The idea was to count and observe birds rather than eat them or hunt them for identification. Here is the Bird Calls radio archive of Saturday, Oct 29, with guest Al Levantin, one of the three original birders about which "The Big Year" book was written. Mary Harris, RFAs chair, took me under her wing, and I found my flock of wonderful birders and birds. Their competitive quests are documented in the 2004 non-fiction . Recently Lynn Barber of Texas did a big year and I believe she saw 723 species even though she spent a very considerable period in and around Alaska. These were three guys, middle-aged and older. Rashida Jones played stump-the-chump on birdcalls with Jack Black by whistling her own imitation of a painted bunting. } A beginner birders perspective and tips on attending your first Christmas Bird Count. When I started working on my book The Big Year, I often had to assure people that this quirky tale of competitive birdwatching was really true. The Audubon Society's Christmas Bird Count started in the 1900s and has been going on for more than 120 years. Pledge to stand with Audubon to call on elected officials to listen to science and work towards climate solutions. What Levantin thought was: 'I have been out lately. One birder on the scene was local student George Waaler. They could not have been nicer to us, he said about the film crew, which included director David Frankel. He begins with the current record holder, Sandy Komito, a retired industrial contractor from New Jersey who loves birds, winning and getting people's goat. Aspen Glen resident Sibel Tekce welcomed the birders to her home along the Roaring Fork River. National Audubon Society We also delighted in seeing 20 Snow Geese fly over downtown Carbondale and 35 Pinyon Jays at a local feeder. The nest has moved a little ways upriver now, but Tekce said the eagles still come here to fish. Levantin, who owns an apartment in New York City as well as a house in Colorado, will discuss his Big Year, the movie, where he likes to birdwatch, and a variety of other topics. Photo: Joanie Christian/Audubon Photography Awards, Colorados Proposed Stream Restoration LegislationPart 1, The Role of Water and Fire in Ecological Forest Management, Experimenting Today to Save Tomorrows Soils, Colorado Field Ornithologists Pinyon Jay Community Science Project, No, Youre Not Too Inexperienced to Join the Christmas Bird Count, Meet Sage, Pagosa Springs Emerging Bird Mentor. Can you see him? Bokram said in a hushed tone. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 2011-2023 BirdCallsRadio & Podcast | All Rights Reserved. I'm recording everything, so I repeat everything just to confirm.. I go to places most people havent heard of, Levantin said this week with a hearty laugh. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Others started a Big Year in some big birding hot spot; Levantin insisted on being with his wife for New Year's. Others hired guides to ease the discovery of rare birds; Levantin wanted to find everything himself. Unless otherwise noted all images are copyrighted by the author of the post and they retain all rights to their images. SNOWMASS VILLAGE Its been more than a decade since local Al Levantin embarked upon the amazing bird watching journey that became fodder for the non-fiction book The Big Year by Mark Obmascik. And Filby, from England, set up a large telescope to get a better view of a belted-kingfisher perched on the opposite bank. Hes been hired on as a bird consultant for the movie. . What is your favorite bird sighting and what is the story behind it? He has wanted to bird for many years. Their competitive quests are documented in the 2004 non-fiction book, The Big Year, by Pulitzer Prize winning author Mark Obmascik. Learn how your comment data is processed. Its the least you can do. The fellow who saw the most at that time saw 742.. Ethel Levantin All Rights Reserved. And not only did he do a big year but it turns out that he did a big year at the same time as two other birders, and it turned out to be the biggest big year in North American Big Year history. Face to face at last, they come clean on their totals, and the story turns again. There was a mockingbird in Arizona last year that I didnt chase. Al Levantin, retired executive and Aspen resident, is unknown in the world of competitive birding, but he has the cash and has done the homework to catch Komito. 