Stuck at 291

Disclaimer:

Admittedly blogging (Web-logging) of any kind; subject, theme, topic, etc. exists primarily to satisfy the needs and desires of the individual blogger.  Those "needs" vary from pure, unadulterated narcissism to casual FYI, but the general message is intended to catalog/capture the blog-writer's thoughts and experiences at that time.  It's really like a "dear diary" entry that the entire world could see if it wanted.  Consequently the blog that follows, will exist first and foremost to document a time-stamp intended for my amusement but secondarily; to relay information to any potential reader for the purposes of entertainment and possible comparison of experience.

Now, having said that let me ask you (dear reader) a question; do you keep personal lists?  By its very nature the list is a compiled assortment of words and phrases intended to engender a memory.  Memories can be pleasant or unpleasant right?  I personally prefer the pleasant ones; so for the purposes of this blog entry we will focus on those lists.  Pleasant lists can be for entertainment, information, achievement, goals, expectations, or for pure pleasure.  Lists may cause you to do something or they may merely log something already done.  My favorite list kept, is my birding "Life List."

A birding Life List is simply a record of all the birds you have seen in your "life." These can be by species alone (as in "I saw my first American robin at...such and such a place on such and such a date.") or they can be a list of EACH time you see an American robin. It's basically your choice...it's your list. However to be bird-ifically correct (which I hardly ever am) your Life List must be (according to Melissa Mayntz; contributer to About.com) "A cumulative record of bird species that have been positively identified and seen by individual birders. Most birders prefer to record only birds they have observed in natural habitats, and many birders arrange birding tours and travel to local and regional festivals to see more species to add to their life lists. Differences within species, such as male and female birds, are not generally recorded.  Many field guides offer species checklists as an appendix that birders can use to record their life lists. Some birders also prefer to keep life list records in an online birding journal. Additional lists may be kept for backyard birds, rare birds, state birds and other specialized categories."  

I once tried to be helpful and registered with Wikipedia and tried to create a Wiki-page called the "Lifelist." I entered everything I knew about the how to and why to and whatever history I could about the topic, only to have (those people) PULL the thing down telling me that there "was no such thing" as a Lifelist.  That was discouraging.  Perhaps because I didn't insert the "space" in between "life" and "list?"  They also said I didn't provide enough page "references."  Pshaw!  Who needs a reference for a list anyway?  Here is what exists (they allowed) at the present time, on their site.  Humph...they even took umbrage to my using the word "birdwatcher" as a single word...can you imagine!?  Pin-headed, pencil neck (non-birdwatching) e-critics...

I have been keeping several birding lists since 2003.  Two I regularly update are my (A: every time I have positively identified a previously unlisted species, and my B: each time I see the same species, each year and throughout the year) lists.  You might ask yourself why I'd want to record each time I see an American robin right?  The answer is simple; I (personally) want to see from year to year and from location to location, the information about American robins that I have collected.  More importantly to those who religiously report to eBird; the data is invaluable to scientists and ecology-minded individuals who track the various species from month to month and from year to year.  I know to the lay person and non-birder the entire process is completely nerdy and dumb, but to birders it is fun and exciting.  Hell, each time I score an FOY I am over the moon with joy as I tap into my smartphone, the date, species, location, habitat and time of day.  But then again; it takes so little to make me happy.

Oh yes I did!

In a future blog I will be reviewing the various "APPS" that are available for your own smartphone if you want to go to the "next level" of bird watching.  I currently use the one from Audubon, however many people swear by others.  I actually really loved my Palm Pilot APP before it became uncool and dorky to even show it in public.  But then again; I said I'd cover that later.  For now I want to share with you (appease my own self-interests) and paste my very own (single species identified) Lifelist on this blog entry...you're welcome.  While I haven't been off the "mainland" to any exotic countries in pursuit of avian life in my mere eleven years of watching; I have been to, and listed, some great birds at Ponca State Park...and that's something.  I know...you're jealous right?

