Life list? Year list? (1 Viewer)

BirderBoy · Feb 8, 2009

Okay, here I go. I'm about to embarrass myself in the Birdforum community. :-C

I know I am about to sound like a complete novice but what is a year list and a life list? I think I know what they are but I'm not completely sure.:brains:
I would like to find out so I can start one. :scribe:

So please help and remember I am a young birder (14) and don't call the birding police and have them confiscate my bins!!!

BirderBoy :hippy: peace

palval147 · Feb 8, 2009

Hi BirderBoy.
A year list is a list of the bird species you have actually seen that year.
A life list is a list of different bird species you have seen over your life time.
A life tick is a bird you have now seen, but have never seen before.
Hope this helps?

BirderBoy · Feb 8, 2009

Oh.

Oh right.
Thanks!!! o

I had it completely wrong. :-O
I thought you made a list of birds and tried to find them. :h?:
LOL
Thanks again.

BirderBoy :hippy: peace

Surreybirder · Feb 8, 2009

Many birders are addicted to listing... me included.
I keep year list, life list, several county lists, world list, several country lists, continent lists, garden lists, holiday lists, day lists (e.g. 'big day' lists) and not just birds... dragonflies, butterflies, moths, hoverflies...
there must be a medical term for it

Ken

palval147 · Feb 8, 2009

Glad to be of help, BirderBoy.

You are a Serial Lister, Ken:-O

Birdingcraft · Feb 12, 2009

BirderBoy said:
Oh right.
Thanks!!! o
I had it completely wrong. :-O
I thought you made a list of birds and tried to find them. :h?:
LOL
Thanks again.

BirderBoy :hippy: peace

That doesn't sound like such a bad idea- making target lists for certain areas within a certain amount fo time.

I have a life list and am keeping a year list- doing a big year (trying to ID as much as possible) in Costa Rica actually.

Cyclops · Feb 15, 2009

I have one list,a life list and it gets added too VERY slowly! I should make a year list to note what birds I see each year but I can't be bothere plus I don't get to go birding that much anyway. Its looked upon as a bit sad in my neighbourhood

mikfoz · Feb 15, 2009

I've got a life list but it's pretty sparse at the moment and lives on a spreadsheet on my laptop.

It's not the be all and end all of the world if it doesn't grow, and it's unlikely to unless I can be bothered to go further afield. I just like mooching around locally at the moment...

mikfoz · Feb 15, 2009

BirderBoy said:
Okay, here I go. I'm about to embarrass myself in the Birdforum community. :-C

Don't be embarrassed. It's perfectly acceptable not to know something and how are you supposed to find out if you don't ask?

Superior types who look down the nose tend to get short shrift around here so ask away. Why have we got these forums if it's not to ask for help and give it in return?

Dave B Smith · Feb 15, 2009

BirderBoy said:
I thought you made a list of birds and tried to find them. :h?:

LOL
Thanks again.

BirderBoy :hippy: peace

I'd call that a "Target List" and often make one in preparation for a trip to a new location. By comparing a list of all species known to be recorded at a location and then identifying ones of particular interest to yourself (maybe birds that would be new "life birds", or species of special interest like owls, hawks, etc) and make a shortlist of your "Targets" for that trip.

Cyclops · Feb 15, 2009

mikfoz said:
Don't be embarrassed. It's perfectly acceptable not to know something and how are you supposed to find out if you don't ask?

Superior types who look down the nose tend to get short shrift around here so ask away. Why have we got these forums if it's not to ask for help and give it in return?

Absolutely,we all have to learn somehow. Wish I had this forum when I started birding back in the mists of time

steve_zodiac · Feb 15, 2009

On the subject of life lists. Do the majority of life lists actually mean British lists, or life list as in every bird seen by the individual anywhere in the world.

