This listing and counting bird species is a curious thing. I know I have seen a number of bird species in Australia, plus a much smaller number of bird species outside Australia (on my only time outside Australia, of 3 weeks, two years ago). A number of these bird species were rare vagrants to Australia, although I think that number was one. I have participated in a number of bird surveys over the last number of years (though that number is getting close to 40) .
However it is a number of years (I think the number is something like 25) since the last time I attempted to count the number of bird species I have seen: in my life, in a year, in a politically defined area within Australia (although I don’t think I have ever done that), at a location (except for at my Garden Bird Survey site in Canberra but that was because for many years I ran the survey for the Canberra Ornithologists Group and so I built the database had all the stats and data on everyone and did all the analysis).
Yes I have seen a number of bird species new to me since the last time I tried to count them. But I don’t know that number. That number usually decreases with each new year and is not huge, because I can’t afford to travel much. The only exception to that decline was in 2005 when I went to Cairns and 2009 when I went to China. I still enjoyed each one before and after that 25 years and pretty much know what they were, when and where.
I am also far more interested in bird behaviour and conservation etc. Maybe I am contra weird in a community of strange people who think all these numbers are important. Of course whatever are your preferences that is good for you.
I just wanted to make a point (not start an argument) that one can contribute well to the field and get to know birds well and yet not be aware of what those numbers on a personal list are. The other point is that I really hate the vagueness of the expression “a number of”.
Philip
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