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&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;I bought&nbsp;&nbsp;camcorder&nbsp;many --0000000000006396bb056cdd4545 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Hi All, Further to the discussion of pros and cons of bird ID via photographic means and the theme that direct observation, experience and avian knowledge are the preferred methods for bird ID and educational reasons: I would like to support the bird/nature watchers amongst us who rely on our cameras to ID what we see in nature. Some of us who rely heavily on our cameras for bird (and wildlife in general) ID due to personal infirmities or handicaps probably would not be bird watchers or observers of nature were it not for the benefit of the camera and associated long lenses. I envy those with good colour vision, eyesight and hearing who can easily pick out a red bird from green foliage or see directly all the various colour differences of a bird's plumage within a species or, who are able to hear the high frequency song a bird makes when no direct sighting is possible. For those of us who are colour blind, have poor eyesight and/or defective hearing, the enjoyment of looking for and identifying birds is impossible without a camera. For us, the camera and a long lens is mandatory if we want to enjoy the "sport" and ID of a bird species after the fact via our photographs is usually the only way we can identify what we think we observed - it might not have been a bird but a log that looked like a heron from a distance. LOL So, when you see us in the field with our cameras and long lenses, please be mindful that the use of such equipment may be the only way that person can take part in the hobby that you love. Paul Murray Dartmouth On Tue, May 22, 2018 at 8:14 PM, Fritz McEvoy <fritzmcevoy@hotmail.com> wrote: > Hi All, > I've been bird watching around my home since the late 90's and have > a good knowledge of how to ID birds, but have almost never sent in a rare > bird submission without an accompanying photo. > I bought camcorder many years ago and think it can be just as good = a > tool as binoculars for identifying birds as well other species. > A knowledge of field marks, flight times, range and habitat is > important but a good quality photo or video (particularly with audio) is > better for ID purposes. > There are a few tricks that make using a camera a better tool > for ID'ing birds none more important than positioning yourself so that th= e > sun is behind you. I find a HD camcorder with a high power optical zoom a= nd > image stabilization plus an ability to view and edit the video frame by > frame is best. > On a related note a camera has replaced collecting for many, like me= , > who watch and report on Lepidoptera. In this case I've found - being the > contrarian that I am - collecting to be a much better means of > identification for moths and butterflies. > There is nothing wrong with being old school as a bird watcher but > I think we have to accept that most people aren't interested in learning > the finer points of bird identification; they just want to know what they > saw. That's why sites like iNaturalist have become so popular. All the be= st. > Fritz McEvoy > Sunrise valley, CB > ------------------------------ > *From:* naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca <naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca> on > behalf of Laviolette, Lance <lance.laviolette@lmco.com> > *Sent:* May 22, 2018 2:35 PM > *To:* naturens@chebucto.ns.ca > > *Subject:* RE: [NatureNS] Acadian Flycatcher on Brier Island > > > Hi, > > > > Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on your point of view), > photographic equipment has become so advanced and taking photographs so > inexpensive that =E2=80=98shoot first, identify after=E2=80=99 is a techn= ique that is > gaining favor. I know a number of birders who have hung up their binocula= rs > and now carry only a camera with long lens. Their gear allows them to sho= ot > many photos a second so they point, shoot and look through the photos on > their camera=E2=80=99s view screen to identify what they photographed. > > > > The obvious plus is that they always have photographic evidence of a > sighting. The negative is that I=E2=80=99m seeing more people starting ou= t their > birding =E2=80=98career=E2=80=99 by taking photographs without learning t= he basics of bird > identification. They repeatedly submit photographs of the same common bir= d > to Facebook pages or web sites asking others to identify it for them. > > > > Cheers, > > > > Lance > > > > Lance Laviolette > > Glen Robertson, Ontario > > > > > > > > *From:* naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca [mailto:naturens-owner@ > chebucto.ns.ca] *On Behalf Of *Eric Mills > *Sent:* Monday, May 21, 2018 5:35 PM > *To:* nancy dowd <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca> > *Subject:* EXTERNAL: Re: [NatureNS] Acadian Flycatcher on Brier Island > > > > Hi Nancy, > > > > One-observer rarity reports bedevil rarities committees. =E2=80=8EAs a co= mpiler > and monographer of Brier Island birds, my principle is to accept well > documented single-observer reports by reputable observers. What to do abo= ut > my own reports? I rely on my co- author Lance Laviolette to keep my toes = to > the fire. > > > > As for eBird, its arbiters will speak for themselves when I submit the > report. I'm sure they would like a photo, but rather than grab my camera = my > instinct is to study a bird rather than shoot first. Many new birders sho= ot > first and then study the photo rather than the bird. I deprecate this. > Field skills are hard-won. > > > > All the best, > > > > Eric > > > > Eric L. Mills > Lower Rose Bay > Lunenburg Co., Nova Scotia > Canada > > (on Brier Island) > > *From: *nancy dowd > > *Sent: *Monday, May 21, 2018 14:49 > > *To: *naturens@chebucto.ns.ca > > *Reply To: *naturens@chebucto.ns.ca > > *Subject: *Re: [NatureNS] Acadian Flycatcher on Brier Island > > > > That is quite a sighting! Hope it sticks around for you or others to get = a > photo and/or recording. Is a detailed description, like yours, enough for > it to be confirmed or does this species require more? > > > > Nancy > > Sent from my iPad > > > On May 21, 2018, at 11:57 AM, Eric Mills <E.Mills@Dal.Ca> wrote: > > A convincing Acadian Flycatcher was along the roadside of Gull Rock Road > about 10am. I glimpsed it from the rear fir