Personally I keep one list of birds seen anywhere in the world, and a separate list for birds seen in Britain.

dantheman · Feb 15, 2009

steve_zodiac said:
On the subject of life lists. Do the majority of life lists actually mean British lists, or life list as in every bird seen by the individual anywhere in the world.

Personally I keep one list of birds seen anywhere in the world, and a separate list for birds seen in Britain.

Either or both.... (Don't know about the majority bit - you'll have to do a survey!)

For some examples, and a generally good listing website;

http://www.bubo.org/listing/

Cyclops · Feb 15, 2009

Anyone keep a garden bird list? I was thinking of starting one. Would be quite small tho

the usual suspects plus GoldFinch,Dunnock and Sparrowhawk

Oriole Express · Feb 15, 2009

Cyclops said:
I have one list,a life list and it gets added too VERY slowly! I should make a year list to note what birds I see each year but I can't be bothere plus I don't get to go birding that much anyway. Its looked upon as a bit sad in my neighbourhood

I gave up taking any notice of what others thought about me going out birding a long time ago.
People were always having little comments as soon as they found out my hobby was birdwatching, and still do sometimes.
But the same people are also asking me what this bird was they saw while out yesterday.

If you like doing it and you get pleasure out of it, then get out there and do it. Never mind what others think about it.
That dosen't just apply to birdwatching either.:t:

Cyclops · Feb 15, 2009

Oriole Express said:
I gave up taking any notice of what others thought about me going out birding a long time ago.
People were always having little comments as soon as they found out my hobby was birdwatching, and still do sometimes.
But the same people are also asking me what this bird was they saw while out yesterday.

If you like doing it and you get pleasure out of it, then get out there and do it. Never mind what others think about it.
That dosen't just apply to birdwatching either.:t:

Yea you're right. Doesn't help when you have zero confidence tho and you live in a land of chavs with no interest in anything.

steve_zodiac · Feb 15, 2009

The only problem with lists, especially keeping a year list, is it has a tendency to take the enjoyment out of birding as it becomes more of a case of having to go birding rather than wanting to.

Many a time I've been watching a scarcity when birders turn up, watch the bird for a couple of minutes then they're gone.

I hadn't kept a year list since the nineties until this year but if I feel birding is becoming a chore I'll scrap it.

BirderBoy · Feb 15, 2009

Well thanks for all your reply's!

The only problem is I've been birding for ages and I can't remember all the birds I've seen. :S So it would be hard to do a life list.

BirderBoy :hippy: peace

mikfoz · Feb 16, 2009

BirderBoy said:
Well thanks for all your reply's!

The only problem is I've been birding for ages and I can't remember all the birds I've seen. :S So it would be hard to do a life list.

BirderBoy :hippy: peace

Then either don't do one or reset to zero.

http://www.bou.org.uk/recbrlst.html there's a spreadsheet on there of all recognised British species you can start filling in. What I did effectively was fill in all the common birds I know I have seen for ages as "common" then start filling in dates for ticks after I installed it. You might have to re-tick a bird, but it's not like the adjudication police are going to come and get you if you make an error.

You'll soon sort it out.

Pete Mella · Feb 16, 2009

BirderBoy said:
Well thanks for all your reply's!

The only problem is I've been birding for ages and I can't remember all the birds I've seen. :S So it would be hard to do a life list.

BirderBoy :hippy: peace

I was a bit like that, and ended up jettisoning all the birds I'd seen in childhood, meaning I had to refind barn owl, raven, green woody, pied flycatcher... Only annoying one is I still haven't to get merlin on there!

I agree, set it to zero! It may mean leading to a few annoyances, but will add to the thrill when you start seeing new birds for the life list. Plus you won't end up with a nagging doubt later on that birds you confidentaly had down in your younger days may not stand up to your ID scruitiny in later life...

Oh and check out http://www.bubo.org/listing for a good way to log your lists.

Life list? Year list? (1 Viewer)

Birding addict!

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It's not a competition. Watch the birdy!

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