Pan species listing. I like the idea, but its something I've resigned myself as never being able to getting to grips with. There are a few reasons. For a start, I can't remember what I've had and even if I record it somewhere, I cant find where. There are so many taxa that I'm not sure in what order things go, so that makes keeping track difficult too. Then there are the identifications. I'm not a microscope man so that will eliminate most small stuff.
Because of my own ineptitude, I wonder if I could do a restricted site list, say, my village or even the garden? Even at that small level its a struggle. Look at moths for instance. They should be a doddle as everything since I started is on Mapmate and easily searchable, but when I checked today I see errors. Some species that were once thought to be identifiable in the field are now 'agged' as a matter of course such as Agonopterix heracliana / ciliella. 2 species but I have 3 of them on my list! One each plus the aggregate. If that is the case for a group that I record diligently what about other insect orders that I am not sure about?
During a quick round up, for my garden area I am on around 900+ species. In the winter I might get around to tidying the list up... So far here are a couple of new additions this week...
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| Pedicia rivosa a large nicely marked Crane Fly. |
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| Nephrotoma flavipalpis I think. These are tricky but I followed the Crane fly Recording page crib sheet to sort it. |
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| Nephrotoma quadrifaria, again I think. |
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| House Mouse. |
Making its debut on this 14 yr old blog is Mus musculus, the House Mouse. Yesterday a small grey rodent visited our bird feeders and it looked odd. Bank Voles and Wood Mice are regulars but even at range with the naked eye this one looked different. For a start it was all one colour. Like Simon Mayo. His hair is the same colour as his skin. A stake out and a few photos later and the id is confirmed. Where on earth has he come from? It is my 19 th mammal species in or from the garden.
I think...
2 comments:
Stewart. I too have dabbled with the idea of keeping a garden pan-list, but, like yourself, cannot actually remember what I've recorded here down the years. As you say, maybe winter time is when it needs to be looked into...
I'll probably have forgotten about it again by then, after all of the autumn birding excitement of great falls and memorable seawatching.
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