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Finds list (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Darrell Clegg
- Start date
Charles Harper
Régisseur
Hi Michael, Darrell and all,
Sorry to be lax in getting back here. I wouldn't want there to be any gaps in your knowledge, Michael, so let me say that our feral species in Japan include of course the ubiquitous Rock Dove (or what you may call 'em), the Collared Dove (decaocto, introduced in the 18th/19th C.), Mute Swan, Ring-necked Pheasant, and Chinese Bamboo Partridge. As well, there are breeding Budgerigar and Rose-ringed Parrakeet populations in metro areas (and I would guess some other psittacids as well), and down south Okinawa-way there are half-a-dozen waxbill species merrily reproducing; meanwhile I have personally recorded a steady increase in the Crested Mynah population of Yokohama since 1990.
Which of these would qualify for your feral list, I do not know-- I can't recall having read anything definitive on the status of all of our introduced/escaped species.
Sorry to be lax in getting back here. I wouldn't want there to be any gaps in your knowledge, Michael, so let me say that our feral species in Japan include of course the ubiquitous Rock Dove (or what you may call 'em), the Collared Dove (decaocto, introduced in the 18th/19th C.), Mute Swan, Ring-necked Pheasant, and Chinese Bamboo Partridge. As well, there are breeding Budgerigar and Rose-ringed Parrakeet populations in metro areas (and I would guess some other psittacids as well), and down south Okinawa-way there are half-a-dozen waxbill species merrily reproducing; meanwhile I have personally recorded a steady increase in the Crested Mynah population of Yokohama since 1990.
Which of these would qualify for your feral list, I do not know-- I can't recall having read anything definitive on the status of all of our introduced/escaped species.
David Ball
Active member
The UK250 Club British self-found list website sadly seems to be defunct, and as Google found quite a few references to it here, I decided to re-activate this thread.
A friend was talking about trying to get Beds birders competing for a Beds self-found year-list next year, probably on the basis that it would more productive than everyone doing the usual year-listing thing of running round ticking everyone else’s birds. Obviously we would need to set up some rules, and I thought the UK250 rules for self-finding were pretty sensible and would make a good basis to start from.
Unfortunately with the website gone they’re no longer available on-line. I thought I might have saved a copy but if so can’t find it – has anyone out there got a copy?
Incidentally, loved Jane Turner’s comment in an earlier message about ‘Genuine Surprise’ – ‘You’re up a big mountain in Cairngorm – Oh, there’s a Ptarmigan – what a surprise!’. But all you can do though is look for a bird in the right habitat and in its range – you could equally say ‘Here I am walking down a lane in Bedfordshire with nice thorny hedges – oh look, a Common Whitethroat, how surprising!’. It’s just that the range/habo combo is a bit limited for some species! When I first saw Ptarmigan up Cairngorm I actually was surprised, but just at how easy they were – I thought I’d have to walk miles and nearly tripped over one a couple of hundred yards from the ski-lift!
A friend was talking about trying to get Beds birders competing for a Beds self-found year-list next year, probably on the basis that it would more productive than everyone doing the usual year-listing thing of running round ticking everyone else’s birds. Obviously we would need to set up some rules, and I thought the UK250 rules for self-finding were pretty sensible and would make a good basis to start from.
Unfortunately with the website gone they’re no longer available on-line. I thought I might have saved a copy but if so can’t find it – has anyone out there got a copy?
Incidentally, loved Jane Turner’s comment in an earlier message about ‘Genuine Surprise’ – ‘You’re up a big mountain in Cairngorm – Oh, there’s a Ptarmigan – what a surprise!’. But all you can do though is look for a bird in the right habitat and in its range – you could equally say ‘Here I am walking down a lane in Bedfordshire with nice thorny hedges – oh look, a Common Whitethroat, how surprising!’. It’s just that the range/habo combo is a bit limited for some species! When I first saw Ptarmigan up Cairngorm I actually was surprised, but just at how easy they were – I thought I’d have to walk miles and nearly tripped over one a couple of hundred yards from the ski-lift!
Brian Stone
A Stone chatting
Go for the "Shock and Awe" method every time. If I went looking for Ptarmigan in the right habitat and found one, it would still be in that category (especially as I have dipped doing just that 
). For me if it ain't twitched its on the list.
As a local recorder I quite like this idea as more stuff get found and reported. Using the percentage self found could even deter twitching for year listing purposes!
). For me if it ain't twitched its on the list.As a local recorder I quite like this idea as more stuff get found and reported. Using the percentage self found could even deter twitching for year listing purposes!
Birdspotter
Well-known member
Too many grey areas in this type of list for me im afraid.
I bird every weekend with my friends so when one of us finds a good bird can we all count it as a find ?
i recently counted up my find list and was very strict counting birds that I found personaly. I also allowed no splits that the BOU had not sanctioned.
My strict list was 232, with my buddies list 248.
The problem also for me was not remembering the likes of Paddyfield Warblers and Rustic Buntings that I have found but the likes of Mandarin Ducks and Black Necked Grebes, I really cant remember if I found some of these birds that I have seen over the years.
I bird every weekend with my friends so when one of us finds a good bird can we all count it as a find ?
i recently counted up my find list and was very strict counting birds that I found personaly. I also allowed no splits that the BOU had not sanctioned.
My strict list was 232, with my buddies list 248.
