The Collaborative List 2017 – January.

Protests were organised, banners were waved, petitions were signed and 6 of the beats have been banned from entering their data. Nevertheless, The Management has made it clear, in menacing tones and with a flourish on an executive order, that the list will continue. For 2017, in keeping with all the top businesses, the list will be refreshed and re-branded. This year it will become The Collaborative List and to acknowledge eBird’s facilitation, the logo will be; tHe cOllaborative lIst. All entries will still appear as links and readers who cannot wait for the monthly (first Saturday) updates may also access the 10,000 Birds interactive profile page.

As before, the current beats will be invited to submit their sightings which will be collated into a joint list. Last year they shared over 1200 checklists and managed to achieve a stunning total of 2647 species from 32 countries. The intimidating manner of The Management implied that an improvement will be made this year, so the statistics for 2017 will be rigorously combed and contorted into alternative truths until one is found.

Last year’s magnificent total of  2647 species is the target to beat, but other results could prove interesting. 1499 species were seen in the eastern hemisphere in 2016. Is there one more to be found to reach the 1500 milestone? Will the Nearctic and Neotropical sharing out-weigh the Palearctic, Afro, Indomalayan and Australasian realms this time?

January is a great month for listing. Start a new notebook and every bird counts. There is a sense of urgency to catch the seasonal visitors before they head out again. The year stretches ahead. How many for 2017?

During the month of January 2017, 187 checklists were submitted and 892 bird species were recorded. Thank you beats. This compares with 171 checklists for 855 species in Jan 2016.

45 species (including the Pin-tailed Sandgrouse above) that evaded the beats’ coordinated binocular waving during 2016 have been added to the cumulative total to bring the tally since January 1st 2016 to 2692. We now have a life list!