Big Year 2012 Congratulations

[Scott Ryan <>]

Each to their own.......

From: Philip Veerman <>
To:
Sent: Tuesday, 1 January 2013 5:37 PM
Subject: RE: [canberrabirds] Big Year 2012 Congratulations

There is a very similar discussion going on about an Australian year total on Birding-aus.

 

I suspect the reason for "I know when I have done “twitchathons” that there are rules to be followed, and that teams I have been in have followed these rules completely" is the very wise aspect that these are fundraising efforts and thus there is a serious reason to have rules, to ensure fairness in obtaining sponsorship funds from uninvolved people. Like not having jockeys place bets on races they are in.

 

Beyond that, I wonder who would set up any “governing bodies” to do this. I would hope people have better things to do. There would be inevitable disagreements. Even so there is still trust involved in every bird survey reported, purely for logistic reasons. We (or I hope you) simply make value judgements to trust that I am correct in recognising and counting Galahs on my GBS Chart.

 

Yes 209 species is an impressive total. Beyond that, my humble or irrelevant opinion is I don't care what rules or grand total anyone achieves on this. I care about what information exists on the status of birds, how many live where, but whether John or Mary have whatever number of them on a year or whatever list, is of nil interest to me. If their data is submitted to the record, that is great. I have never contemplated a year list or life list or similar. Only thing that comes close is a GBS year list but that is only as a by product of the methods of the survey. Sure it is fun to achieve a great success on something that is pleasant. That someone may have the significant financial resources for vast amounts of travel and someone else who may be just as good an observer and is for whatever reason pretty much restricted to no travel makes a competition pretty empty.

 

And for what little it is worth, my first 2013 species is Koel (heard from my bed), followed by Mistletoebird.

 

Philip

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Mark Clayton [
Sent: Tuesday, 1 January 2013 9:09 AM
To: 'Scott Ryan';
Subject: RE: [canberrabirds] Big Year 2012 Congratulations

G’day Scott and all,

 

Do you know what Brendan’s “top” species were?

 

Just out of curiosity, are there any rules or “governing bodies” that vet records for these sorts of exercises or is the whole thing done on “trust”? I know when I have done “twitchathons” that there are rules to be followed, and that teams I have been in have followed these rules completely. Does anyone know what the OFFICIAL record is for the ACT, where records of vagrants etc have been through the rarities committee?

 

So far my ACT 2013 list is ............... Australian Magpie and Pied Currawong but I did sleep in this morning – I can hear a Common Blackbird calling, does that count?. That’s 208 (207 with the blackbird) to go to beat Brendan ....!!!

 

Happy New Year all,

Mark

 

From: Scott Ryan [
Sent: Tuesday, 1 January 2013 7:42 AM
To:
Subject: [canberrabirds] Big Year 2012 Congratulations

 

Happy New Year, Canberra Birders!!

 

Just a quick note to say a big congratulations to Brendan Sheean on his first crack at an ACT 'Big Year'.

 

I believe his final tally was 209, a very impressive total, & I believe second only to Milburn for the year.

 

Well done to all & happy birding for 2013. Lets hope this year may bring us some rarities again :-)

 

Scott Ryan