Subject: [Tweeters] Does E-bird have a top-100 problem? (Ed Newbold)
Date: Mon Sep 25 09:17:57 PDT 2023
From: Jon. Anderson and Marty Chaney - festuca at comcast.net



" . . . I assume you are referring to the curious standings for birds seen in Washington in 2023."





Ha! I was doing a quasi-Big Year in 2019. Not necessarily going for the Number One spot in the ABA area, as there was no way I could compete against the Deans and McQuades - good people all - who could rack up 750+ species in a year.





My goal that year was to bump my ABA list by 75 Lifers (I ended up with 91!), but toward the end of the year I was told to check the "Top 100" and found myself in competition with another birder for the "Top 10" Honours.





I'd just edged another gentleman in mid-December with the Cape Disappointment Rustic Bunting (my No. 610 for the year), and checked the "Top 100" to find that 2 other birders had apparently waited until the end of the year to submit their eBird lists, bumping me down to the 12th spot.





I was initially nonplussed, until upon sober reflection I remembered that I had had one Heck of a Birding Year ! ! ! Nobody remembers who comes in 10th. And, even if I had been in contention for a "first", the memories of all the birds seen, including chases of the species 'missed', and the wonderful places and habitats I got to visit in the US & Canada were, indeed, memories for a Lifetime.





That said, I concur with Steve H that the matter may well be resolved by the eBird folks, and here's wishing Liam the best as his quest for the 2023 Washington Big Year continues!!