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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Andy Adcock" data-source="post: 3524793" data-attributes="member: 31710">I'm a great believer that it's a natural gift akin to being musical.My wife who is far less experienced a birder, is far better than me at calls, I don't retain them at all.  I can sit listening to a recording for an hour, five minutes after I stop listening I won't remember it but my wife does.If you don't see the bird there is every chance depending on how notable the call is and how good a birder you are, that an error will be made. My post re mimicry above should be a warning to all. I just find the whole ticking on call a bit unsatisfactory. If you're a competitive lister, you should note on your list if you publish it, how many species are HO's.  Jon Hornbuckle (World's top lister) makes sure that it's clear that his published list is all seen birds, others don't and I think that it makes an unfair comparison. One of his close rivals in known for not even trying to see nightbirds and sometimes won't even leave the vehicle if he can hear a bird from his seat, I personally see no point whatever in this approach.A</blockquote>