Last	First	Location seen
Avocet	American	Yellowstone National Park
Bittern	American	Tomahawk, WI
Blackbird	Brewer's	Chicago Botanical Gardens, IL
Blackbird	Red-winged	Rhinelander, WI
Blackbird	Rusty	Underwood Creek, Wauwatosa, WI
Blackbird	Yellow-headed	Yellowstone National Park
Bluebird	Eastern	Havenwoods State Forest, Milwaukee, WI
Bluebird	Mountain	Rocky Mountain National Park
Bluebird	Western	Kit Carson Park, Escondido, CA
Bobwhite	Northern	Dousman, WI
Bunting	Indigo	Dousman, WI
Bunting	Lark	Ponca State Park, NE
Bunting	Lazuli	Ponca State Park, NE
Cardinal	Northern	Rhinelander, WI
Catbird	Gray	Enderis Park (Home), WI
Chickadee	Black-capped	Rhinelander, WI
Chickadee	Boreal	Rocky Mountain National Park
Chickadee	Carolina	Lake Guntersville State Park, AL
Chickadee	Chestnut-backed	Yellowstone National Park
Chickadee	Mountain	Yellowstone National Park
Coot	American	St. Andrew's Beach State Park, FLA
Cormorant	Brandt's	South Beach State Park, OR
Cormorant	Double-crested	Peninsula State Park, WI
Cormorant	Pelagic	South Beach State Park, OR
Cowbird	Brown-headed	Rhinelander, WI
Crane	Sandhill	Ottowa State Park, Delafield, WI
Creeper	Brown	Lake Park, Milwaukee, WI
Crossbill	White-winged	County Grounds / Cemetery, Wauwatosa, WI
Crow	American	Rhinelander, WI
Cuckoo	Common	St. Andrew's Beach State Park, FLA
Dipper	American	Rocky Mountain National Park
Dove	Eurasian Collared	St. Andrew's Beach State Park, FLA
Dove	Ground	St. Andrew's Beach State Park, FLA
Dove	Mourning	Rhinelander, WI
Dove	Ringed Turtle	St. Andrew's Beach State Park, FLA
Dove	Rock	Rhinelander, WI
Duck	American Black	Grant Park, Milwaukee, WI
Duck	Harlequin	Haystack Rock, OR
Duck	Mottled	Orlando, FLA
Duck	Ring-necked	Horicon Marsh
Duck	Ruddy	Horicon Marsh
Duck	Wood	County Grounds / Cemetery, Wauwatosa, WI
Eagle	Bald	Rhinelander, WI
Egret	Cattle	Orlando, FLA
Egret	Great	Orlando, FLA
Egret	Reddish	Orlando, FLA
Egret	Snowy	Orlando, FLA
Falcon	Prairie	Ponca State Park, NE
Finch	Cassin's	Yellowstone National Park
Finch	House	Enderis Park (Home), WI
Finch	Purple	Rhinelander, WI
Flicker	Red-shafted Northern	Ponca State Park, NE
Flicker	Yellow-Shafted Northern	Rhinelander, WI
Flycatcher	Acadian	Black River Flowage, Kohler-Andrae SP, WI
Flycatcher	Alder	Hart Park, Wauwatosa, WI
Flycatcher	Great Crested	Lake Guntersville State Park, AL
Flycatcher	Least	Broughton Sheboygan Marsh
Flycatcher	Scissor-tailed	Durango State Park, KS
Flycatcher	Vermillion	Kartchner Caverns State Park, AZ
Flycatcher	Willow	Black River Flowage, Kohler-Andrae SP, WI
Gallinule	Purple	Panama City, FLA
Gannet	Northern	Cape San Blas, FLA
Gnatcatcher	Blue-gray	Brookfield, WI
Goldeneye	Common	Lake Shore Park, Milwaukee, WI
Goldfinch	American	Rhinelander, WI
Goldfinch	Lesser	Imperial Drive Escondido, CA
Goose	Canada	Rhinelander, WI
Goose	Snow	Hayward, WI
Grackle	Boat-tailed	Mustang Island, TX
Grackle	Common	Rhinelander, WI
Grebe	Pied-billed	County Grounds / Cemetery, Wauwatosa, WI
Grebe	Western	Lake Hodges, CA
Grosbeak	Blue	St. Andrew's Beach State Park, FLA
