Have you been watching my numbers grow? It’s now 1/2 way through 2008. At the end of 2007, I was at 100 birds on my life list. I have seen 63 different species so far this year and 14 of them were Lifers. Pretty good considering I’m not really trying.
I am sort of a haphazard lister. Sometimes I’m SURE I’ve never seen a bird before only to enter it in eBird and have it show up as one I saw a few years before. Oops. Worse is when I’m SURE I’ve seen a particular bird, enter it in eBird and then really look at the pictures I took and 2nd guess myself. Did I see it or not? When in doubt, take it out. So, occasionally, my list will go down again. Sigh.
On the other hand, I do occasionally record a bird that I’ve seen many times before but for some reason I’ve never recorded them in eBird. Usually that is a stand-out bird like a Yellow-billed Magpie. I’ve seen bazillions of them over the years but not since I’ve been birding so they never made it on the list. Surprise — a lifer that I’ve seen many, many times before. It is a little bit like finding out that you’ve never recorded a Robin on your list. How did I miss that one?
Still, my favorite birds are my regulars. My daily visitors to the feeders. They keep me interested in birding and watching out my window. They are the reason I like to get those dishes done while it is still daylight! Pure entertainment with feathers and chirps. I think I’ll add a page that lists my yard birds. Check it out!
mother. wife. friend. teacher. writer. reader. photographer. birder. quilter. blogger.
Liza Lee Miller 
I’m going to have to check out eBird. I’ve never kept a life list, but it sounds like a very good idea.
Very cute pygmy nuthatch.
Congrats on so many great birds being found!