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ABA Big Year 2019 (2 Viewers)

trptjoe said:
That being said, John picked up Purple Sandpiper and Dovekie, so he's unofficially tied the Big Year record! And with a month to go.

Joe
Click to expand...

Joe

Can you please explain why he has tied the record. Surely the 2016 record of 836 included Thayers Gull and therefore with the taxonomy change to this being part of the Iceland Gull complex the record is 'only' 835.

Even if it was regarded a 836 at the time, it would need to the adjusted to 835 now ..... or am I missing something?
 
Once a Big Year record is set it isn't changed, because that would be too much of a hassle. This applies to splits/lumps aswell as to introduced species or ABA range changes. The only exception to this rule are the provisionals and to some degree when Hawaii was added and the Big Year birders began twitching birds before they were accepted to the ABA list
 
The other reason is that it isn’t fair from both sides. Birders will make an effort (time & money) to clean up Thayer’s Gull (for example), but they wouldn’t have gone to Idaho to pick up the possible Red Crossbill split that didn’t exist in 2014 (for example). It pretty much evens out. Each year is its own game.

That being said, your point is one of the two reasons I started comparing Big Year lists, which I started doing even before the fun and frolic of 2016. I wondered two things: a) how did the lists change from year to year, and b) which species do Big Year birders tend to miss?
My conclusion is that Dovekie is a prized tick.

Joe
 
John is missing 38 species seen by him in 2016. Those marked with asterisk have been seen this year by other Big Year birders, according to Joe's sheet.

* Short-tailed Hawk (2)

Whooper Swan (3)
Common Pochard (3)
* Steller’s Eider (3)
Smew (3)
Mariana Swiftlet (3) - HAWAII
* Curlew Sandpiper (3)
* Black-headed Gull (3)
* Ross’s Gull (3)
* Least Storm-Petrel (3)
Gray-headed Chickadee (3)
* Eyebrowed Trush (3)
Flame-colored Tanager (3)

Common Shelduck (4)
* Plain-capped Starthroat (4)
Northern Jacana (4)
Far Eastern Curlew (4)
* Black-tailed Gull (4)
Yellow-legged Gull (4)
Kelp Gull (4)
* Blue-footed Booby (4)
Tufted Flycatcher (4)
Dusky Warbler (4)
Redwing (4)
Streak-backed Oriole (4)
Blue Bunting (4)

Graylag Goose (5)
Common Scoter (5)
Pin-tailed Snipe (5)
Amazon Kingfisher (5)
Nutting’s Flycatcher (5)
Variegated Flycatcher (5)
Pine Flycatcher (5)
Cuban Vireo (5)
Sinaloa Wren (5)
Common Chiffchaff (5)
Pine Bunting (5)

Thayer’s Gull LUMP
****
Not seen by John in 2016, but seen by other Big Year birders this year:
Stejneger's Scoter (2) POSSIBLE SPLIT
Trindade Petrel (3)
Yellow-browed Warbler (4)
Middendorff's Grasshopper-Warbler (4)
Great White Pelican NOT YET IN ABA LIST
House Crow NOT YET IN ABA LIST

No Big Year birder has seen Gray-backed Tern (2) this year.

John has not missed much and of course some birds are always dipped, but I think 850 is very possible in the future.
 
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Tikli said:
John has not missed much and of course some birds are always dipped, but I think 850 is very possible in the future.
Click to expand...

According to eBird there have been 866 species seen in the ABA area this year.

I assume this includes some species that will not count as escaped exotics etc, and perhaps some species seen are not recorded on eBird

Of course there is still a month to go but seeing 96.5% of the available species is some going. Expecting over 98% to me is not 'very possible'.

A quick look suggest 872 species were seen in 2016 when John set the record and last year there were 878. (on eBird).

As the numbers increase, the likelihood that they are single observer/one day birds increases. This increases the likelihood of dipping and burns up time (& cash) trying.

He has been very lucky on a number of records and saying that will happen 4 or 5 days more is difficult to accept. I agree that bad luck and bad planning has cost him possibly up to 5 species but after to that IMO there would need to be a really good rarity year to go beyond 845 (unless someone splits a few more species).
 
Muppit17 said:
According to eBird there have been 866 species seen in the ABA area this year.

I assume this includes some species that will not count as escaped exotics etc, and perhaps some species seen are not recorded on eBird

Of course there is still a month to go but seeing 96.5% of the available species is some going. Expecting over 98% to me is not 'very possible'.

A quick look suggest 872 species were seen in 2016 when John set the record and last year there were 878. (on eBird).

As the numbers increase, the likelihood that they are single observer/one day birds increases. This increases the likelihood of dipping and burns up time (& cash) trying.

He has been very lucky on a number of records and saying that will happen 4 or 5 days more is difficult to accept. I agree that bad luck and bad planning has cost him possibly up to 5 species but after to that IMO there would need to be a really good rarity year to go beyond 845 (unless someone splits a few more species).
Click to expand...

