Lifers ... hard to find?

[Shortsighted]

It seems to me that the few remaining (engaged) members of this nature forum have probably been birding for quite some time, perhaps as far back as when most of my clothes were only slightly out-of-fashion and have therefore seen it all, at least all that Southern Ontario has to reveal.  It's hard for me to think of seeing a new lifer bird from a global perspective because my world is flat and extends maybe twenty-five clicks in any given direction but south.  I don't own a boat, not even an RC-controlled boat.

I've only been at this since I got a DSLR back in 2014, so about a decade exploring that semicircle of real estate around the GTA from Rattray in the west to Darlington in the east and maybe as far north as the Carden Alvar, (but only once so far).  Seeing a new species, a lifer as the colloquialism suggests, does not happen very often.  Chasing after a sighting reported on ebird, or even on this forum when things were hot a decade ago, was really the main opportunity to see and photograph (hopefully) something new, or a lifer.  Forgive me, but even texting the term "lifer" makes me a little queasy. It seems so trite a term but I fail to offer an alternative term.

I've been thinking that every year a new sighting (previously unseen species, or gender, or juvenile) is getting to occur less often.  It only stands to reason.  I'm wondering what others on this forum have managed to see, in the realm of "lifer" during 2024.  When I think of a new species for me I sometimes think of a sighting, but then remember that I've seen that species before but never managed to get a photo; or I've seen that species before but never a juvenile ... or perhaps only as a juvenile, but never an adult.

Anyone care to contribute while I think about my own situation.  I'm not really into numbers, or statistics, but actual species within the area of Southern Ontario, since I don't image many have remained confined to the GTA.

BTW, I think the number of missed species for this year, based on reports that I've failed to locate, showed up on the wrong day, or the right day but the wrong time of day are greater than my successes.  For instance, I missed the cranes at Cranberry Marsh (twice), I missed the Am. Golden plover at TTP, and that's only just recently. 

[Shortsighted]

As a follow-up regarding new bird sightings from this time a year ago until now, all I managed to recall are nine species.  Everything else that I've seen, or photographed since then is merely a repeat from previous times.  Nine species  during the last 24 months is better than the previous year.  New photos for this year include:   (1) Purple sandpiper  /  (2) Adult Red-headed woodpecker  /  (3) Golden-winged warbler  /  (4) Orchard oriole  /  (5) Blue-winged warbler  /  (6) actual photo of Marsh wren  /  (7) Juvenile Piping plover  /  8 Juvenile Black-bellied plover  /  (9) Long-billed dowitcher.
And that's without travelling out west to CSSP, High Park, Humber, or Rattray.  In a way, I guess that I just got lucky.  I would imagine that it would usually take trips far afield to get more than two, or three new species.  Anyway, it's just numbers in the end.
 

[Dr. John]

I view myself as a casual birder.  My wife and I appreciate birds and will look for them on nearly any walk we take.  But we rarely go to a place just to look for birds.  So there are plenty of species that frequent Ontario that we have yet to see, or more correctly yet to identify since we are still fairly miserable identifying some gulls, fall warblers, flycatchers, etc.


When we travel, we always explore the nature of that area and will definitely end up seeing birds.  We sometimes will take tours that allow us to spot wildlife, including birds.  But we do not travel places to specifically see certain lifers.  If we see them, wonderful.  If not, we are still very happy to see whatever we see.


I don't really pay attention to rare bird alerts, because we don't usually go driving somewhere just to see a bird.  If we are going somewhere anyway and a rare bird has been spotted there, we will try to see it.  But that is due to the convergence of those agendas.  We like wandering around Cranberry Marsh/Hall's Road and do so maybe a couple of times per year.  One year a great gray owl was there, another year there was a barred owl, so we saw them.  But we had been planning to go there that day anyway and then I looked up and saw that those owls were present.


Some of our coolest sightings have been serendipitous, just being at the right place at the right time, with no planning.

[Shortsighted]

Thanks for your viewpoint.  I can relate to much of it, if not all of it.  Although I will try to respond to a sighting of a species that I have never seen before, it generally implies that the sighting was made somewhere within the GTA.  Making long treks elsewhere in Southern Ontario just to try and get a photo of a rare bird is too ambitious an undertaking and also too expensive in time and money.  I would then wear the mantle of the fanatic and that livery is too colourful for the likes of me.  Now that I'm reluctant to place myself in crowded closed spaces, such as buses and subway, wearing nothing but an N95, I don't even head out to the west-end of the GTA anymore.  GTA traffic and the guilt of burning fossil fuels for no good reason preclude driving all that way, dragging a one ton piece of metal 40 km and back for one person to see a bird just doesn't fly with me anymore.  So, I mostly stay in Durham, with an occasional jaunt elsewhere.  I guess photography of birds and watching birds are not exactly the same thing. Mind you, I'll photograph anything of interest that catches my eye.  I definitely need that, like food and fresh air and books.  Birds are just a spoor to get me out.  Seeing something new is certainly a thrill whenever it does happen.  I'm not entirely sure why I need to photograph what I see.  It's not like I'm on assignment, or have an agenda.  I just need it.  It makes me feel good. 

How many psychiatrists does it take to screw in a light bulb?
At least three.  One to screw in the bulb, another to ask "How does it make you feel?" and a third to write a paper on the event.
I certainly hope you are not a psychiatrist.

[cabz]

I will rarely go specifically on a trip to see a rare bird reported. If we are headed to that area and have time, will take a look.  The odd time, if we feel like a road trip and it is with an hour or so of home, maybe will go.  We usually do a trip in the winter along the lake for winter birds, a day out and it usually includes a stop at Hutch’s in Hamilton!!!  Bribe the husband!!!  I finding it harder to get lifers, asi have alot, but still more to be had.  We usually go camping at Rondeau in May, love Rondeau.  Would do a day trip to Pelee, but the stories of the crowds etc have put us off, enough people at Rondeau!!!!  Plus nice biking there and of course a couple of trips to Erieau to Mollys and OJ’s!!!!  This year I saw a Hooded Warbler at the pond at the Pony Barn, had not seen one in a few years, so sort of a lifer around again.  Bird where ever we travel, just back from 2 months in Japan, 44 species, 19 lifers and Merlin app was not much help when recording bird songs, but a great trip!!!!

[Dr. John]

How many psychiatrists does it take to screw in a light bulb?
At least three.  One to screw in the bulb, another to ask "How does it make you feel?" and a third to write a paper on the event.
I certainly hope you are not a psychiatrist.

The version I know is:  How many psychiatrists does it take to change a lightbulb?  One, but the lightbulb has to want to change.