A Big Manhattan Year Tales of Competitive Birding eBook David Barrett
Download As PDF : A Big Manhattan Year Tales of Competitive Birding eBook David Barrett 
What is it like to spend nearly every day for a year trying to observe as many bird species as possible within the confines of Manhattan? In 2012 I did just that—it’s called having a “big year”—and I was not the only one. In this book I tell how I learned to bird and how I went on to become a competitive birder. Then I give a detailed account of my 2012 battle with one of the nation’s best, ornithologist Andrew Farnsworth, and others, to have the biggest of big Manhattan years.
You may be surprised that each year over 200 species of birds reside in or migrate through Manhattan. Observing and accurately identifying them requires special skills. You need to know what they look like, what they sound like, and where and when they are likely to appear. Birding can be a leisurely walk in the park, or it can be something much more challenging. Manhattan is home to a number of talented and obsessive birders for whom birding is a test of brains, logistics, and physical stamina, requiring both an understanding of nature and a knack for technology.
Those new to birding will learn along with me as I begin by exploring one of the world’s premier birding locations, the Central Park Ramble. As my own knowledge and experience grow, I introduce the reader to a series of beautiful and rare birds to be found not only in Central Park, but in the many excellent but less well-known parks of Manhattan. Journey with me from the waters of New York Harbor, where Red-breasted Mergansers and Horned Grebes swim, to the top of Inwood Hill Park, where Black Vultures and Great Horned Owls fly.
A Big Manhattan Year Tales of Competitive Birding eBook David Barrett
While not everyone is a competitive or a Life List birder, they will still appreciate the commitment and enthusiasm David Barrett exudes as he takes the reader through his big year journey to find more birds in Manhattan than anyone else in this book. We are able to share David's challenge and discipline, and follow him as he "runs" in chase of every bird he learns is around and to find new ones not yet spotted. We also learn tidbits about some birds, bird behavior, and keys to finding and spotting birds. David pays gracious homage to birders who preceded him (he is only a two-year birder!) and helped him hone his birding skills - especially Starr Saphir. What we also see is someone who evolved during this competition, from a rather obsessive, lone birder to a member of the birding community, who appreciates the value of birding together and sharing information. 2012 was an especially good year for David and for observing warblers, but not necessarily for most of Central Park and New York City birders who may not have had the luck to be in the right place at the right time, persevered with a deliberate plan, networked via text-alert systems, or monitored key internet sites. Yet, the "regular birders" - including me - truly appreciate the very many, like David, who point out and identify birds for us so we have the opportunity to relish close looks, sharpen our skills, and then help others spot and recognize birds.Product details
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A Big Manhattan Year Tales of Competitive Birding eBook David Barrett Reviews
as a birder I thoroughly enjoyed this book. How nice to have so many birds available so close to ones home. I was happy to share this with fellow birders in my area.
This book is very helpful for finding good birding areas especially for someone who does not live in NYC and is also a very pleasurable read. I continue to use it as a source book and highly recommend it.
I loved this book and really enjoyed every word about the authors experiences birding in Central park and the New York Area. If you enjoyed 'The Big Year' you should enjoy this book.
This is a quick read and a very good introduction to the main players in the NYC birding scene. The book has detailed information on the various birding lists and top locations, so it's definitely worth the price for new birders to NYC. The author certainly came up to speed very quickly, he attempted this after his 2nd year birding, and I can only wonder at the patience of his girlfriend for putting up with this crazy plan. She must be a rare bird indeed.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Barrett's tale of Manhattan competitive birding in 2012. As an animal and nature enthusiast, but not a birder, I am often interested in others' perspectives and adventures with non-human friends. This book came highly recommended to me by a colleague and I was not disappointed. As other reviewers noted, Barrett is quite intense in his birding pursuits. This intensity was not only around the competitive aspect of who could "score" the greatest number of birds but also in his enthusiasm over his sightings and his pursuits in learning more about the birds and how and where to observe them. The book was that rare combination of being both highly informative as well as engaging, in good measure because of Barrett's passion for this undertaking and his skill as a writer. I found myself compelled to continue reading and always looked forward to getting back to the birding adventure when I had to put the book down. Novices and more experienced birders alike will enjoy and learn from this book. It, like many of the birds Barrett spotted, is a rare find and treat. Explore the birding world with a fabulous guide!
I've been an avid outdoorsman all my life and that's going on 73 years. I've always prided myself on my powers of observation and have always been a casual bird watcher. After reading David's book, I was excited to try my hand at serious birding. Well, once I really started looking for birds I found out that there's a difference between casual and concentrated observation. The book is a great read, David's excitement at each new bird found is contagious and his competition with some of NY's finest birders draws the reader right into the mix. If your thinking of trying birding this book is a great place to start.
For birders, A Big Manhattan Year captures the excitement of competitive birding in the technology era. Barrett literally runs all over town chasing birds, urged on by up to the minute text alerts, ebird reports, and the desire to be the "Top Birder". His story is particularly intriguing because 1) he used only public transport or his own two legs to get around, and 2) he had only started birding the year before. Added to this is an assortment of rare vagrants, strategy, a hurricane, and one star birder's poignant battle with cancer, making this an interesting read, even for one who has never birded Manhattan.
It should be mentioned that this appears to be a self-published book, with a number of minor errors (extra words, missing words, a Blue-eyed Vireo, etc.). The author could have probably cleaned this up with an extra read-through before printing. It would have also been nice to have a few pictures from his adventures or a graphic showing the locations frequently mentioned in the text. Sure, I could have found a map elsewhere, as the author suggested, but I would have rather had one somewhere in the book.
Some readers might be put off by some of the author's intensity. He is frustrated when birders do not promptly report rare birds, even to the point of being "furious". I also wondered if this competition might have been largely in his own mind. We really have no proof that Farnsworth or any of the other "competitors" were actually doing a big year or even cared about the ebird rankings. Nevertheless, Barrett treated the ebird "Top Birders" as a serious competition, and I'm glad he stayed true to his feelings in the book rather than downplay the intensity he obviously felt. If he ever stepped over the line in this regard, I thought he made up for it by the genuine respect he showed for other members of the birding community.
While not everyone is a competitive or a Life List birder, they will still appreciate the commitment and enthusiasm David Barrett exudes as he takes the reader through his big year journey to find more birds in Manhattan than anyone else in this book. We are able to share David's challenge and discipline, and follow him as he "runs" in chase of every bird he learns is around and to find new ones not yet spotted. We also learn tidbits about some birds, bird behavior, and keys to finding and spotting birds. David pays gracious homage to birders who preceded him (he is only a two-year birder!) and helped him hone his birding skills - especially Starr Saphir. What we also see is someone who evolved during this competition, from a rather obsessive, lone birder to a member of the birding community, who appreciates the value of birding together and sharing information. 2012 was an especially good year for David and for observing warblers, but not necessarily for most of Central Park and New York City birders who may not have had the luck to be in the right place at the right time, persevered with a deliberate plan, networked via text-alert systems, or monitored key internet sites. Yet, the "regular birders" - including me - truly appreciate the very many, like David, who point out and identify birds for us so we have the opportunity to relish close looks, sharpen our skills, and then help others spot and recognize birds.
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