Tennessee Birders by the Numbers: 2012 (Vol. 8), Special Issue The Top 100: A Quarter Century of State and Province Birding, 1988-2012 Welcome to the Tennessee Birders by the Numbers (TBN) report for 2012. Given that the ABA has a new interactive reporting system and that birders and the ABA are still working out the various bugs, I decided to make this volume a Special Issue. When Jeff Wilson died I was working on a project to see how Jeff compared to other local (state and province) birders in the ABA area. In the past, we have seen that Jeff dominated Big Years in Tennessee (Vol. 7), by holding 23, or 46%, of the 50 highest TN Big Years, and 11, or 77.3% of the top 15 highest Big Years. We have also seen that for 2007 (Vol. 3), Jeff ranked 4th among all birders across all states and provinces, having identified 95.1% of the birds on the official TN list (that year, Bud Johnson was first with 95.5% of the birds for the state of Arizona). While these statistics help to show how important Jeff was as a birder, Big Years may not be representative because many birders do not do Big Years, and the comparative percentage of state/province birds is highly dependent on the particular state/province (among other things, the likelihood of rare birds may be an important factor), and of course one year's result may also be unrepresentative. So it bothered me that we did not know more. Thus, the question I wanted to ask was: how does Jeff's ranking on the TN list over the last 25 years compare to all birders in all states and provinces in this last quarter century, 1988-2012? The list of the Top 100 state and province birders below is the result. It includes data for the 40 highest ranking birders over 25 years in each of the 63 states and provinces (Hawaii was included, as was DC, but there are no ABA results for the newest Canadian province of Nunavut--with the exception of 2012--and the French islands of St. Pierre et Miquelon.), or roughly 40 x 25 x 63 = 63,000 data points, covering the 2,500 highest ranking state and province birders in the ABA area. Without boring readers with the methodological specifics (email me if you are interested), the structure of the data allowed for the use of a reverse numbering system where a rank of 1 = 40 points, 2 = 39, 3 = 38...40 = 1, in which the highest possible score was 1,000. A score of 1,000 would mean that the birder had the highest score possible across all states and provinces, and that he or she was the top ranking birder in the relevant state/province for all 25 years. A score of 975 would indicate that the average rank over the 25 years was 2, 950 = 3, 925 = 4, etc. Now, as an apology I have to admit that while I just said that I was working on this project when Jeff died, the fact of the matter is that I had been working on it for quite some time (indeed, for more than a year), and that my own professional activities got in the way. But, of course, that is only an excuse. Frankly, if I had just worked a little more on the project Jeff would have been able to see these findings. I did not know Jeff was ill and while something seemed wrong when I met him when looking for the Ash-throated Flycatcher in Memphis, he seemed himself when he quickly jumped out of his truck to get a better look at the bird. So my regret, and it is a significant one, is that Jeff is not here to see these results. I feel badly about that but hopeful that the many people who supported him over the years will only have more of a reason to do so now. In the following Top 100 list the state abbreviations are not the home state/province of the birder (although that is the case for most of the birders on the list), but the particular state/province on which the birder's score was based. This can be seen more clearly, for example, when looking at the 10th ranked birder on the list, Gordon Grieef, at a score of 984 for Manitoba, who is also on the list for Saskatchewan for a score of 897. Other birders with scores for more than one state/province are also presented, and note that while it did not make the Top 100, Jeff had a score of 844 (rank of 132), for the state of Mississippi, and a score of 806 for Arkansas (generally speaking, scores less than 837-rank of 142, were not calculated for ranks). Of course, many of our more national TN birders will be quite familiar with the names on this list, all of whom have been at the top of state and province birding in the