Congrats are in order for Russ Cannings for his amazing feat of breaking the BC Big Year record, previously held by Mike Toochin.

366 birds and still counting with a couple of months to go

http://www.vancouversun.com/travel/Travelling+birder+bags+record+species+sighted+year/3636053/story.html

Was an honour to be part of one of his many pelagic trips earlier this year, i had a notion that he was going to do it, he's certainly got the pedigree for it.

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Paul Kusmin
http://www.flickr.com/photos/revs45
http://45revs.blogspot.com

Digital (photo) Life List:
283 birds B.C. / 427 birds N.A. / 706 birds World (including NA)

Awesome. Thanks for posting the article! I'm actually in the middle of reading The Big Year right now.

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"Japanese scientists from Keio University have found that pigeons have self-cognitive abilities higher than 3-year-old humans. " (link)

I'm guessing that most people, and even many birders, will fail to appreciate just how impressive Russ' totals really are. A big year in BC isn't quite the same as a big year in any US State, except maybe Alaska. This is a truly vast province, with some of the most remote country left on the planet. The commitment involved in acheiving these kinds of numbers is mind boggling. There is a very good reason why so few people have ever seriously tried a provincial big year here. Bravo Russ.