I have 872 species seen in ABA area (compiled from ABA blog rare bird reports). Anyway, I think "very possible" might be an exaggeration, but I think it's certainly possible.
- It's likely that there will be new splits if current taxonomic trend continues.
- There's additional species potential from Hawaii (pelagic species + species form outer islands like Millerbird, Nihoa Finch etc.).
- As you said, John has spent some prime birding time in Australia, definitely costing him species.

Of course it requires a good rarity year, very large budget and no hindrances like work, but I still think 850 is the next "ultimate" goal to break.
 
For what it's worth, the ABA Big Year leader in Fantasy Birding - where players pick each day's spot and get credit for species eBirded nearby - is currently at 858. I designed the game to approximate what would be possible for a real-life birder going "all out," though of course fantasy birders have some major advantages (as well as a few disadvantages, chiefly being confined to a 10-kilometer circle every day). One big advantage was access to Midway, where many of us picked up a good 7 or 8 birds that wouldn't have been possible elsewhere. A couple of species were added in other places like Shemya Island with degrees of restricted access. Still, I think it demonstrates that 850 is well within the realm of possibility - especially given that this year was far from a standout in terms of vagrancy.
 
Muppit17 said:
According to eBird there have been 866 species seen in the ABA area this year.

I assume this includes some species that will not count as escaped exotics etc, and perhaps some species seen are not recorded on eBird

Of course there is still a month to go but seeing 96.5% of the available species is some going. Expecting over 98% to me is not 'very possible'.

A quick look suggest 872 species were seen in 2016 when John set the record and last year there were 878. (on eBird).

As the numbers increase, the likelihood that they are single observer/one day birds increases. This increases the likelihood of dipping and burns up time (& cash) trying.

He has been very lucky on a number of records and saying that will happen 4 or 5 days more is difficult to accept. I agree that bad luck and bad planning has cost him possibly up to 5 species but after to that IMO there would need to be a really good rarity year to go beyond 845 (unless someone splits a few more species).
Click to expand...

The ABA area in eBird doesn’t include Hawaii. Checking the United States (closest you can get) lists 926 species so far for 2019.

Laura Keene
 
The Deans picked up Fork-tailed Flycatcher, officially giving them 700 in the Lower 48. They’re the 8th & 9th birders to do it.
Joe
 
msmith said:
One big advantage was access to Midway, where many of us picked up a good 7 or 8 birds that wouldn't have been possible elsewhere.
Click to expand...

Just to show my ignorance further - is Midway part of the ABA area?

My understanding is that it was not part of the state of Hawaii and part of the odd status of "outlying islands". As such it does not appear to be part of the definition of the qualifying area.
 
trptjoe said:
That being said, John picked up Purple Sandpiper and Dovekie, so he's unofficially tied the Big Year record!
Click to expand...

Must admit I am confused with John's account - not to say that he has not seen the birds. He says that he saw them on Sunday ie 1st December whilst his list says 30th November. He also says that Amanda Damin tipped him having seen the birds on Saturday - whilst here eBird shows she was seeing the Fork-tailed Fly that morning (in Texas!). She has not added Dovekie on her eBird account.

I am sure there is a simple explanation - no doubt much to do with the stress of the bushfires around Sydney.
 
Muppit17 said:
Must admit I am confused with John's account - not to say that he has not seen the birds. He says that he saw them on Sunday ie 1st December whilst his list says 30th November. He also says that Amanda Damin tipped him having seen the birds on Saturday - whilst here eBird shows she was seeing the Fork-tailed Fly that morning (in Texas!). She has not added Dovekie on her eBird account.

I am sure there is a simple explanation - no doubt much to do with the stress of the bushfires around Sydney.
Click to expand...

Could equally have something to do with the timezone his camera works on and whether he remembers to change it.

John
 
Muppit17 said:
Just to show my ignorance further - is Midway part of the ABA area?

My understanding is that it was not part of the state of Hawaii and part of the odd status of "outlying islands". As such it does not appear to be part of the definition of the qualifying area.
Click to expand...

Midway is included. It makes a certain weird sense, as the atoll falls between Hawaii and Kure (which is technically part of Hawaii), making it an "enclave." There's apparently also precedent for Hawaii state listers including it. More here: http://blog.aba.org/2016/11/the-aba-adds-hawaii-now-what.html
 
Black-headed Gull to set a record! That just about sums up regional yearlisting.

Hopefully he'll score and then pick up a few more though only Short-tailed Hawk should be easy.

All the best
 
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Unfortunately, just tales of dipping and Bonaparte's so far. I've failed in a game of pick the Black-headed in the attached pics but only looked on a handheld device:-

https://birdingyear.com/cant-buy-a-thrill/

All the best

Paul
 

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Paul Chapman said:
Another update including some nice pics but as yet no record-breaker:-

https://birdingyear.com/4167-2/

I presume that we are due an ABA list update soon that should include the Parakeet to change (832 + 4) to (833 + 3)? Is that right?

All the best
Click to expand...

The ABA just released the updated checklist with 4 additions!!!
Stejneger’s Scoter (Melanitta stejnegeri), Code 4
Dark-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus melacoryphus), Code 5
Long-legged Buzzard (Buteo rufinus) Code 5
Yellow-chevroned Parakeet (Brotogeris chiriri), Code 2

Laura Keene
 
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