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I need advice for starting a life list. (1 Viewer)

C

Coyotetrack

Coyotetrack
Hello all: I just joined the forum and this is my first post. I'm an enthusiastic birder and have been birding for a long time. However, I have never kept a list of any sort. It's time to start a life list and I would like your recommendation on how to start one. I see that there are a few commercial products that have checklists of various countries or the whole world. I live in California so I am most interested in one of the US but I also travel and would like one of the whole world. I backpack and bike often so weight is a concern. Thanks and I'm looking forward to hearing from you.
 
Wotcha.

Personally i just write them down on a bit of paper, but i don't think there's actually any right or wrong way of keeping a list. A sheet of graph paper can help keep things tidy

Whats the biking / birding like in California ?
 
Thanks

Thanks for the tip and I agree that that would be easy and quite economical. I see that some use databases on their computer and even purchase software made for keeping a checklist and even though I am computer savvy that doesn't apeal to me. I want to be able to take with me a preprinted notebook of sorts that already has listed all the birds of a certain area and then I can check them off as I go. So, I'm looking for advice from those who have used these and can recommend a particular one. For instance, there is "The Howard and Moore Complete Checklist of the Birds of the World : Third Edition" and "A World Checklist of Birds " by Monroe and Sibley and "Pocket Life List: A Birdwatcher's Life List and Diary of North American Birds". Does anyone use any of these?

BTW, the biking and birding is awesome in California. I've only lived here on the West Coast for a few years so I'm still getting used to what birds I will see and it takes a bit more effort in some areas as opposed to the Mississippe Flyway in Southern Illinoia where I used to be from. Birding seemed so easy there.

Nice website you have there.
 
Coyotetrack,

An easy way to get started would be to copy a California on-line list (such as from http://www.wfo-cbrc.org/cbrc/ca_list.html) and make a Microsoft word file. Then just add the date and location of the birds you see. As you travel, you will have to add birds from the other states or countries. If you anticipate a lot of out-of-state birding, use a North American list instead. I personally have a MS Word file using the ABA checklist for North America with additions for overseas travel and I only print updates when my current paper version gets too ratty. I find this the easiest way to maintain a state, North America and World list all one fairly easy to review document. If you decide to go with one of the pre-printed world lists, be aware that it will not be small (the size of a small book having over 9000 entries) and your personal sightings will tend to get lost in all of the pages with no ticks! Good luck.

Joe H
 
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Hi and welcome,

I used to carry the really useful pocket sized "British Birds List" which was issued free annually with one of the monthly bird mags over her. This had pre-printed check boxes next to each species (usually 3 boxes so would work as life list + 2 year lists).

However after a near disaster when me and the book ended up in a river - don't ask - and I almost lost all my records I constructed my own database on PC (because I am a sad tekkie who works with computers all day).

I now have the advantage of being able to keep a copy on my PDA for use in the field then downloading my sightings at home.

I think you just need to adopt whichever system feels best to you but most of all enjoy the birding - good luck.
 
simple excel life list

Joe H said:
Coyotetrack,

An easy way to get started would be to copy a California on-line list (such as from http://www.wfo-cbrc.org/cbrc/ca_list.html) and make a Microsoft word file. ...

Joe H
Click to expand...


I've taken this one step further with an excel spreadsheet where I keep a year list and a life list. The year list is crosschecked to the life list, so when I add a new year bird I immediately know that its a lifer (i'm sitting in the low three hundreds and am just now getting to the point where keeping track of life birds is beyond a mental exercise). The other part of the list has a regional checklist that is also cross ref-ed to the year and life lists, so I can quickly figure out what I could potentially see that I haven't.

It sounds much more complicated than it is...

If you have excel and are interested let me know and I'll see if I can figure out how to post a blank/copy.

Cheers,
Chris C.
 
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I order the ABA field cards in mass quantities, and use them whenever I'm on a special trip with a new birder (we often see 100 species a day on a trip to the Upper TX Coast), or when I'm on an extended trip.

They're $.50 each from ABA Sales. They're easy to stick inside a field guide, under the visor of your car, etc. and a good reference for more permanent lists kept at home.

I use Avisys on the computer to tally my sightings, lists, etc., but it's awfully cumbersome to carry the computer around in the field!

Steve in Houston
 
I just use a simple excel spreadsheet, with columns for each year, and a final column for life list.

To help remember what i've seen when out in the field, i have stuck small round red stickers in my collins field guide next to the ones i've seen. Anything not in the guide would be added at the back (only got one in that bit - with a yellow sticker - for an escape). Having said that, i haven't got to a high enough number yet that i actually forget what i've seen.
 
I could sure use such a list.

Hi Chris,

I just posted a similar request over a year later and BF put me on to this link. I would be very interested in a blank copy of your list that you mentioned if it is available. How can I find out and give you my address? Terry

Chris C said:
I've taken this one step further with an excel spreadsheet where I keep a year list and a life list. The year list is crosschecked to the life list, so when I add a new year bird I immediately know that its a lifer (i'm sitting in the low three hundreds and am just now getting to the point where keeping track of life birds is beyond a mental exercise). The other part of the list has a regional checklist that is also cross ref-ed to the year and life lists, so I can quickly figure out what I could potentially see that I haven't.

It sounds much more complicated than it is...

If you have excel and are interested let me know and I'll see if I can figure out how to post a blank/copy.

Cheers,
Chris C.
Click to expand...
 
I Just have a comercial style birding journal for the US and keep pamphlet type lists from various local places that keep them and check them off as i go and about once a month I fill out my journal from all the lists and such. Of course i also have the odd piece of paper from a few I have spotted from even waiting at a red light. I note where, when and conditions as well as time of day when i think of it. Also if there is any interesting behaviour
 
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