Grosbeak	Evening	Rhinelander, WI
Grosbeak	Rose-breasted	Rhinelander, WI
Grouse	Ruffed	Treehaven, Rhinelander, WI
Gull	Bonaparte's	St. Andrew's Beach State Park, FLA
Gull	California	Lincoln City, OR
Gull	Heermann's	Lincoln City, OR
Gull	Herring	Grand Marais, MN
Gull	Laughing	St. Andrew's Beach State Park, FLA
Gull	Ring-billed	Grand Marais, MN
Harrier	Northern	Broughton Sheboygan Marsh
Hawk	Broad-winged	Lake Park, Milwaukee, WI
Hawk	Cooper's	Enderis Park (Home), WI
Hawk	Red-shouldered	Lake Louisa State Park, FLA
Hawk	Red-tailed	Hart Park, Wauwatosa, WI
Hawk	Sharp-shinned	Hart Park, Wauwatosa, WI
Heron	Black-crowned Night	Cedar Point, OH
Heron	Great Blue	Rhinelander, WI
Heron	Green	St. Andrew's Beach State Park, FLA
Heron	Little Blue	St. Andrew's Beach State Park, FLA
Heron	Tricolored	St. Andrew's Beach State Park, FLA
Hummingbird	Anna's	Imperial Drive Escondido, CA
Hummingbird	Black-chinned	Kartchner Caverns State Park, AZ
Hummingbird	Ruby-throated	Rhinelander, WI
Ibis	White	Lake Louisa State Park, FLA
Jay	Blue	Rhinelander, WI
Jay	Gray	Rocky Mountain National Park
Jay	Steller's	Rocky Mountain National Park
Junco	Dark-eyed	Rhinelander, WI
Kestrel	American	Havenwoods State Forest, Milwaukee, WI
Kingbird	Cassin's	Imperial Drive Escondido, CA
Kingbird	Eastern	Hart Park, Wauwatosa, WI
Kingfisher	Belted	Menominee River Parkway, Wauwatosa, WI
Kinglet	Golden-crowned	Menominee River Parkway, Wauwatosa, WI
Kinglet	Ruby-crowned	Menominee River Parkway, Wauwatosa, WI
Kite	Swallow-tailed	Lake Louisa State Park, FLA
Lark	Horned	Rhinelander, WI
Loon	Common	Rhinelander, WI
Loon	Pacific	South Beach State Park, OR
Magpie	Black-billed	Yellowstone National Park
Martin	Purple	Lake Guntersville State Park, AL
Meadowlark	Eastern	Havenwoods State Forest, Milwaukee, WI
Meadowlark	Western	Ponca State Park, NE
Merganser	Common	Hayward, WI
Merganser	Hooded	Hayward, WI
Merganser	Red-breasted	Horicon Marsh
Mockingbird	Northern	Cape San Blas, FLA
Moorhen	Common	St. Andrew's Beach State Park, FLA
Nighthawk	Common	Blue Mounds State Park, MN
Nuthatch	Brown-headed	Yellowstone National Park
Nuthatch	Red-breasted	Moon Lake Camp, MI
Nuthatch	White-breasted	Rhinelander, WI
Oriole	Baltimore	Ponca State Park, NE
Oriole	Bullock's	Ponca State Park, NE
Oriole	Hooded	Imperial Drive Escondido, CA
Oriole	Orchard	St. Andrew's Beach State Park, FLA
Owl	Barred	Peninsula State Park, WI
Owl	Great Horned	St. Andrew's Beach State Park, FLA
Oystercatcher	American	Haystack Rock, OR
Oystercatcher	Black	St. Andrew's Beach State Park, FLA
Parula	Northern	St. Andrew's Beach State Park, FLA
Pelican	American White	Peninsula State Park, WI
Pelican	Brown	St. Andrew's Beach State Park, FLA
Pheasant	Ring-necked	Blue Mounds State Park, MN
Phoebe	Black	Imperial Drive Escondido, CA
Phoebe	Eastern	Rhinelander, WI
Pintail	Northern	Horicon Marsh
Plover	Black-bellied	St. Andrew's Beach State Park, FLA
Plover	Semipalmated	St. Andrew's Beach State Park, FLA
Plover	Snowy	St. Andrew's Beach State Park, FLA
Rail	King	Cape San Blas, FLA
