Lifelong watcher. No official lifelist, but scribbled notes in the margins of birdbooks. In my opinion, it's much more fun to watch behaviours than to compile a lifelist (although a "new" bird is always a thrill -- particularly one that doesn't belong where you are). Hands-down best place in Eastern US is Cape May Point State Park in New Jersey. I'm prejudiced since I grew up there, but ask the experts (I'm not one) and they always list it in the top ten worldwide.

Favorite bird is the puffin. Just plain cute with a mouthload of silversides (it's the wallpaper on my computer).