ABA Big Year 2017 (7 Viewers)

[trptjoe]

I started to keep a list of the changes and then decided to simply plunge ahead with the lists. It'll become clearer once I do the "By Codes" lists, which won't happen until the weekend.
Regarding Hawaii, most of that was covered in the article in the most recent ABA magazine, which can be accessed online, I believe.

My last contribution before we get out of here is the redone Continental ABA List, with the new order of species and the new codes. Please let me know if there are any typos, as I'm getting a bit bleary-eyed at this point. But, needless to say, I enjoy this stuff!

Joe

 

[guy_incognito]

Joe, it appears that they accidently switched the codes on Orange-crowned and Colima Warblers. Orange-crowned is a 3 on the list, but it's right next to Colima's 1.

Definitely an obvious mistake with Orange-crowned Warbler, but if it is a switch, it implies that Colima Warbler is now a code 3 rather than a code 2, which it was on the prior checklist.

This could be true since there are a few other species that seemed to be elevated from code 2 to code 3, such as Himalayan Snowcock, Yellow-footed Gull, Common Ringed Plover, McKay's Bunting, and Bristle-thighed Curlew.

 

[Maffong]

How about redefining the codes? For the recent WP Big Year Paul and I tried to make a coded list of our region too and I believe we both had the same feeling that the codes 1 and 2 just don't reflect well enough on the difficulty. So we added in a code 3 and got somewhat similar definitions somewhat like this:
Code 1: Easy and widespread
code 2: Not so difficult or range restricted
code 3: Range restricted or difficult
code 4: Annual vagrant
code 5: Non-annual vagrant
code 6: Extreme rarity
code 7: Extirpated

So basically you'd just squeeze in a code 1.5 between code 1 and code 2 (or 2 and 3)

 

[Maffong]

Definitely an obvious mistake with Orange-crowned Warbler, but if it is a switch, it implies that Colima Warbler is now a code 3 rather than a code 2, which it was on the prior checklist.

This could be true since there are a few other species that seemed to be elevated from code 2 to code 3, such as Himalayan Snowcock, Yellow-footed Gull, Common Ringed Plover, McKay's Bunting, and Bristle-thighed Curlew.

A reviewed version 8.0.1. of the ABA checklist has just been released. Colima Warbler is indeed code 3. I'm not sure if I remember wrongly, but I believe the codes have been redefined to suit this new approach
http://listing.aba.org/checklist-codes/

 

[dantheman]

I still can't believe that they accepted the Graylag Goose!!

All the best

Maybe there were more photos which didn't appear to show a domesticated Graylag type?

 

[Paul Chapman]

Maybe there were more photos which didn't appear to show a domesticated Graylag type?

Maybe. I remember a pretty comprehensive set in ebird at the time though.

All the best

 

[guy_incognito]

Was the Graylag Goose accepted?

The Rhode Island Avian Records Committee website is not up-to-date, so I can't find any decision documentation there. On eBird, there are NO Graylag Goose records validated for Rhode Island. For a bird like that, many eBird reviewers will only approve if the bird is accepted by the record committee, so this could imply that the decision is still pending or that it was rejected.

 

[Mysticete]

Technically speaking, the ABA makes no judgement call on whether non-first records are countable or not. That's left to local record committees and individual birders.

Technically speaking ebird shouldn't be evaluating anything other than ID. exotics not on a checklist SHOULD be allowed in the system, otherwise ebird is useless for evaluating the spread of introduced species.

 

[trptjoe]

Just got back from the Thanksgiving trip to see the grandkid.
1) Kudos to the ABA Checklist Committee for getting the correction out within days.
2) The Deans picked up Tufted Duck.

EDIT: Chatham Albatross (Code 5) was left off 8.0.0. It follows White-capped Albatross.
Here are the code changes from 8.0.0:
Ruffed Grouse - Code 3 to Code 1
Nutting's Flycatcher - Code 4 to Code 5
Orange-crowned Warbler - Code 3 to Code 1
Colima Warbler - Code 1 to Code 3

The Continental Big Years and the By Code version are attached. Next up (but it'll take a bit) is to do the New ABA By Codes list.

If anyone wants to update the Latin names please have at it and repost; I won't be doing that!

Onward!

Joe

 

[trptjoe]

Okay, this was way more time-consuming than I though it be, but fixing codes, adding in Hawaiian species and reordering the whole thing meant that I had to keep cross-checking until the numbers all lined up.
Two posts: first, the corrected versions on the Continental Big Years that are posted above. I found a couple of glitches as I went; these should be good now. Please let me know if there are any errors.

Joe

 

[trptjoe]

Here it is, the list some of you have really been waiting for! As with the others, please let me know what I've missed. I've used this fine Thanksgiving weekend as an excuse to get these done; tomorrow is back to normal, squishing this stuff in around the things I actually need to do (like practice more!).
I've added Christian, Gaylee and Richard to these, too, as they will be the main lists going forward, I'm sure.
Joe

 

[guy_incognito]

Does anyone know if the Stolls are still active for the Big Year? Last new bird for either of them on eBird is Oct 2.

Looks like Yve and the Deans are still going, most recently adding Garganey.

 

[trptjoe]

The Stolls plan to jump back in the pool in December to try to give Yve a run for her money.

Joe

 

[trptjoe]

The Stolls got an armchair tick thanks to Laura's sharp eye. I hadn't put Hawaiian Duck on their list; I have now.
Yve: 806
Ruben & Victor: 803

I'm thinking that my future lists will continue to have a minimum of 700 for the Continental ABA and 750 for the New ABA.

Joe

 

[trptjoe]

The deck has been shuffled! The Stolls and Deans took the cruise from Los Angeles to Vancouver, resulting in new species for all. Flesh-footed and Buller's Shearwaters, Short-tailed Albatross, Mottled and Cook's Petrels, and Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel were all species that helped either the Stolls or Deans, or all of them.
From a Continental ABA standpoint, the Stolls have now passed Neil Hayward for 5th place with 750 (+2); Yve Morrell is at 748 (+3), poised to pass Sandy Komito's 748. The Deans have passed Jay Lehman's 734; Gaylee is at 738 (+1) and Richard is at 736 (+1). For them, next up is John Vanderpoel's 743.
From a New ABA standpoint, the Stolls are now at 805 (+2) and Yve is at 803 (+3).
The Deans are headed to Alaska while the Stolls are headed to Texas. Yve is headed to Sitka, I know.

Welcome to December, all!
Joe

 

[trptjoe]

The Deans got the Dusky Thrush, and Yve got the Mango.
Not a bad December...

Joe

 

[Jeff Hopkins]

Looks like Yve took a run at the Barnacle Goose that's being seen on and off here in the Lehigh Valley. She missed.

I can sympathize. I've missed it several times already. It doesn't stay in one place. And I only live a few miles from its hangouts.

 

[trptjoe]

The Deans got the Mango; they're closing in on John Vanderpoel. There are a few more gettable birds for them.

Joe

 

[Kratter]

Looks like Yve took a run at the Barnacle Goose that's being seen on and off here in the Lehigh Valley. She missed.

I can sympathize. I've missed it several times already. It doesn't stay in one place. And I only live a few miles from its hangouts.

She finally bagged the Barnacle

Andy

 

[trptjoe]

And today Yve and the Deans cleaned up Smith's Longspur. The Stolls dipped on the Dusky Thrush, but got the Mango and the Tamaulipas Crow on Tuesday.
Seems like a good time to update the lists, huh?
Joe