1) his family had a game of "name the bird" and he once said "jackdaw" (found it in a dictionary) Two other birders, Sandy Komito and Al Levantin, were also doing Big Years in 1998. C: Now that a film is being made of the book have the requests for your time started to heat up? It is amazing that I have lived this long and not stopped and really paid attention to what was around me, Wender said. All words, images, and opinions are the property of their respective authors unless stated otherwise. B.C.s Okanagan Valley, in the rain shadow of the Cariboo Mountains, makes for a fairly convincing desert Southwest. They would just kill anything they saw pretty much. Al Levantin, one of the birders about whom the movie and book The Big Year is based, will be the next guest on Bird Calls Radio. It is a lifelong thing, and hopefully I live long enough to be able to name some birds, she said, laughing. ". The year Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire were battling each other for the baseball single-season . I hope they do a good job with the movie, it should be fun to watch how the chase played out. . Every year around Christmas time, local residents join tens of thousands of people across the Western Hemisphere to record all the birds they see or hear within a 15-mile radius. There is even a movie about Sandy Komito, Greg Miller, and Al Levantin's very interesting Big Years. In its 50 . Visit your local Audubon center, join a chapter, or help save birds with your state program. I tried for it in Vermont and New Hampshire without success. We offer bird walks, seabird & whale watch trips, workshops, social events, and evening presentations. Worldwide release date was October 14, 2011. I got a call saying Hollywood producers, including Ben Stiller, wanted to make this story into a movie. Skip to primary content. Another guy grew so broke from chasing so many birds that he maxed out five credit cards and lived for four days in the Dakotas on nothing more than a jar of Jif peanut butter and a bag of Mr. Salty Pretzels. mso-footer: none; But why did I want to see (and meet) Al Levantin? Did the cast and crew appreciate the high-end optics? Christmas Bird Counts have been going on since 1900, when ornithologist and early Audubon friend Frank Chapman helped organize a non-lethal counterpart to popular brutal "side hunt" competitions of the day. That meant a Big Year on his own terms. If its Owen Wilson Ill still be happy. They've merely taken the science, the avocation, the passion -- whatever -- of birding to a whole new level. And then The Big Year turned even wilder. What Miller lacks in money and experience -- he's nearly broke, out of shape and a generation younger than the top guns -- he makes up for in desperation. Enter contestant No. Bokram and a small group of women have been assigned by ACES to count as many birds as they can in the Snowmass Village and Woody Creek areas. C: Is there anything else you want to add? Dr. William Rydell, Attu Island in 1991 - one of the first birders to do a big year breaking 700 species. Neither man is aware of the existence of contestant No. Aspen Public Radio. When my husband and I were hiking on Mt. Al: The only notable change in my life was that people started asking me Are you the guy in the book when I told them I was from Colorado. On my return to the base I called her to advise that I was with a very slinky female with beautiful eyes that was truly athletic. That may all change with next years release of a movie that promises to spotlight some of these distant bird havens in Alaska, Arizona, Texas and even northern Minnesota. The fellow who saw the most at that time saw 742. At one point a boat operator whom the wiseacre Komito has famously alienated takes Miller to sea just to help him win. Colorado lawmakers reject service workers scheduling bill, Longmonts latest flood insurance rate maps continue to face delays, IN THE BLUE: Aurora commission says rehiring controversial canine officer justified, Boulder County Roller derby is an opportunity to play a sport and connect with a community, The Latino Chamber of Commerce welcomes a new board of directors, Longmont Symphony Orchestra: Something for everyone, Birders Ted Robertson, from left, Dick Filby and Al Levantin counted 98 Canada geese in the Roaring Fork River near Aspen Glen on Dec. 18. In 1998, Greg zig-zagged 130,000 miles across the USA hoping to reach at least 700 species of birds in one calendar year. . Obmascik, a Denver journalist, cunningly keeps the winner and his final tally secret until the end of this sprightly account, which he narrates with an omniscient, wry and sympathetic voice. These three competitive . Ebbe Banstorp (my travel buddy for nearly 30 years of chasing) of California and Sandy Komito of New . Anything else that you would like to humbly brag about? He also remains in touch with author Obmasick, who was part of a Pulitzer Prize-winning team (for the Columbine shooting coverage) at The Denver Post. Al Levantin, and Greg Miller (Wilson's, Martin's, and Black's characters . Two other birders, Sandy Komito and Al Levantin also did Big Years the same year and also broke the 700-mark. Privacy Policy Was the book accurate in the descriptions of your personal relationships and your financial state? Local help is also desirable to maximize your time. His birding exploits look a bit like the XGames as he