from you, they sounds like they’re in the distance. When they turn to the left or the right, it just sounds, all that calling and vocalization that they do, just sounds like they’re throwing their voices. And then you hear it echoing off of trees and rocks. There’s a lot of different factors that conspire to prevent you from actually seeing the bird even though you might be able to hear it well.

Martis Creek Lake area on May 14, 2024. © Jared Manninen

I will say, though, that at the beginning of May I realized that I do my best work alone. Even though I didn’t get the Swainson’s this morning by myself, I tend to do my best work alone. I think that’s because I can keep my mouth closed and eyes and ears open and I don’t have to stick with a group or to transmit my thoughts to them. I can just respond. I can just react to what I’m experiencing out there. And this was reinforced when I was recently participating in a group birding outing.

The Tahoe Institute for Natural Science hosts a monthly walk during Tahoe Big Years, which are fun. But we’ll have about 15 people and a guide, and we’re all sticking to the trail so as to have as little impact on the environment as possible. With that many people, there tends to be a lot of side conversations, a lot of casual conversations. It’s just a more casual experience. As much as I enjoy hanging with friends, I do feel a bit stifled in those experiences because I usually want to go into pursuit mode whenever something catches my interest. And I don’t want to wait around for people or have to explain myself. So on those group outings, I dial back my expectations because I’m not going to be able to move freely about as I would if I were just with one other person or by myself, for example.

Upper Truckee River on May 16, 2024. © Jared Manninen

That’s something that I’ve learned about myself when learning anything, really, is I just I need 100% focus. And being with other people in those experiences can be distracting unless we’re on the same page. This is something that I talk about when going out on group outings, such as with cross-country skiing, hiking, or backpacking. You have to have a clear set of expectations so that nobody’s feeling like they’re not being a part of the group or they’re being sidelined because so and so is going off and doing their own thing.

With one friend that I’ve been birding with this year, we have a good understanding about this process. We’re going to pursue. We’re going to look. We both are solo guys to begin with, so it works out that when we bird together, there’s an unspoken language between us. We don’t have to explain ourselves to each other a whole lot. We get it. And it’s very rewarding in that respect. So, in that case, I appreciate being in a “group environment.”

Upper Angora Lake on May 23, 2024. © Jared Manninen

Ultimately, though, I like operating alone when I’m learning something new or pursuing some type of passion. That’s because I don’t have to transmit every thought that I have because somebody’s confused about what I’m doing, or whatever. I know a lot of people are social and they want to do things in a group, but I really encourage people to embrace being by yourself for at least part of your time out in nature, learning something, studying something. There are many endeavors that seem like you could have a conversation with somebody while doing this or that, like painting a picture, taking a photograph, birding. But you really can’t if you want to do the thing right. If you want to be immersed in that experience, you have to be on your own. You have to do it yourself.

I’m not saying to be a loner and do everything by yourself (like me!). But if you want to dive in, that alone time has to be incorporated into your process because it’s imperative for you to have time by yourself, to work things out for yourself. Figuring stuff out on your own is super rewarding.

While birding with that friend of mine this season, we’ve had some great discoveries. But then there’s also been those experiences where he’ll find it, like he did last night, and then try to help me find it. But for some reason there’s just this thing where it becomes impossible for me to reacquire the species. Or, he finds the bird and points it out to me and I don’t feel quite as satisfied as if I found it myself. Honestly, that latter example is the case no matter who I’m with. It’s just one of those things that I struggle with because it’s nice to have the help but, in the end, I want to do it myself. Or, after getting some instruction, learn to properly perform the given technique, for example.

Anyway, I have to get to work so I’m going to close for now. After work, I’ll search for the Swainson’s Thrush again. If I do end up finding it, I’ll let you know. Take care, everyone!

p.s. I did find that Swainson’s Thrush at 6:45pm that same day after work. Yay! Species #179 for the Year.

Birding along Cathedral Road on May 29, 2024. © Jared Manninen

The current Tahoe Big Year standings are different than the screenshot below. So visit the official TBY website to see the current top 5 contenders.

This video is essentially just an update with various footage from the end of May. What can I say? Birding has completely taken over my life and I don’t get much else done 🙂

Thanks for being a part of my life. Until next time…

-Jared Manninen

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