ABA area over the last 25 years. And be sure to note not only Jeff's extraordinary performance for TN, but other Tennessee birders on the list: Daniel Jacobson with a score of 929 (rank of 46), and John Henderson, 875, at a rank of 95. Still other TN birders not on the Top 100 list scored well, Dollyann Myers with a score of 854 (rank of 122), and Kathy Jacobson with 851 (rank of 126). If you are not on the list and wondering why, remember that the list generally involves high ranks in the 25 years of the study. If you are interested in calculating your own score but are having problems let me know. While I am a newcomer to Tennessee compared to many TN birders, and mainly interested in total ticks, let me offer that I broke the 40 rank level in 1995 when I ranked 34 on the TN list, and by calculating up through 2012 I end up with a score of 175 out of 1,000 for the 1988-2012 period. Not sure what that overall ranking would be, but it is not exactly something to crow about! But this is: in summary, these data (63K strong and covering about 2,500 birders), show that Jeff Wilson, with a score of 955 out of 1,000, was the second highest ranking state and province birder in the ABA area (including HI) in the last quarter century, 1988-2012. The Top 100 list that follows includes the rank (1-100); the score (0-1,000, effectively 871-1,000); the birder's name; the state/province abbreviation for the place in which the score was produced; the last year of listing activity for the birder and the number of birds on the list at that time; and a reference to an additional score if the birder has more than one score on the list. The Top 100 1. 997 Robert Janssen (MN), 2012, 405 2. 955 Jeff Wilson (TN), 2012, 388 4.-t 990 Frank Mantlik (CT), 2012, 380 4.-t 990 Paul O'Brien (MD), 2012, 407 5. 989 Edward Hopkins (IN), 2012, 384 6. 987 Don Roberson (CA), 2012, 604 8.-t 985 Gene Knight (MS), 2012, 380 8.-t 985 Daniel Finizia (RI), 2012, 384 10.-t 984 Reginald David (HI), 2012, 236 10.-t 984 Gordon Grieef (MB), 2012, 359, and see 897 11. 981 Charles Wes Biggs (FL), 2012, 474 12. 979 H. Thomas Bartlett (OH), 2012, 370 13. 975 Roger Foxall (NS), 2012, 363 15.-t 974 Harry LeGrand (NC), 2012, 433 15.-t 974 Paul Sykes (FL), 2012, 457, and see 876 16. 964 Steve West (NM), 2012, 483 17. 962 James Haw (IN), 2012, 370 20.-t 960 Mark Brogie (NE), 2012, 405 20.-t 960 David Eastela (MO), 2011, 331 20.-t 960 Alan Wormington (ON), 2011, 438, and see 905 21. 959 Frank Paul (ME), 2012, 351 22. 956 Caroline Eastman (SC), 2012, 376 25.-t 955 Glenn Belyea (MI), 2012, 395 25.-t 955 Christopher Escott (SK), 2011, 312 25.-t 955 Daryl Tessen (WI), 2011, 407 27.-t 954 Bob Morse (WA), 2012, 434 27.-t 954 Kenneth Ward (NY), 2011, 435, and see 882 28. 950 Mike Rader (KS), 2012, 434 29. 949 Sheran Wright (OR), 2012, 462 30. 947 David Lambeth (ND), 2011, 366 32.-t 946 Helen Carlson (MT), 2011, 382 32.-t 946 Bruce Garrett (CA), 2012, 600 34.-t 945 Richard Rosche (SD), 2012, 334, and see 880 34.-t 945 LaRue Wells (MI), 2012, 393 35. 942 Gordon Tufts (NS), 2012, 344 37.-t 940 Thomas Heatley (MI), 2012, 387, and see 890 37.-t 940 Elton Stilwell (TX), 2011, 597 38.-t 939 High Willoughby (RI), 2012, 366 39. 937 Robert Bradley (AZ), 2012, 490 40. 936 Jo Ann Mackenzie (BC), 2012, 411 42.-t 934 Kenneth Thorpe (PQ), 2012, 308 42.-t 934 Carolyn Titus (NV), 2012, 425 43. 933 Bernard Morris (PA), 2012, 361 44. 932 Larry Peavler (IN), 2012, 371 46.-t 929 Daniel Jacobson (TN), 2011, 365 46.-t 929 Shannon Knight (MS), 2012, 368 48.-t 928 Hugh Currie (ON), 2012, 432 48.-t 928 Nancy Newfield (LA), 2011, 412 49. 929 Tobert Stymeist (MA), 2012, 446 50. 922 William Drummond (MA), 2012, 435 54.-t 920 Wendell Argabrite (WV), 2012, 310 54.-t 920 Jeff Gilligan (OR), 2010, 489 54.-t 920 Barbara Padelford (NE), 2010, 391 54.-t 920 David Stirling (BC), 2012, 424 56.-t 919 Ted Cable (KS), 2012, 435 56.-t 919 Richard Rosche (NE) 2012, 361, and see 945 57. 918 N. Bruce Broadbooks (CA), 2011, 591 58. 917 Galen Pittman (KS), 2012, 431 59. 916 Jeffrey Sanders (IL), 2011, 399 60. 914 William Bouton (MI),2012, 366 62.-t 912 Richard Cannings (YT), 2010, 172 62.-t 912 Paul Dejardins (CT), 2011, 363 63. 910 Larry Gorbet (NM), 2012, 480 64. 908 Graig Provost (VT), 2012, 309 65. 907 Janet Witzeman (AZ), 501 67.-t 905 Wayne Weber (BC), 2012, 426 67.-t 905 Alan Wormington (NT), 2011, 157 69.-t 901 Paul Bauer (MO), 2011, 370 69.-t 901 David Goodwin (FL), 2012, 456 70. 