cycles, hikes and packs into difficult viewing venues across the continent with an ease and grace belying his retired status. The temperature was only 2 degrees, and the sun was just hitting the top of Mt. She has been doing the Christmas Bird Count in the valley for about 13 years now. The nest has moved a little ways upriver now, but Tekce said the eagles still come here to fish. At first, I started comparing the book to the movie. Al talks about his Big Year, birding in general, birding in Central Park, his encounter with a mountain lion and how many birds he logged in Connecticut during his Big Year (Nutmeggers may not like the answer.) Levantin remains an avid birder, searching trees and hollows, landfills and even somewhere so mundane as a feeder, both here and in far-flung . Many birders know Mr. Levantin from the book The Big Year, in which his quest to see a record number of species in North America was chronicled. The day was far from over for these intrepid birders, but they headed back to compare notes with the rest of the group over lunch at the Village Smithy. Among Obmascik's many literary gifts resides a knack for presenting the essence of a bird in a single phrase. It looks like a great cast has been chosen to play the birders in the book. I said, so, will I get on your shoulders and wave my arms? He indicated he planned to hold me out in front of him. Pruddens friend Ann Larson peered through her binoculars just a few feet away and smiled at the memory. It didnt take them long to spot their first birds. Al: corporate chief executive. Learn how her father, grandparents, and the Christmas Bird Count sparked a family tradition and a passion for birds. I do believe the film will convey the excitement of the chase, as well as the natural beauty of birds and the landscape they live in. Hood the other day, we saw fresh lion tracks in the snow. I saw 711. Al Levantin has retired extremely rich after serving on the board of a chemicals company. I see gadwells and buffleheads and, if Im on a really hot streak, a single old squaw.. It has a brown head with little white dots on it, and it has a white breast and belly with black streaks, he said. It has a brown head with little white dots on it, and it has a white breast and belly with black streaks, he said. Bird Galveston's East End with one of the world's most famous birders! East Island Birding with Greg Miller. (By the way, have you recovered from the debts racked up during your big year?). Farther down the river, the trio counted two green-winged teals floating along with several mallard ducks and an elusive American dipper bobbing in and out of the frigid water. They spent 270 days away from home, traveled 270,000 miles, and lived for weeks on a desolate Alaskan island, closer to Russia than Anchorage, to wait for the strongest El Nio on record to blow Asiatic birds into North American airspace just to count them. mso-header: none; Are you involved with any local or national birding organizations? Levantin has . Benton Basham - 710 (1983) 27. Can you see him? Bokram said in a hushed tone. Our email newsletter shares the latest programs and initiatives. That meant a Big Year on his own terms. 2. Corey: Has being one of the three birders in, C: A bird that is near and ear to my heart as someone who grew up in the Catskill Mountains is the, C: Thanks for the interview, Al. Eventually, they persuaded the Garfield County Commissioners to keep the area protected, but the company can still reapply later. I wish I got better photos. Mark I communicate with some regularity. Since 1993, Wildside has offered birding tours and photo workshops that adhere to strong ethical standards. Now these are very common birds, but there are 98 Canada geese there, Levantin said. When bird watchers get cutthroat. Your support helps secure a future for birds at risk. I assume you did see one during your big year, but where did you see it? Second birder is Al Leventin, a very wealthy man who lives in a mansion in the Colorado Mountains. It wasn't just birds you know, deer, probably foxes., This holiday tradition was known as the Christmas Side Hunt, and whoever brought in the biggest bounty won, but on Christmas Day in 1900, a well-known ornithologist proposed a new holiday tradition: a "Christmas Bird Census.". Be sure to browse our extensive galleries, species accounts, and book and product reviews. A small group of birders piled into his car at the Third Street Center. We protect birds and the places they need. We can call it 6 degrees of The Big Year. Eleanor is an award-winning journalist and Morning Edition anchor. It's like, Oh, she's been waiting there a long time, maybe I better check this out.. