I’ve been sorting out my 2008 year list and realize with dismay, tempered by no small amount of delight, that I’ve stalled a single species shy of 400. Since I can’t rustle up a new bird in the next 12 hours, I have to work with what’s already been seen. Help a brother out… if you’ve birded with me this past year and want to comb through my list for potential seen or heard species I’ve missed (why you’d want to, I don’t know) you’d have my eternal gratitude. Consider this another diabolical quiz!
Mike is a leading authority in the field of standardized test preparation, but he's also a traveler who fully expects to see every bird in the world. Besides founding 10,000 Birds in 2003, Mike has also created a number of other entertaining but now extirpated nature blog resources, particularly the Nature Blog Network and I and the Bird.
Just having a quick scan I notice groove-billed ani on there but not smooth billed. I’m surprised you didn’t pick that up in Guatemala
Carolina Wren.
You’re welcome.
Tai, the only ani we saw in Guate was groove-billed. Isn’t smooth-billed more of a Caribbean species?
Corey, thanks! What a relief.
Do you have parakeets, canaries or cockatiels? Go to the local petshop! They will have some birds you probably don’t have 😉
Mike, I’ve never birded with you, but I noticed that you don’t have Eastern Phoebe on your list. Are you sure you missed this common Northeastern bird?
Larry, you’re a genius. Of course I’ve seen tons of Eastern Phoebes this year. Clearly, I need to go birding with a guy as sharp-eyed as you are.
Joseph, I’m afraid that your answer was not quite as brilliant. But you’re going to love Parrot Month here in January 2009!
We can sigh a collective breath of relief now that you found your 400. I was about to remind you of that pterodactyl we saw on Doran Road….Happy New Year, indeed.
May 2009 bring us all many wonderful new birds!
Laura
Brilliant, Mike. Not many people get E. Phoebe with hours to go in December. 😉
Congrats on 400. This reminds me that I haven’t tallied my lists in about a year and a half. Time to hit the books…
White-throated Sparrow? If you keep this up, you might end up at 500!
Congrats on a great year. Can you tell my wife is sick and we’re home for New Year’s Eve?
Happy New Year!
Hey Mike,
I posted this comment on your list page by mistake instead of this post:
I briefly looked over the list just in case I spotted anything. Unfortunately, something did catch my eye. I see that you have both Mallard and Mexican Mallard on the list. If you’re going by the ABA standards you’ll have to drop one as they don’t recognize them as separate species. I also checked the AOU checklist, and they don’t either.
If some other list does differentiate, and you wish to go by that, that’s cool.
Sorry to be a killjoy 🙁
I feel for you, Patrick. That happened to us last year. Thanks for pointing out another obvious species.
Grant, you’re exactly right that ABA and AOU don’t accept Mexican Mallard as a distinct species any more. I’ve been adopting the new IOC taxonomy lately, especially when it suits me!