Rail	Sora	St. Andrew's Beach State Park, FLA
Raven	Common	Rocky Mountain National Park
Redpoll	Common	Rhinelander, WI
Redstart	American	Peninsula State Park, WI
Robin	American	Rhinelander, WI
Sandpiper	Solitary	Peninsula State Park, WI
Sandpiper	Spotted	Fort Meyers Beach, FL
Sandpiper	Upland	Ponca State Park, NE
Sandpiper	Western	Lake Hodges, CA
Sapsucker	Red-naped	Yellowstone National Park
Sapsucker	Yellow-bellied	Rhinelander, WI
Scaup	Lesser	Lake Shore Park, Milwaukee, WI
Screech-Owl	Eastern	Peninsula State Park, WI
Scrub-Jay	Florida	Cape Canaveral, FLA
Scrub-Jay	Western	Imperial Drive Escondido, CA
Shoveler	Northern	Coast Guard Property near Lk. Michigan
Shrike	Loggerhead	Cape San Blas, FLA
Shrike	Northern	Black River Flowage, Kohler-Andrae SP, WI
Siskin	Pine	Rhinelander, WI
Skimmer	Black	South Beach State Park, OR
Sparrow	American Tree	County Grounds / Cemetery, Wauwatosa, WI
Sparrow	Chipping	Rhinelander, WI
Sparrow	Clay-colored	Lake Park, Milwaukee, WI
Sparrow	Field	Horicon Marsh
Sparrow	Fox	Chicago Botanical Gardens, IL
Sparrow	Golden-crowned	Willamette Mission State Park - Salem, OR
Sparrow	Grasshopper	Cape San Blas, FLA
Sparrow	House	Rhinelander, WI
Sparrow	Lark	Horicon Marsh
Sparrow	Lincoln's	Lake Park, Milwaukee, WI
Sparrow	Savannah	Havenwoods State Forest, Milwaukee, WI
Sparrow	Song	Peninsula State Park, WI
Sparrow	Swamp	Havenwoods State Forest, Milwaukee, WI
Sparrow	Tan-Striped White-throated	Enderis Park (Home), WI
Sparrow	Vesper	Lake Park, Milwaukee, WI
Sparrow	White-crowned	Enderis Park (Home), WI
Sparrow	White-throated	Enderis Park (Home), WI
Spoonbill	Roseate	Orlando, FLA
Starling	European	Rhinelander, WI
Stilt	Black-necked	Cape Canaveral, FLA
Stork	Wood	Orlando, FLA
Swallow	Barn	Rhinelander, WI
Swallow	Cliff	Horicon Marsh
Swallow	Northern Rough-winged	Horicon Marsh
Swallow	Tree	Rhinelander, WI
Swallow	Violet-green	Rocky Mountain National Park
Swan	Mute	Rhinelander, WI
Swift	Chimney	Rhinelander, WI
Swift	White-throated	Yellowstone National Park
Tanager	Scarlet	Dousman, WI
Tanager	Summer	Cape San Blas, FLA
Tanager	Western	Yellowstone National Park
Teal	Blue-winged	Havenwoods State Forest, Milwaukee, WI
Teal	Cinnamon	Yellowstone National Park
Teal	Green-winged	Grant Park, Milwaukee, WI
Tern	Black	St. Andrew's Beach State Park, FLA
Tern	Common	St. Andrew's Beach State Park, FLA
Tern	Forster's	St. Andrew's Beach State Park, FLA
Tern	Roseate	St. Andrew's Beach State Park, FLA
Tern	Royal	St. Andrew's Beach State Park, FLA
Tern	Sandwich	Mustang Island, TX
Thrasher	Brown	Lake Guntersville State Park, AL
Thrush	Hermit	Lake Park, Milwaukee, WI
Thrush	Swainson's	Lake Park, Milwaukee, WI
Thrush	Wood	Lake Park, Milwaukee, WI
Titmouse	Tufted	Lake Louisa State Park, FLA
Towhee	California (Brown)	Imperial Drive Escondido, CA
Towhee	Spotted (Eastern)	Lake Louisa State Park, FLA
Turkey	Wild	Peninsula State Park, WI
Turnstone	Black	Haystack Rock, OR
Turnstone	Ruddy	St. Andrew's Beach State Park, FLA
Vireo	Black-whiskered	Broughton Sheboygan Marsh