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. This is where the sheer size of the movie business sank in for me. He does not remember getting his first pair of binoculars or his first birding trip with his dad. They would just kill anything they saw pretty much. Based on Al and Gregs visit to Hollilynn Drive in Boise for Gray Partridge, I had to run out there and see the location for myself. I had broken my arm this spring and Ann came and picked me up and drove me to her apartment and sat me by the window to watch all the birds, Prudden said. Say goodbye to checking tape-recorded rare bird alerts from phone booths. SNOWMASS VILLAGE - It's been more than a decade since local Al Levantin embarked upon the amazing bird watching journey that became fodder for the non-fiction book "The Big Year" by Mark Obmascik. For Roaring Fork Audubon organizer Mark Fuller, it was another great day of birding in the books. The day started at 7:30 am with pastries and caffeine at Marys condo in downtown Carbondale. Which three books from your personal birding library would you recommend to other birders? Ive birded with a woman who was at Attu with Sandy Komito, and now I can say Ive birded with a guy who interviewed Al Levantin. Hes gone around the back. Met him in person for the first time this year and he is the most down to earth, kind, excitable fella. How old was Levantin. Contingency plans ahead of time just save time during the course of the year. The author writes about what its like to have his book made into a major motion picture featuring some of Hollywoods biggest stars. Will birding ever be the same? Book Jacket from "The Big Year" by Mark Obmascik (Free Press) to be used with book review only. They had rusty old corrugated siding and National Geographics from the 1980s (the movie also has Owen Wilson on mock covers of Audubon) and reams of aquarium tubing running up and down ceilings and walls to duplicate the steady drips that, in real life, plopped from leaky roofs onto creaking cot springs. Al Levantin, a chemist and retired Fortune 500 executive from Aspen with "40 . Levantin would never say this, but according to his fellow birders, hes kind of a big deal. It was started in England, and all the royalty would go out on a huge hunt, Larson said. That little snippet of arm you can see on Greg's right shoulderthat piece of arm belongs to Jack Black. I feel fairly confident that we wont hear the cries of red-tailed hawks coming from the beaks of robins, and we wont see any albatrosses cruising Kansas reservoirs. Seeing the many species of ducks in the Roaring Fork River, especially the Common and Barrows Goldeneyes, ignited a spark in me to learn more about birds. So, up in the tree up there, there's a red-tailed hawk and there's a raven flying past it, said Dick Filby, a local birder who leads winter bird outings in the Snowmass Ski Area. 241 Emerald Drive Learn more about our site, Mike, Corey, or our awesome team of Beat Writers. Its certainly not a documentary. Images and content protected and monitored. In the birding community, it's called the North American Big Year. In 1953, more than a century later, Roger Tory Peterson repeated this trek with binoculars and recorded his travels in the book "Wild America." Levantin and his wife, Ethel, recently visited the film production set in Vancouver and enjoyed watching the action from the seat of Steve Martins directors chairs. Al Levantin, Birding in Tanzania and one of the three original birders in the book The Big Year. In part, there were the physical conditions produced by an El Nino season. Greg had the fortunate opportunity to be the Bird Consultant for the movie, The Big year, which was filmed in spring & summer of 2010. Popularized in North America, big years are commonly carried out within a single U.S. state or Canadian province, or within larger areas such as the Lower 48 contiguous . Contact Lance at 970-618-9335 lburwell@ alpineproperty.com, Amazing opportunity to work PT in a relaxed, professional work environment, with a flexible schedule. Sandy Komito, Al Levantin, and Greg Miller had the time of their lives racing to break the North American birding record, and I had the time of my life recounting their tale. Registration and Cancellation It is amazing that I have lived this long and not stopped and really paid attention to what was around me, Wender said. Anjelica Huston, Dianne Wiest, JoBeth Williams, and Brian Dennehy play supporting roles. Near year's end, all three players wind up on a boat tour off Cape Hatteras. To see one in the wild was amazing. . There are literally hundreds of people in this valley whose introduction to the natural world was through Dave Clark, Fuller said. Yikes! This was his second Christmas Bird Count, and he was hoping to see a northern pygmy-owl this year. We had experienced birders and we had some new birders, which is always fun. Miller was the first to attempt a Big Year while holding down a full-time job. He was on the set for 3 weeks with many of the actors and crew and got to meet the stars! It was a beautiful day. C: In The Big