[TN-Bird] Re: Tennessee Birders by the Numbers: 2008

James Brooks uses the right word for listing, but he doesn't extend it as far 
as it needs to be extended, which is right down to the very last personal list.

Steve Stedman
Cookeville, TN


-----Original Message-----
From: tn-bird-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:tn-bird-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On 
Behalf Of jameswbrooks@xxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Monday, June 29, 2009 7:38 AM
To: kbreault@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Cc: tn-bird
Subject: [TN-Bird] Re: Tennessee Birders by the Numbers: 2008



Dear Kevin - 

Thanks for taking the time to go through the ABA list totals, but you did 
overlook the only list total that really matters - the World Life List. 

Also, if you took the trouble to include Mexico and South America, you should 
take a look at West Indies/Caribbean. 



These new games the ABA has added, like total tickies, where you just count the 
same bird over and over in different areas, are pretty silly to me. Are you 
willing to undergo the expense to travel to every continent on the globe to see 
new life birds? There's the challenge. 

The other challenge is to see if you can find eveything within a partcular 
area. However, It's unlikely I'll return to the Caribbean. Although the 10 
species I could still find in Jamaica is intriguing it's an area that has 
reached diminishing returns for me, as has the lower 48. Going to Alaska to 
seek Asian species strikes me as expensive and a bit crazy when you can find 
hundreds of them during migration in China and Hong Kong. 



It's much tougher birding in Afro-Eurasia because people trap and shoot all 
species while they are cutting down the habitat as quickly as they can. But you 
can find thousands of species if you are willing the dedicate yourself to the 
quest and assume the risks you incur for your great adventures. This spring on 
Mindanao we were tracking down hornbills and Imperial pigeons just a step ahead 
of the chain saws, which we heard everywhere. It was a five hour drive into the 
area on non-existant roads with burned out trucks dotting the landscape from 
loggers who failed to pay "taxes" to the New People's Army. My brother-in-law, 
on leave from fighting MILF Muslim rebels, carried a .45 strapped to his thigh 
and watched my back, while also carrying my scope. 



If I were to win the lottery tomorrow, my first destination would be South 
Africa, followed by Panama, Equador and the Galapagos. Otherwise I'll return to 
Mindanao for family obligations and pursue the Philippine Eagle and Bukidnon 
Woodcock, followed by a trip to Palawan. On my last trip I got  Zamboanga 
Bulbul safely out of its normal range in the combat zone with the MILF, an 
unexpected treat. 



James Brooks
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=================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER=====================

The TN-Bird Net requires you to SIGN YOUR MESSAGE with
first and last name, CITY (TOWN) and state abbreviation.
You are also required to list the COUNTY in which the birds
you report were seen.  The actual DATE OF OBSERVATION should
appear in the first paragraph.
_____________________________________________________________
      To post to this mailing list, simply send email to:
                    tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
_____________________________________________________________ 
                To unsubscribe, send email to:
                 tn-bird-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
            with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field.
______________________________________________________________
  TN-Bird Net is owned by the Tennessee Ornithological Society 
       Neither the society(TOS) nor its moderator(s)
        endorse the views or opinions expressed
        by the members of this discussion group.
 
         Moderator: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN
                 wallace@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
                ------------------------------
                Assistant Moderator Andy Jones
                         Cleveland, OH
                -------------------------------
               Assistant Moderator Dave Worley
                          Rosedale, VA
__________________________________________________________
         
          Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society
              web site at http://www.tnbirds.org
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

                          ARCHIVES
 TN-Bird Net Archives at http://www.freelists.org/archives/tn-bird/

                       MAP RESOURCES
Tenn.Counties Map at http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/states/tennessee3.gif
Aerial photos to complement google maps http://local.live.com

_____________________________________________________________

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