World Trip Reports
BOU vs. UK400
Recently i passed the 300 mark and felt really wonderful about it. I decided to look at my list. I use a list that I have formed myself based loosely on the BOU list with a few splits I think good enough to tick and a plastic Ross's Goose.
With the feel good factor of the 300th birds dying down I started to question the validity of my list. The splits I have are birds that I believe are likely to be split including a few gulls and geese.
A way of solving the bad feeling to to dratically cut a lot of birds off into a pool for potential armchair ticks and keep two separate lists but that is a petty way to have a high list.
I am recognising the fact that ticking subspecies and splits is just a way of cheating to get a higher list. I am not in competition with anyone but just want to see as many different species as possible in the UK so why should I tick plastics and subspecies? Might feel better ticking bona fide birds.
That lead me to think that the BOU "rule" is just as bad as LGRE's "rules". BOU listers are still ticking what a committee says they can tick (I know they don't directly do so) so LGRE's decision on what we can tick is no worse or better isn't it?
In the end it is a personal feeling, maybe if I cut the birds off and reach a "true" 300 milestone I will feel better? I think I may not as I have already had that feeling. Bit like scoring a penalty in the Cup Final and being ordered to retake it and scoring, the exhilaration is not as strong as the first time.
A "true" BOU list may make life easier as I might not feel so strong about chasing off after the latest rarity if it is a subspecies like the Black-headed Wagtail. I think not as I am predominantly a dude who likes SEEING birds and will still go for anything I have not seen before.
What do you guys and gals think of the BOU or the UK400 debate?
(No glib comments about twitching from Mr Allwood and Mr Wormwell please! 
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PS ; Sorry if a lot of this makes no sense, just rambling!
[QUOTE=Andrew]BOU listers are still ticking what a committee says they can tick (I know they don't directly do so) so LGRE's decision on what we can tick is no worse or better isn't it?[/QUOTE]Is it though?
At least the BOU's decisions are reached by a specially appointed taxonomic sub-committee after a great deal of detailed research and consideration - and the reasons are published in peer-reviewed journals for all to consider.
Although the UK400 list is also informed by the opinions of "experts" from various countries, many of whom surely know what they're talking about, I am not at all sure that it has undergone anything like the same degree of rigour. Ultimately it's a list drawn up for competitive listers who get frustrated by time (years, sometimes) it can take the BBRC and BOU to do their in-depth research. I think that speaks for itself. That is not to say that all the extra UK400 splits are likely to be bad - many are already recognised in other countries.
Me, I'm not interested in competing with anyone so I follow the BOURC, which after all is the official British record. At least it allows me to feel terribly self-righteous! I know I've seen various races of Yellow Wagtail, Herring Gull (God help me) and other things - I don't feel the need to give them a number.
At the risk of covering ground that has been covered on this subforum, why would you be bothered about what anyone else thought of your birding experience ? You have seen what you have seen, and whether you have seen 299 or 301 different species, genuinely accepted or not, plastic or feathered, or whatever, I don't see why it really matters!
I do realise that people get different things out of birdwatching, and I wouldn't presume to tell you how to conduct or enjoy your hobby. I just don't understand why any thrill comes from getting one's list to an arbitrary number.