Year, Mark Obmascik really plays up the rivalry between you and Sandy Komito. And, oh, the birds. Contrary to the movie The Big Year it was Gregs father that got him into birding at that early age. Learn more about the Christmas Bird Count and how to participate. Their goal: spotting the most species of birds in a single year.. Many years later, I did what is called a big year, where you spend the whole year looking to find as many species as possible. Greg Miller, one of the men I wrote about, was hired as a consultant for the film, and he taught the main actors how to act like real birders and not some cartoonish pith-helmeted Miss Jane Hathaway from The Beverly Hillbillies. What is your relationship today with Mark Obmascik, Sandy Komito, and Al Levantin? The group spotted 42 species for the Christmas Bird Count in a single day. Now, the data collected every year is used to study the health of bird populations. Any good backyard birding stories or amazing backyard bird sightings you can share? You start at 70 and it's hard!. Birding helped Wender slow down, much as it did with Bokram. Others started a Big Year in some big birding hot spot; Levantin insisted on being with his wife for New Year's. Others hired guides to ease the discovery of rare birds; Levantin wanted to find everything himself. This leaning tree is their favorite tree because right underneath the hunting is the best.. The ensemble cast includes Rashida Jones from The Office, Jim Parsons from The Big Bang Theory, and Anthony Anderson from Law & Order. In the books forward, Obmascik writes: Today I stroll in the park and I no longer see plain birds. $35+/hr. Client Information Form. What is it about a tiny creature that makes a grown mans mouth gape? Obmasick asked rhetorically. A: 1998 was a fun year and I always tell people to chase your dreams, which I waited 40 years to do. Photo: Howard Arndt/Audubon Photography Awards, Great Egret. According to Fuller, this years downvalley count was a success. In North America, where this competition takes place, a relentless birder can theoretically see 675 species, not counting "vagrants" and "accidentals" -- those hapless strangers blown in by storms or flummoxed by a short-circuit in their navigation systems. For now, Tekce continues to enjoy the company of the resident eagles. The story about my overstating my count is accurate. To this day people ask me to autograph their books. The group spotted 42 species for the Christmas Bird Count in a single day. Bookmarks are saved to your account and can be accessed from any device. Because hes been renamed in the film (which also will be set in present-day, rather than the late 1990s), its unlikely that the films release will impact his routine, either. I got a pretty good photo of a Chukar there and stopped in to visit the World Center for Birds of Prey which is right there. The actual men were Sandy Komito, Al Levantin, and Greg Miller, who were chasing Komito's prior record. Mailing Address: As enjoyably chronicled by Obmascik, all three went to punishing lengths to tally the highest number of bird species encountered for the year. The first Bicknells I ever saw was in Central Park and I saw another subsequently in the park. I mean, you never quite know until you get the data, but we had a good group of people, he said. A "Big Year" is a birding term meaning that a birder is going to try to see as many bird species as possible in a given year. Membership benefits include one year of Audubon magazineand the latest on birds and their habitats. These birdmen have much in common: ambitious, self- made winners from the Depression-era Bronx who probably birded together as children, having been rescued from the stultification of poverty by the Boy Scouts and their nature-focused field trips. 1998 wasn't just any Big Year. The Aspen Center for Environmental Studies (ACES) and the Roaring Fork Audubon Society held their counts Dec. 18 and 19. Birders Ted Robertson, from left, Dick Filby and Al Levantin counted 98 Canada geese in the Roaring Fork River near Aspen Glen on Dec. 18. After all, its hard to imagine three otherwise sane men choosing to do one thingand one thing onlyfor an entire year. PublishedDecember 29, 2021 at 5:50 PM MST. The Aspen Center for Environmental Studies ( ACES ), is a great resource for tours and info on finding juncos, sharp-shinned hawks, and other Aspen fliers. Since its founding, The Town of Carbondale is accepting applications for our Parks Department temporary/seasonal positions. Sign up for Audubon emails on how you can help and enjoy birds in Colorado, Wyoming, and Utah. There are lots of birds to see here, but Tekces favorite are the bald eagles, which used to nest right in front of her house. There's a sort of David and Goliath bend to the story that's . Bokram was able to identify the woodpecker as male because of the small red tuft near the crown of his head.