Taxonomy is the science of classification of birds and other animals and plants. This is done by examining both superficial similarities and likenesses of habit, habitat, parasite and diet. They were Audubon and Myrtle warblers, solitary vireo, bronzed grackle, Gambel's sparrow and water pipit. Ten minutes later, someone did, in fact several someones. Bronzed grackle was a color variation of common grackle.
Water pipit is now American water-pipit.
As for lumpers, tickmarks and splitters, the lumpers refers to scientists who deprive a birder of a tickmark by combining two birds on his list and making it one species. Tickmarks are how British birders refer to life birds on their life lists of birds seen. Splitters, of course, means scientists who divide a species, making two or three new species and thus adding possible birds to the birder's list. Sometimes the split species must be pursued to the east or west section of the country to be found. Phyllis Yochem, a Corpus Christi resident, has studied birds in Texas since 1960.