It has to happen on occasion, no? You come to a realization that the bird you ticked isn't really what you thought it was. In fact, you aren't even really sure *what* it was after careful contemplation. So, you are left with little moral choice but to... ack.. cough.. shiver.. REMOVE IT FROM THE LIST!! Well, we all share your pain! In fact, if it's done in a ritualized, methodical manner, we can all hold you up in your time of sorrow. To start things off, I shall confess and remove one bird off my Life List. I realize now that I ticked incorrectly. I was anxious, and eager to pad my self-worth. I now know that I ticked presumptuously, and unless I ticked with ungodly luck, I ticked wrong.
Therefore...
I am officially removing from my list
The Song Sparrow.
IT HATH BEEN REMOVED!!!
I shall weep for the remainder of the weekend. After that, I can look forward to correctly ID'ing it and legitimately ticking it! :)
I think all of us have been through this process to some extent at one point or another in our birding career!!
I did alot of birdwatching when I was young and when i got back into it in my late 20`s I had to shed a few records that seemed a bit dubious and optimistic - don`t worry too much I managed to get them all back properly!!
Recently I had to examine my list after computerising it and decided the best way was to be absolutely strict and remove every dodging sighting and then in future the list is true to me and i feel no doubt about it. it made me feel my list is more 'well deserved'