I'll admit to having lost momentum, being too busy, doing too many other things (some bird-related, like attempting, retrospectively, to collate my world list) to have compiled, illustrated and posted any new 'new species accounts' for way too long.
Meanwhile, my move from Twitter / X to BlueSky (fundamentally a very good thing) has reduced 'traffic' as people are no longer necessarily aware of my postings.
I will get back up to speed, honestly. There's plenty more accounts yet to be posted.
But, I have to admit, the current taxonomic upheavals haven't helped.
How can birds which can be differentiated in the field be 'lumped' (the redpoll group) whereas others, that can't be differentiated in the field remain 'split' (the subalpine warbler group)?
As a case in point, I was very glad to take in the Levenwick 'Western Subalpine Warbler' on my visit to Shetland last autumn.
This conveniently backfilled another void in my list which had been created by the splitting of subalpine warblers, given my poor record with them. The bird had been caught and ringed, and scrutinised in the field by all-comers, and proclaimed to be a Western.
So I was suitably pleased not just to take it in, but, also, on my return home, to write it up, and arrange to post my account here (as what was my last but one account).
However, it has since emerged that the bird was (presumably on the basis of genetic material) re-identified as an Eastern Subalpine Warbler.
D'oh!!!!!
What chance do we stand?????
So I've taken down the posting about it. And I STILL need Western Subalpine Warbler!
Collins Guide plate of Subalpine Warblers subscript: unless it's a spring male, just don't even go there.
So yes, I'm all a bit disillusioned; my listing was once a relatively simple exercise, by now it is mired in science way beyond me. Just keeping up with taxonomic changes is a full-time task on its own!
However, I will be back!
