Congratulations to Shori Velles, who reached her 300th bird of the year in Connecticut today with the Red-necked Phalarope. Perseverance and patience pays off. I think this September achievement may be the earliest record of reaching 300 for the year. Bird on! Sara Zagorski West Hartford Sent from my iPhone

The tenacity, sacrifice, and time commitment needed to do this cannot be underestimated. The early date for attainment of 300 (September 18) really is amazing, as are all the beautiful photos Shori obtained to document this accomplishment. Well done Shori! Steve Mayo Guilford On Thu, Sep 18, 2025 at 10:17 AM Sara Zagorski via CTBirds < ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org> wrote: > Congratulations to Shori Velles, who reached her 300th bird of the year in > Connecticut today with the Red-necked Phalarope. Perseverance and patience > pays off. I think this September achievement may be the earliest record of > reaching 300 for the year. > > Bird on! > > Sara Zagorski > West Hartford > > Sent from my iPhone > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via email, send an email with just "join" or > "leave" in the subject or body to: ctbirds-request@lists.ctbirding.org > > CTBirds, a service of Connecticut Ornithological Association - Bringing > birders together statewide. Please support COA: > https://www.ctbirding.org/join-us/ > > CTBirds is for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut. For > list rules and subscription information visit: > https://www.ctbirding.org/birds-birding/ct-birds-email-list/ >

❤️So proud of your accomplishment Shori! Getting your 300 goal so early in the year is absolutely amazing! You truly rocked it and it was such a joy to be a part of your journey. It certainly was an adventure and you were so dedicated! Keep on birding! Mary Walsh Ridgefield, CT > On Sep 18, 2025, at 10:53 AM, Steve Mayo via CTBirds <ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org> wrote: > > The tenacity, sacrifice, and time commitment needed to do this cannot be > underestimated. The early date for attainment of 300 (September 18) really > is amazing, as are all the beautiful photos Shori obtained to document this > accomplishment. Well done Shori! > > Steve Mayo > Guilford > >> On Thu, Sep 18, 2025 at 10:17 AM Sara Zagorski via CTBirds < >> ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org> wrote: >> >> Congratulations to Shori Velles, who reached her 300th bird of the year in >> Connecticut today with the Red-necked Phalarope. Perseverance and patience >> pays off. I think this September achievement may be the earliest record of >> reaching 300 for the year. >> >> Bird on! >> >> Sara Zagorski >> West Hartford >> >> Sent from my iPhone >> >> To subscribe or unsubscribe via email, send an email with just "join" or >> "leave" in the subject or body to: ctbirds-request@lists.ctbirding.org >> >> CTBirds, a service of Connecticut Ornithological Association - Bringing >> birders together statewide. Please support COA: >> https://www.ctbirding.org/join-us/ >> >> CTBirds is for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut. For >> list rules and subscription information visit: >> https://www.ctbirding.org/birds-birding/ct-birds-email-list/ >> > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via email, send an email with just "join" or "leave" in the subject or body to: ctbirds-request@lists.ctbirding.org > > CTBirds, a service of Connecticut Ornithological Association - Bringing birders together statewide. Please support COA: https://www.ctbirding.org/join-us/ > > CTBirds is for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut. For list rules and subscription information visit: https://www.ctbirding.org/birds-birding/ct-birds-email-list/

I just want to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude to everyone for the kind words, encouragement, and support you've shown as I achieved my "big year". What started as a personal challenge quickly became something so much more meaningful—thanks in no small part to this incredible community. Your messages, shared sightings, location tips, and even the quiet cheers from afar have meant the world to me. Forever grateful, Shori Velles Franklin On Thu, Sep 18, 2025 at 11:39 AM Mary Walsh via CTBirds < ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org> wrote: > ❤️So proud of your accomplishment Shori! Getting your 300 goal so early in > the year is absolutely amazing! You truly rocked it and it was such a joy > to be a part of your journey. It certainly was an adventure and you were so > dedicated! Keep on birding! > Mary Walsh > Ridgefield, CT > > > On Sep 18, 2025, at 10:53 AM, Steve Mayo via CTBirds < > ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org> wrote: > > > > The tenacity, sacrifice, and time commitment needed to do this cannot be > > underestimated. The early date for attainment of 300 (September 18) > really > > is amazing, as are all the beautiful photos Shori obtained to document > this > > accomplishment. Well done Shori! > > > > Steve Mayo > > Guilford > > > >> On Thu, Sep 18, 2025 at 10:17 AM Sara Zagorski via CTBirds < > >> ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org> wrote: > >> > >> Congratulations to Shori Velles, who reached her 300th bird of the year > in > >> Connecticut today with the Red-necked Phalarope. Perseverance and > patience > >> pays off. I think this September achievement may be the earliest record > of > >> reaching 300 for the year. > >> > >> Bird on! > >> > >> Sara Zagorski > >> West Hartford > >> > >> Sent from my iPhone > >> > >> To subscribe or unsubscribe via email, send an email with just "join" or > >> "leave" in the subject or body to: ctbirds-request@lists.ctbirding.org > >> > >> CTBirds, a service of Connecticut Ornithological Association - Bringing > >> birders together statewide. Please support COA: > >> https://www.ctbirding.org/join-us/ > >> > >> CTBirds is for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut. For > >> list rules and subscription information visit: > >> https://www.ctbirding.org/birds-birding/ct-birds-email-list/ > >> > > > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via email, send an email with just "join" or > "leave" in the subject or body to: ctbirds-request@lists.ctbirding.org > > > > CTBirds, a service of Connecticut Ornithological Association - Bringing > birders together statewide. Please support COA: > https://www.ctbirding.org/join-us/ > > > > CTBirds is for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut. For > list rules and subscription information visit: > https://www.ctbirding.org/birds-birding/ct-birds-email-list/ > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via email, send an email with just "join" or > "leave" in the subject or body to: ctbirds-request@lists.ctbirding.org > > CTBirds, a service of Connecticut Ornithological Association - Bringing > birders together statewide. Please support COA: > https://www.ctbirding.org/join-us/ > > CTBirds is for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut. For > list rules and subscription information visit: > https://www.ctbirding.org/birds-birding/ct-birds-email-list/