How to make year list interesting

[Esa]

I did a life list for a couple of years. Then the usual thing happened, things slowed down. I might only get 5 lifers a year. If I travel a bit. So the year list came around to keep busy. I think I have done three. But they all look the same, except the travel parts.

I have seen people do elaborate tables of first sitings and tabulate things every which way.

I need new angle to the year listing. Something to make it fun, not just a statistics program.

Ideas?

[AndyB]

Hi Esa and welcome to the forum. Have you tried ebird (ebird.org)? It's run by Cornell so in addition to the listing element, you're also contributing to a national database and gives you the ability to do something meaningful with your daily data.

Have you also tried alternative year listing such as non-motorized (bigby) etc?

[MichaelF]

Here's another one to try: closest-to-home sighting of each species. Very easy to measure now with the google earth measure tool, in areas with high resolution imagery you can often get locations accurate to within a metre.

[beltonbirder]

Why not get involved with Bird Track with the BTO. It certainly makes me go out birding and write it all down every time.

I keep all my lists in excel spreadsheets as I do all my Natural History records.

I like turning my data into graphs too, great fun, I also write my own personal annual report.

BB

[Esa]

Right, I have yet to try GPS on anything. We have one local big time birder who lists coordinates, nobody else.

I might have to do two lists, 6 months, and compare them.

eBird..yet to try that too.

[mikeprince]

I need new angle to the year listing. Something to make it fun, not just a statistics program.
Why not try keeping your year list on http://www.bubo.org/listing? You can add lists for various worldwide locations (including the World, Continental North America, i.e. the ABA area; Lower 48 States etc.) and have self-found lists if you want to add a new angle to your current listing. You can compare your lists with other listers and use the 'targets' feature to see the birds you still need for any list.

Whilst most of the States are covered I notice that Missouri (where I see you are) is not yet - I'll do this very soon!

[Esa]

OK, I will look at it. I am at 320 lifers. Some 20-30 in Iceland.

[mikeprince]

Some 20-30 in Iceland.
Great: we have an Icelandic list available already courtesy of the Icelandic Birding (http://www3.hi.is/~yannk/index-eng.html) pages, so you can enter your Iceland list as well!

[mikeprince]

Whilst most of the States are covered I notice that Missouri (where I see you are) is not yet - I'll do this very soon!
I have just added a Missouri state checklist to BUBO Listing (http://www.bubo.org/listing) so you can now add your Missouri year list, life list etc. The list is from the Audubon Society of Missouri (http://mobirds.org/) and you can view it in full on the BUBO Listing site (http://www.bubo.org/listing/Species-Lists/view/Species-Lists-and-Authorities/Missouri-Bird-Records-Committee-MBRC/66.html).

[Esa]

Interesting links. I always wondered where those CACHE and SPARKS databases were. Unfortunately I am not a member of Missouri Audubon, who have no connection to National Audubon.

I can view their data base and it is pretty empty.
http://mobirds.org/CACHE/totalSpecies.asp

[Esa]

OK, I am now in Bubo. Just with the Missouri year list. 182 so far. My year list is 201, but I did not make a separate list for that. Not a spectacular year. I do not do full time birding even on weekends, maybe two saturdays a onth sep to june. July and Aug no local trips. I do go for walks in a nearby state park every week.

I have a life list that can be sorted for a Missouri life list.

[mikeprince]

Hi Esa

Great to see your list on there. Hope you can encourage a few more Missouri listers to join up to make it more interesting. BUBO Listing started with a British focus but we're expanding worldwide and are particularly keen to get more US listers on board.