899 B.J. Rose (SD), 2010, 342 72.-t 897 Gordon Grieef (SK), 2012, 234, and see 984 72.-t 897 Byron Swift (DC), 2011, 231 73. 896 George Schottler (CO), 2011, 460 75.-t 894 James Frank (WI), 2012, 363 75.-t 894 Jim Fuller (IA), 2011, 388 76. 893 Robert Duncan (AL), 2012, 376 77. 892 Ann Miller (AL), 2010, 375 78. 891 Wayne Neily (MB), 2011, 339 79. 890 Thomas Heatley (WV), 2012, 204, and see 940 80. 886 Lee McNeely (KY), 2012, 294 81. 885 Tom Garrer (PA), 2011, 367 82. 884 Kenneth Burden (WA), 2012, 419 86.-t 882 David Horn (OH), 2012, 365 86.-t 882 Ken Knittle (WA), 2011, 418 86.-t 882 Jeri McMahon (OK), 2010, 419 86.-t 882 Kenneth Ward (VT), 2011, 328, and see 954 87. 881 Larry Neily (NS), 2012, 284 88. 880 Paul Pisano (MD), 2012, 398 89. 877 Hank Kaestner (MD), 2011, 371 91.-t 876 Steve Compton (SC), 2012, 355 91.-t 876 Paul Sykes (VA), 2012, 357, and see 974) 95.-t 875 Brad Hammond (ID), 2012, 316 95.-t 875 John Henderson (TN), 2011, 360 95.-t 875 Bernard Master (OH), 2012, 368 95.-t 875 Russell Tkachuk (MB), 2011, 330 96. 874 Bob Bates (AZ), 2012, 500 100.-t 873 James Brown (MT), 2012, 356 100.-t 873 Loren Padelford (NE), 2011, 390 100.-t 873 Wayne Weber (MS), 2010, 364 100.-t 873 John Wright (NC), 2011, 419 To all that we know about Jeff these data add that he was a local birder with a truly national standing. He will be missed and I submit, and these data certainly show, not easily forgotten. Some Top 100 Statistics 51 states/provinces, including DC, are on the list: 42 states and DC, and 8 Canadian provinces. Michigan and Nebraska have the most birders on the list with 4, and 13 states and provinces have 3 birders on the list, including TN: Jeff Wilson, Daniel Jacobson and John Henderson. Among the states and provinces that are not on the Top 100 list, the following are the highest scoring birders in those areas: AK: Macklin Smith, 818 AR: Don Simmons, 809 DE: Colin Campbell, 861, rank of 115 GA: Bruce Dralle, 864, rank of 111 NH: Alan Delorey, 831 NJ: Richard Ryan, 837, rank of 142 UT: Parker Gay, 820 WY: James Lawrence, 847, rank of 130 AB: David Stirling, 867, rank of 109 NB: Eric Tull, 854, rank of 122 NF: Blake Maybank, 720 PE: Eric Tull, 741 Among the states and provinces that ARE on the Top 100 list, the following are the second ranking birders on state/province lists who did not make it into the top 100: DC: Elton Stilwell, 728, and see 940 HI: Douglas Pratt, 805 ID: John Gatchet, 783 IL: Richard Palmer, 809 IA: Thomas Kent, 851, rank of 126 KY: Larry Peavler, 869, rank of 105 LA: James Holmes, Jr., 838, rank of 138 ME: James Hinds, 843, rank of 134 MN: Richard Wachter, 867, rank of 109 NV: Marian Cressman, 834 NY: Jeanne Skell, 784 ND: Robert O'Connor, 837, rank of 142 OK: Jimmy Woodward, 868, rank of 107 TX: Charles and Mary Gambill, 863, rank of 113 VA: Valarie Kitchens, 869, rank of 105 NT: Wayne Neily, 837, rank of 142, and see 891 PQ: Roger Foxal, 869, rank of 105 YT: Wayne Neily, 821, and see 891 The median score (0-1,000), on the Top 100 list was 921, the mean bird list for the most recent (indicated) year was 389, with a range from 157 (NT) to 604 (CA). Of the Top 100, 65 birders last reported results for 2012, 28 for 2011, and 7 for 2010. Note that I waited until today, March 31, 2013, for birders to report. Of the birders on the list 97 began reporting at the beginning of the period, 1988, and only one, Wendell Argabrite (920, WV), began reporting as late as 1990--Argabrite has a number one ranking in West Virginia since that time. Six birders have two scores on the Top 100 list: Gordon Grieef (984, MB and 897,SK); Thomas Heatley (940, MI and 890, WV); Paul Sykes (974 and 876, VA); Richard Rosche (945, SD and 886, NE); Kenneth Ward (954, NY and 882, VT), and Alan Wormington (960, ON and 905, NT). Other than Jeff, discussed above, several birders on the Top 100 list have additional scores that just missed the list: Larry Peavler (932, IN and 869, KY-rank of 105); Ted Cable (919, KS and 845, IN-rank of 131); David Stirling (920, BC and 867, AB-rank of 109); and Wayne Neily (891, MB and both: 837, NT-rank of 142 and 850, NS-rank of 127. Also, Eric Tull has three scores that barely missed the top 100: 854, NB-rank of 122; 848, AB-rank of 129; and 838, NT-rank of 139. Finally, as I was going through the data I was struck by how important it appears to be to have a spouse in the game. These were the highly ranked married birders I could easily