Welcome to a lifetime of birding, Alison. Many birdwatchers like to keep
records of the species they see, including site, date/time, weather, and
additional information such as behavior, etc. A 'lifer' refers to the
very first time a birder has seen a particular species according to the
particular standards the birder may apply to personal 'confirmation' of
the species. For instance, I have records now for over 430 species of
birds, i.e., lifers that I am certain of the identification. I think,
from a sociobiological point of view, birding is so popular with us humans
because it serves our natural hunting instincts in a sublimated way. To
identify a bird, especially for the first time, is to bag that bird.

Maureen Ellis me2 at u.washington.edu Univ of WA and Des Moines, WA

"Finding the occasional straw of truth awash in a great ocean of
confusion and bamboozle requires vigilance, dedication, and courage."
-Carl Sagan-

On Fri, 20 Mar 1998, Alison Rossetti wrote:

> Tweeters -
>
> Deb Beutler <dbeutler at wsunix.wsu.edu> wrote:
>
> >The result was 98 species of birds including ten lifers and some great
> >scenery. My 400th ABA-area lifer was a Hutton's Vireo at Willapa
> >Bay National Wildlife Refuge singing from a pine tree. The other lifers
> >were: Red-throated Loon, Black-legged Kittiwake (north jetty of
> >Columbia River), Brant, Harlequin Duck, Ruddy Turnstone (Ediz Hook
> >with a bunch of Black Turnstones), Black Turnstone, Surfbird,
> >Rhinocerus Auklet (Port Townsend), and Marbled Murrelet.
>
> I am a novice, so my question would be - What is a lifer?
>
> Thanks Tweets!
>
>
> Alison Rossetti
> Milwaukee, WI
> rossetta at milwaukee.tec.wi.us
>