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Do some of us take ourselves too seriously? If
you saw the House Crow, good for you, count it or don't count it. What does it
matter?
I haven't counted the number of species I've
encountered for about 15 years, so I have no idea. That lapse does not impact
adversely on my effectiveness as an ornithologist, nor as a conservation
advocate, nor my enjoyment of the hobby. It is not that I am averse to numerical
data, far from it. I manage a very sophisticated long term database of bird
records for COG. That has figures on every imaginable interpretation of the data
that has a real value to a consistent survey with a defined method. Personal
lists are just that, personal. As to whether my last new species was my 475th,
340th or 522nd, who cares? It was there and I enjoyed it.
Of course others will have different views but I for one think
blah about any more on this issue.
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