identify: Gene and Sharron Knight (985 and 929, MS); Caroline Eastman and Robin Carter (956 and 761, SC), and note that Robin, the 15th all-time highest total ticker, is deceased and was not listing after 2007; our own Daniel and Kathy Jacobson (929 and 851, TN), Barbara and Loren Padelford (920 and 873, NE), Richard and Gloria Watcher (867-rank of 109, and 860-rank of 116, MN), and Charles and Mary Gambill (863 and 863-rank of 113, TX). Perhaps a birding dating service is in order. Speaking of the Gambills and marriages, perhaps the most competitive state/province in the last 25 years was Texas, where Barbara and John Ribble (who I knew briefly in my youth), competed for the number one ranking with Elton Stilwell. The three were tied in 1988, but the Ribbles lost the top spot to Stilwell in 1991-93. They took it back in 1994, only to lose it again in 1995. The Ribbles then tied with Stilwell in 1997-98, and then went ahead in the 1999-2005 period. Yet, they lost the top spot again in 2006, and were no longer listing in 2007 (they ended up with a score of 749 for the quarter century). In that same year the Gambills took the top spot and held it through 2009, only to tie with Stilwell in 2010-11. Neither party has listed for 2012, but I for one really want to know how this important state comes out in the end, especially since the 2011 tie was at 597 birds, second highest in the entire ABA area! I also observed in several states/provinces that several birders who had lost their number one ranking then stopped listing, perhaps confusing the year's battle with the war. What Jeff, the other birders in the Top 100, total tickers, and many other birders understand is that birding is a lifetime activity in which the greatest satisfactions come when you stay in the game, "win" or "lose." Going Forward: Millennium List, 2001-2012 and Beyond In the future it may be of interest to limit the total years of the Top 100 to a millennium list, state and province birders beginning with January 1, 2001. While the following are somewhat preliminary (because they only include birders who were listed in the 1988-91 period), these are the findings but only restricted to the top 10 birders and the TN list (a score of 480 is the highest possible). 1. 480 Jeff Wilson 2. 428 Daniel Jacobson 3. 422 Dollyann Myers 5.-t 416 John Henderson 5.-t 416 Michael Todd 6. 399 Terry Witt 7. 391 Kathy Jacobson 8. 388 David Chaffin 9. 363 Tommie Rogers 10. 319 Rick Knight I hope to have a more complete list on the next TBN. Note that in order to produce this list and some other statistics birders should report their previous year's results in January of the following year, and I expect to put together the previous year's results (on the TBN), as of the end of the following January. Well, that is it for the TBN 2012 Special Issue report, a kind of unexpected memorial report for Jeff as it turned out. I apologize in advance for any errors. If I have made a mistake let me know and I'll make the change asap. The usual TBN report will be back for 2013, hopefully earlier in February of 2014. Finally, several people have asked me how my quest for my life goal of 10,000 total ticks was going. The answer is that while I missed a couple of good TN birds including the Harlequin Duck and of course the longspur, I did pick up my 9,998 and 9,999th bird visiting my daughter at college--my 15th out-of-state trip to AL (no other state has as many OSTs for me now; KY comes in second with 12). I hope to go on two trips in May so I have about a month for a good TN bird to get me to 10,000! I still have a couple of easy ones left. And I just heard the great news about our Hooded Crane! Too bad it can't be the 10,000th bird. Remember, you can't list your ABA totals unless you are a member of the American Birding Association (www.americanbirding.org). I believe the Individual and Joint membership will continue to be $45 and $52, and that includes a subscription to Birding and the new interactive web site. Always be good to birds and generous to birders of all stripes, and keep Jeff in your thoughts. Good birding and good totaling! Kevin Breault Brentwood, TN www.mtsu.edu/~kbreault Canadian abbreviations: AB = Alberta BC = British Columbia MB = Manitoba NB = New Brunswick NF = Newfoundland and Labrador NT = Northwest Territories NS = Nova Scotia ON = Ontario PE = Prince Edward island PQ = Quebec SK = Saskatchewan YT = Yukon Territory