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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Pariah" data-source="post: 1772387" data-attributes="member: 23126">Another good point.Rare Birds are only relatively rare.Increased knowledge, familiarity, new ID criteria can all change our perceptions of what a rare bird is.In '73 identifying a Ring billed gull was not as straightforward as it is today!Now I go out my door an can find multiple birds along the cork coast if I so wish.The very status of species can change before our eyes.You often see certain birders tend to find the same kind of rares over and over again. Primarily because thats where their interests lie and they are tuned into those rarities.For me the perfect example came last year with the Major Wilsons petrel day at the Bridges of Ross.If I had been sat there by myself and told people I had seen 27 (minimum) Wilsons petrels I would have been F**ked! <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite8" alt=":D" title="Big grin    :D" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":D" />Owen</blockquote>