David C. Smith wrote
> Is this a bird I should give a pass to for 
> my life list and count w/o actually seeing the bird? How many of you out there have actually seen the Chuck-wills-widow?
Hi David---

My husband & I have never HEARD a Chuck-Will's-Widow, but we have had 
great looks at one.  This was in the Dry Tortugas at the far end of the 
Florida Keys.  The bird was frequently seen flying around Fort Jefferson 
during the three days we were there.  On an excursion to Loggerhead Key, 
the bird was found sitting under a shrub and excellent telescope views 
were had by all.

I put unsatisfactory "close encounters" on my life list.  When the 
Better View Desired does happen, I delete the close encounter & enter it 
as a note on the Better View. 

My "Life" Prairie Warbler was a heard-only bird in a bush in Overlook 
Park, not far from home.  I was able to retain the song in my head long 
enough to return home & find its singer on the Audubon VCR tape;--- and 
you can be sure I count that bird. It stands in my list on it's own and 
does not get deleted/footnoted. 

Up until May 6th of this year, Whip-poor-will has been a Soldiers 
Delight heard only bird.  But we finally got to see one at Magee Marsh 
in Ohio where there was a perched bird who sat there all day just 
waiting to be looked at.

Georgia McDonald    Towson, Balt Co