The problem also for me was not remembering the likes of Paddyfield Warblers and Rustic Buntings that I have found but the likes of Mandarin Ducks and Black Necked Grebes, I really cant remember if I found some of these birds that I have seen over the years.
Grampy Bustard
Well-known member
Missed this one first time round....
My own self found list is 275, which does not include the Scottish stuff like breeding Dotterel or Ptarmigan, or Staffs Black Grouse, or similar stuff. I do include Avocet (one amongst gulls on a Somerset Res, and 20 in a flooded field inland in Dorset), Golden Oriole and Honey Buzzard well away from breeding areas, a singing Cirl Bunting in Somerset at a migration watchpoint when only one breeding pair left etc etc. Virtually all the self founds are in the West Country, and I don't do Scillies or other major hotspots.
Can't beat local patch watching....it's cheaper and even a commonish bird can give a thrill.
My own self found list is 275, which does not include the Scottish stuff like breeding Dotterel or Ptarmigan, or Staffs Black Grouse, or similar stuff. I do include Avocet (one amongst gulls on a Somerset Res, and 20 in a flooded field inland in Dorset), Golden Oriole and Honey Buzzard well away from breeding areas, a singing Cirl Bunting in Somerset at a migration watchpoint when only one breeding pair left etc etc. Virtually all the self founds are in the West Country, and I don't do Scillies or other major hotspots.
Can't beat local patch watching....it's cheaper and even a commonish bird can give a thrill.
Darren Oakley-Martin
________________
BF 2005 Challenge?
Hi all,
Perhaps this could be a challenge for BF Members for next year along the lines of the highest percentages of birds seen that are personal finds.
Would need rules though. Anyone volunteering?
Just totted mine up. 145 of 161 are personal finds. 90%. V.pleased.
Regards,
Hi all,
Perhaps this could be a challenge for BF Members for next year along the lines of the highest percentages of birds seen that are personal finds.
Would need rules though. Anyone volunteering?
Just totted mine up. 145 of 161 are personal finds. 90%. V.pleased.
Regards,
very boring banned member
New member
James Blake
chasing the shadow of a lowskimming gull
Darrenom said:
Hi Darren
I agree that it would be great to encourage bird finding and to share stories, but I'm wondering if a competition is really feasible given that the rules would be so hard to agree on. Maybe a forum or a thread called "My finds" instead?
But prove me wrong! Come up with those rules!
regards
James
Jane Turner
Well-known member
Since the thread is alive again I have made it to 280... with Honey Buzz over the house and a Cheshire Nightjar that didn't just surprised me.. it gave me palpitations... and I though I'm not sure how many species I have seen this year... only one - a Green Winged Teal wasn't self found!
Darren Oakley-Martin
________________
Hi James,
Sometimes in this bleedin' forum it's difficult to agree what day of week it is!
I think we should nominate someone to come up with a definitive set of rules and if others don't like it, well stuff 'em!
SimonC's 'How's your 2004 List Going' is great, but the odds are heavily stacked in favour of twitchers, (and i've nothing against you guys!) and all it is is a list of numbers with birds names next to them. No offence Si!
So a 'Birds found personally as a percentage of birds seen' challenge/ thread would level the playing field somewhat and as you say, encourage people to share the stories about their more memorable discoveries!
I nominate Jane Turner and SimonC for rulemaking.
Regards,
Sometimes in this bleedin' forum it's difficult to agree what day of week it is!
I think we should nominate someone to come up with a definitive set of rules and if others don't like it, well stuff 'em!
SimonC's 'How's your 2004 List Going' is great, but the odds are heavily stacked in favour of twitchers, (and i've nothing against you guys!) and all it is is a list of numbers with birds names next to them. No offence Si!
So a 'Birds found personally as a percentage of birds seen' challenge/ thread would level the playing field somewhat and as you say, encourage people to share the stories about their more memorable discoveries!
I nominate Jane Turner and SimonC for rulemaking.
Regards,
James Blake said:
Jane Turner
Well-known member
Darrenom said:
So only birds seen from you bedroom window while listening to London Calling should count....
Darren Oakley-Martin
________________
At least I own it i guess.
Jane Turner
Well-known member
I actually have a slightly different idea.... how about a not-twitched year list....
Rules simple.. anything you find yourself is included... but if the bird was known to be there previously it doesn't count.
eg. You go to Spurn the day after a Lesser Grey Shrike was seen... the Shrike doesn't count, but the Red-throated Pipit found by someone else while you were there does....
Rules simple.. anything you find yourself is included... but if the bird was known to be there previously it doesn't count.
eg. You go to Spurn the day after a Lesser Grey Shrike was seen... the Shrike doesn't count, but the Red-throated Pipit found by someone else while you were there does....
Darren Oakley-Martin
________________
Can't agree Jane. The RTP shouldn't count. This is self-found. That's still relying on 2nd hand info!Jane Turner said:
Yours, the Purist.
Jane Turner
Well-known member
Not-twitched requires predictive skills... which should be rewarded!
well it was just an idea....
well it was just an idea....
Darren Oakley-Martin
________________
I see your point Jane and stand corrected. My apologies.
If birders go to a site, we can't be expected to not ask if anything is about!
So, would you be prepared to prepare some definitive rules for the 2005 Challenge Jane?
Regards,
If birders go to a site, we can't be expected to not ask if anything is about!
So, would you be prepared to prepare some definitive rules for the 2005 Challenge Jane?
Regards,
Jane Turner
Well-known member
Darrenom said:
What is it worth
