Listing

[semillama]

I was wondering if folks here get into listing? not just keeping a life list, but keeping a list for your state, a list of what you've seen in a particular year, etc.

Besides my life list, I keep one for Ohio (where I currently reside) and started a year list for the first time. I find that the year list makes seeing somewhat common birds more exciting, somehow. Like waiting for the turkey vultures to start showing up in the spring. I'm not going for a big year or anything, just thought it would be fun to track when and where I first saw a particular species over the course of the year.

So far, I am at 77.

Is this really nerdy, or what?

[amazona]

1. I'm into listing!!!!

State list, county (parish) list, city list, yard list, yep. Lots of listers in Louisiana and Texas I think.

The conservation movement is a breeding ground of communists
and other subversives. We intend to clean them out,
even if it means rounding up every birdwatcher in the country.
--John Mitchell, US Attorney General 1969-72

[semillama]

2. Number 77 was Ruddy Duck

That one means I've seen pretty much all the commonly seen ducks in Ohio except for scoters at this point in the year.

Sure increases the amount of excitement spring migration brings! and adds more fun to the "hunt" for reported birds that you haven't added to the list yet.

I find it especially good as a substitute for not being able to travel much for birding, too.

[amazona]

3. this year

I haven't been home often enough to keep an accurate year list but if I see something unusual in the yard, I do enter it in the data base.

My dream is to get my yard list over 100 species but this wouldn't happen in one year. Some of my yard visitors, such as Calliope Hummingbird and Inca Dove, are one-time appearances.

There is a man in southeast Louisiana (my location) who has 200 species, maybe more, on his yard list, but it's a way bigger yard and I'm not sure how long he has been keeping the list, maybe 20 years? Hmmm. Also I've noticed as my identification skills improve, I see more birds, which suggests they were there all along and I never knew it.

On Edit-- I could get a better state list by chasing a little more when people report something "good" but time and energy doesn't always allow.

The conservation movement is a breeding ground of communists
and other subversives. We intend to clean them out,
even if it means rounding up every birdwatcher in the country.
--John Mitchell, US Attorney General 1969-72

[blindpig]

4. do you list subspecies?

My primary interest is herpetology and subspecies are usually considered pretty important. Once described subspecies are seldom forgotten by the rank & file, particularly us amateurs, even if recognition is subsequently withdrawn. As someone who grew up with Peterson subspecies in birds were pretty much ignored. Now that I have "converted" to Sibley's I find that subspecies are often mentioned. Do you list them, if so all or some? I have sometimes found subspecies from different areas unrecognizable, song sparrows from the Sonoran Desert for example.

[amazona]

5. occasionally but I don't make a fetish of it

A lot of subspecies can't be certainly known if the birds are not in the hand and this is not part of the hobby for me, so I don't strain to figure out subspecies. If for some reason the subspecies is known, sure, I'll make a note of it where I can. This is especially interesting if I suspect that the species in question might be split in the future. Sometimes it's easy to separate the birds though it seems a matter of dispute whether it's a full species or not -- an example on my list would be Somali versus Common Ostrich. Right now it's in my software as two full species but apparently there is dispute about that. You can see that the two forms look different though, so might as well note it even if you think it's only a subspecies.

I have all my Yellow-rumped Warblers marked as Myrtle or Audubon just in case they decide to re-split. I'm ready!

The conservation movement is a breeding ground of communists
and other subversives. We intend to clean them out,
even if it means rounding up every birdwatcher in the country.
--John Mitchell, US Attorney General 1969-72

[blindpig]

6. reasonable

I suppose a rule of thumb might be that if someone else(Sibley, a local guide)thinks it's worth mentioning then I will too. Was wondering how my bud could claim a lifelist of 2500, think I know part of the answer!

[semillama]

7. on subspecies

I don't include a subspecies in a life list, but I do check 'em off in my Nat'l Geographic field guide, which I use as a travel reference.

There was a big discussion on the ohio birds email list a few months ago about Canada Goose subspecies, right after they split Cackling Goose out.

[amazona]

8. I don't include subspecies in the count

What I do might be similar. I don't count separate subspecies for the purpose of getting a higher number on my life list. However, if I know the subspecies, I make a note of it in the data base. Then if the split occurs, I do get an extra species without any more work.

I never did follow Canada Goose subspecies. I think all of my Canada Goose records will stand as Canada Goose and I will have to get Cackling separately.

The conservation movement is a breeding ground of communists
and other subversives. We intend to clean them out,
even if it means rounding up every birdwatcher in the country.
--John Mitchell, US Attorney General 1969-72

[XemaSab]

9. I'm boycotting

the Cackling Goose split.

[amazona]

10. heh

I think you are not alone but I don't boycott any split I can get.

The conservation movement is a breeding ground of communists
and other subversives. We intend to clean them out,
even if it means rounding up every birdwatcher in the country.
--John Mitchell, US Attorney General 1969-72

[XemaSab]

11. This is true

I'm hoping to hit 600 this year.

Maybe if I'm at 599 on December 31st I'll reconsider the Cackling Goose. :-)

[semillama]

12. Hit 90 for the year this weekend

Went out with the Avid Birders group. We were aiming for a Varied Thrush and a Eurasian Widgeon. Got the thrush, but missed the widgeon. Saw about 60 different species of birds though, so a good day.

[semillama]

13. 186 for the year.

I'm about maxed out on new species for the time of the year here in Ohio, with migration over. What I really need to do is to get out to a different part of the country. Sadly, I don't see the Southwest in my future for this year.

However, I'm hoping that summer trips to St. Louis and Massachussetts will garner me some new birds.

I enjoy the challenge posed by chasing new birds, and it gets me to areas I might not have gone before. Plus, I've noted that my ID skills have gotten a lot sharper this year, especially with vocal identification.