I just was wondering, how exactly do you decide when to write it down: when somebody shows a bird to you and they tell you what it is? When you hear it? When you see it? Do you need to positively ID it yourself, or a guide on a $5000 trip does it for you?
By the way, i am the Devil's advocate here, i am an avid birder, but i have stopped counting for the list a long time ago, at 1650.
I guess it is your list, and you can do whatever you want with it. If a guide gets you onto a bird, and you see it, why not write it down?
I bird solo pver 99% of the time, and I list a bird if I can identify it without a doubt by sight or sound. For my life list I am a little more strict about sound identifications, but for other lists (trip, day, yard) a familiar call will do.