A big year target list is kind of like a fancy dinner party shopping list. It’s specific and special, no substitutions allowed, and the checking off of each item – in this case, birds – is a very satisfying experience. A big year target list, however, even in a small town, features hundreds of birds, and hunting them down is no easy feat. Still, it’s fun and challenging. I might not cross all 266 items on my target list during my big year. And that’s okay. The experience has already been immensely satisfying. And I only expect that to continue.

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Here’s my list.