Life List Help needed please

KentYeti · #1 (**permalink**) 06-10-2011, 08:07 AM

I'm working on the web page that will become my Bird Life List.

Yeti's aren't conventional creatures so mine is going to consist only of birds I have got a half decent photo of. That says something for my ID skills! LOL

I've just started to sort a layout for the index page at Kent Yeti's Bird Life List Photos

But am not totally sure how many categories to have. I don't want loads.

At present there are:

Owls
Birds of Prey
On/near water
General

They represent my growing interest in Owls, but leaves me thinking that "On/near Water" is a bit too broad. "General" is where all else will go. Didn't like calling it "Other" as there are some lovely birds that will go in there.

So I wonder if anyone can guide me a bit to breaking up "On/Near Water" into two or maybe three categories. Ones that a stupid Yeti will understand where to put the relevant birds as my photo collection grows!

Cheers,

Bryan

willowjay · #2 (**permalink**) 06-10-2011, 08:32 AM

Perhaps the 'water' could be divided up into fresh/salt?

Johnny81 · #3 (**permalink**) 06-10-2011, 08:44 AM

Why not have a "waders" sections or a "finches" "buntings" etc etc, guess it depends on how many species you have snapped.

Jonners · #4 (**permalink**) 06-10-2011, 08:50 AM

How about:
Ducks & geese etc
Waders
Gulls and terns?
Other water birds
Seabirds?

Not that I had a look at the Gallery sections to give me any ideas

Then other birds that aren't water birds, but which might live near water (some warblers, buntings, wagtails etc) could go into another appropriate section.

I guess there will always be the potential for overlapping or confusion... where would you put an Eider (ducks or seabirds) or a Cormorant (seabirds or other), and gulls/terns... on their own or in with seabirds? Oh what fun

Harold Smith · #5 (**permalink**) 06-10-2011, 03:36 PM

Why not follow the convention used in many of the Field Guides. I use the RSPB Birds of Britain and Europe categories when cataloguing my photographs. I only add the category when I have spotted or photographed the a bird.

Harold.

KentYeti · #6 (**permalink**) 07-10-2011, 10:27 AM

Thanks guys. Some food for thought there.

I did look at the formal classifications but there are way too many of them for me. I want maybe six at the very most. Preferably less.

My List is currently 68 having added photographs of a Wheatear and the resident Dungeness Great White Egret yesterday, (I am told viewable from the Denge Marsh Hide most days). But take care as there is also a very light coloured grey heron down there too, (name variation begins with an "L"), which looks like another GWE at a distance when it's flying.

I doubt my list will ever climb much over, say, 150. If that.

Cheers,

Bryan