Date: 9/19/25 5:10 pm From: Mary Kay Waddington <waddingtonmk...> Subject: Re: [cobirds] Luck or Sheer Skill?
I have to admit to enjoying watching the ebird yard lists for Colorado
every month. And I've thought a lot about why certain people are usually
near the top of the list. To me, the most important thing is location. If
your yard is a 200 acre ranch on the Southern border of Colorado you're
going to see more species than someone who lives in an apartment in
downtown Denver. Second, Amount of time spent birding. Someone who goes
out 4 times a day to survey their property will see lots more species than
the once-a-weekers. Third, Skill. That tiny glimpse of an uncommon bird,
or a call -- the skilled birder has those identified in an instant. The
rest of us will miss quite a few. And then pure dumb Luck is fourth on my
list. But remember that Luck is *comprised* of location, amount of time,
and skill. So if you want to see those lucky birds, go to great places,
spend a lot of time doing it, hone your skills -- then that little bit of
luck may find you.
Mary Kay Waddington
On Fri, Sep 19, 2025 at 4:42 PM <chobbs.f1...> wrote:
> Fun question which should generate a lot of opinions! Personally, I
> think skill gives you the tools to find your own luck.
>
>
>
> Chris Hobbs
>
> <chobbs.f1...>
>
>
>
> *From:* <cobirds...> <cobirds...> *On Behalf Of
> *Eric Dinkel
> *Sent:* Friday, September 19, 2025 8:55 AM
> *To:* <cobirds...>
> *Subject:* [cobirds] Luck or Sheer Skill?
>
>
>
> Hi Fellow Birders,
>
>
>
> I don't often post, but I have been contemplating luck in birding all week.
>
>
>
> See, earlier in the week Norm Erthal (who I have only met once and I know
> to be a very good birder), had* two Denver county record birds* on one
> list! It has left me endlessly pondering: what role does luck versus just
> plain old skill play here?
>
>
>
> On the skill side, I know I miss birds often. For example, a few years
> ago, I heard and recorded a sedge wren in Denver and just stood there
> scratching my head wondering why this "marsh wren" sounded funny. It didn't
> occur to me that I was actually hearing a sedge wren until Chris Wood
> posted one in the exact same spot the next day. I then reviewed my audio
> and realized my mistake.
>
>
>
> But on the luck side, I believe that this is Norm's 5th county record!
> Congratulations on the exceptional feat in a well birded county. What
> makes me wonder about the luck here is that no other birders had the good
> fortune of also finding any of those birds, even if they were there minutes
> later. Take the RTHU and PABU that Norm found this week. Some of Denver's
> best birders were on the scene very fast (maybe within the hour) and no
> luck all around.
>
>
>
> So, I am curious, do people have luck rituals like some professional
> athletes? This is especially true in golf where players are known to pick
> golf balls ritualistically, etc. I am a scientist at heart, but hey, I am
> willing to put a rabbit's foot in my pocket to find a Painted Bunting!!
>
>
>
> Sincerely,
>
>
>
> Eric Dinkel
>
> Denver County
>
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