For many years the ABA listing guidelines said that we had to see a bird
before we could put it on our life list. Of course, each of us more or less
creates our own rules as to how we manage our life lists but it is nice to
have a set of rules to follow.

After many reports and stories of birders harrassing birds nearly to death -
Black Rails, for instance - in order to get a view of them, the ABA
committee changed the rules to allow "heard" birds to count on our life
lists. I think that is a great step forward. I write "heard only" when I
record a bird I only heard when I add it to my list. That bird goes on
another list, also - the "need a better look (or a first look)" list.

Denny Granstrand
Yakima, WA

Denny Granstrand