Vireo	Blue-headed	Broughton Sheboygan Marsh
Vireo	Philadelphia	Lake Park, Milwaukee, WI
Vireo	Red-eyed	Moon Lake Camp, MI
Vireo	Warbling	Broughton Sheboygan Marsh
Vireo	White-eyed	Cape San Blas, FLA
Vireo	Yellow-throated	Moon Lake Camp, MI
Vulture	Black	Cape Canaveral, FLA
Vulture	Turkey	Rhinelander, WI
Warbler	Bay-breasted	Lake Park, Milwaukee, WI
Warbler	Black-and-white	Lake Park, Milwaukee, WI
Warbler	Blackburnian	Lake Park, Milwaukee, WI
Warbler	Blackpoll	Lake Park, Milwaukee, WI
Warbler	Black-throated Blue	Peninsula State Park, WI
Warbler	Black-throated Green	Peninsula State Park, WI
Warbler	Blue-winged	Tomahawk, WI
Warbler	Canada	Tomahawk, WI
Warbler	Cape May	Lake Park, Milwaukee, WI
Warbler	Chestnut-sided	Tomahawk, WI
Warbler	Golden-winged	Peninsula State Park, WI
Warbler	Hooded	Peninsula State Park, WI
Warbler	Kentucky	Peninsula State Park, WI
Warbler	Lucy's	Lake Park, Milwaukee, WI
Warbler	Magnolia	Tomahawk, WI
Warbler	Mourning	Tomahawk, WI
Warbler	Nashville	Tomahawk, WI
Warbler	Orange-crowned	Menominee River Parkway, Wauwatosa, WI
Warbler	Palm	County Grounds / Cemetery, Wauwatosa, WI
Warbler	Pine	Tomahawk, WI
Warbler	Prairie	tomahawk, WI
Warbler	Prothonotary	St. Andrew's Beach State Park, FLA
Warbler	Red-faced	Enderis Park (Home), WI
Warbler	Tennessee	Rhinelander, WI
Warbler	Wilson's	Menominee River Parkway, Wauwatosa, WI
Warbler	Yellow	Rhinelander, WI
Warbler	Yellow-rumped	Menominee River Parkway, Wauwatosa, WI
Waterthrush	Louisiana	St. Andrew's Beach State Park, FLA
Waterthrush	Northern	Underwood Creek, Wauwatosa, WI
Waxwing	Bohemian	Rhinelander, WI
Waxwing	Cedar	Rhinelander, WI
Whistling-Duck	Black-bellied	Orlando, FLA
Widgeon	American	Grant Park, Milwaukee, WI
Woodcock	American	Peninsula State Park, WI
Woodpecker	Acorn	Kit Carson Park, Escondido, CA
Woodpecker	Black-backed	Yellowstone National Park
Woodpecker	Downy	Rhinelander, WI
Woodpecker	Hairy	Rhinelander, WI
Woodpecker	Pileated	Rhinelander, WI
Woodpecker	Red-bellied	Rhinelander, WI
Woodpecker	Red-headed	Lake Park, Milwaukee, WI
Wood-Pewee	Eastern	Warren Dunes State park, MI
Wood-Pewee	Western	Lake Hodges, CA
Wren	Bewick's	Imperial Drive Escondido, CA
Wren	Carolina	Lake Guntersville State Park, AL
Wren	House	Dousman, WI
Wren	Marsh	Black River Flowage, Kohler-Andrae SP, WI
Wren	Sedge	Blue Mounds State Park, MN
Wren	Winter	Menominee River Parkway, Wauwatosa, WI
Yellowlegs	Greater	St. Andrew's Beach State Park, FLA
Yellowlegs	Lesser	St. Andrew's Beach State Park, FLA
Yellowthroat	Common	Peninsula State Park, WI
	Anhinga	Orlando, FLA
	Bobolink	Horicon Marsh
	Bufflehead	Peninsula State Park, WI
	Bushtit	Imperial Drive Escondido, CA
	Dickcissel	Blue Mounds State Park, MN
	Dunlin	St. Andrew's Beach State Park, FLA
	Killdeer	Rhinelander, WI
	Limpkin	Orlando, FLA
	Mallard	Rhinelander, WI
	Osprey	Orlando, FLA
	Ovenbird	Enderis Park (Home), WI
	Redhead	Horicon Marsh
	Sanderling	St. Andrew's Beach State Park, FLA
	Veery	Yellowstone National Park
	Whip-poor-will	Tomahawk, WI
	Willet	St. Andrew's Beach State Park, FLA