<html><head></head><body><div class="yahoo-style-wrap" style="font-family:Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;font-size:13px;"><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">In late October I discovered that I had seen 918 species in the World in 2023 - thanks mostly to trips to Tanzania and Indonesia plus local birding in Washington (far less than usual). I had never seen 1000 species in any one year before - so of course I had to go for it. I could not take any long (even all day trips) for all of November so I decided to head to Jalisco Mexico (Puerto Vallarta) in December.</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">These two Blog Posts set the stage for the Mexican Trip and also cover some birding on a non-birding trip to Italy in October where there were of course at least a few birds <span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">to go with lots of wine, pasta and sights.</span></span> In Mexico I birded with Greg Homel of Natural Encounters Birding Tours - a phenomenal guide and really fun person that I can recommend with highest marks to everyone. T<span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">here will be blog posts to follow about that fantastic trip to Mexico.</span></span></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><a href="https://blairbirding.com/2023/12/25/before-the-project-italy-and-then/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" class="">https://blairbirding.com/2023/12/25/before-the-project-italy-and-then/</a><br></div><div><br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><a href="https://blairbirding.com/2023/12/27/a-new-project-and-quest-south-of-the-border-precursors-and-arrival/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" class="">https://blairbirding.com/2023/12/27/a-new-project-and-quest-south-of-the-border-precursors-and-arrival/</a><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div></div></body></html>