[NatureNS] Acadian Flycatcher on Brier Island

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From: nancy dowd <nancypdowd@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 23 May 2018 09:02:52 -0300
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&gt;&gt; Lance Laviolett

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Richard

I totally agree. I want to click =E2=80=9Clike=E2=80=9D.=20

Nancy

Sent from my iPad

> On May 23, 2018, at 8:28 AM, Richard Stern <sternrichard@gmail.com> wrote:=

>=20
> The old-fashioned method of ID-ing rare birds, or birds of uncertain ID, w=
as to "collect" (shoot) them and then study them feather by feather. The med=
ium-fashioned way was to look carefully, try and draw a diagram in the field=
 notebook you always had with you, and describe the bird feather tract by fe=
ather tract. The new-fashioned way is to take a photo, and assume that recor=
ds committees, e-bird etc. trust your honesty re: where and when etc. The pr=
oblem with just taking a photo and then asking What is this?, as many beginn=
ers (especially Facebook users), seem to do a lot, is that it does not ingra=
in into consciousness any sense of the bird's biology, behaviour or relation=
ships etc. The FB group on hawk ID has the right idea - when someone posts a=
 picture asking for the ID, any answer has to include the reasoning behind i=
t, not just the name of the bird. I usually try to do that when I answer que=
ries on line.
>=20
> The other issue is that while a good photo can be diagnostic, a single pho=
to only shows one aspect of the bird, and in a particular light - which can o=
ften be misleading - one reason why I think field guides with idealised draw=
ings, e.g. Sibley, are better than photographic field guides. And ..... inst=
ead of simply posting a picture and asking What is it, I think everyone inte=
rested in bird ID should purchase a good field guide and learn how to use it=
 properly, as well as read the ins and outs of the ID process, and at least c=
ome to a tentative conclusion before asking the question. But perhaps I'm pr=
eaching to the choir on this forum.
>=20
> Richard
>=20
>> On Wed, May 23, 2018 at 7:48 AM, Paul Murray <pwmurray.murray911@gmail.co=
m> wrote:
>> Hi All,
>> Further to the discussion of pros and cons of bird ID via photographic me=
ans and the theme that direct observation, experience and avian knowledge ar=
e the preferred methods for bird ID and educational reasons:  I would like t=
o support the bird/nature watchers amongst us who rely on our cameras to ID w=
hat we see in nature.
>>=20
>> Some of us who rely heavily on our cameras for bird (and wildlife in gene=
ral) ID due to personal infirmities or handicaps probably would not be bird w=
atchers 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 direct=
ly all the various colour differences of a bird's plumage within a species o=
r, who are able to hear the high frequency song a bird makes when no direct s=
ighting is possible. For those of us who are colour blind, have poor eyesigh=
t and/or defective hearing, the enjoyment of looking for and identifying bir=
ds is impossible without a camera.  For us, the camera and a long lens is ma=
ndatory if we want to enjoy the "sport" and ID of a bird species after the f=
act via our photographs is usually the only way we can identify what we thin=
k we observed - it might not have been a bird but a log that looked like a h=
eron from a distance. LOL
>>=20
>> 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 c=
an take part in the hobby that you love.
>>=20
>> Paul Murray
>> Dartmouth
>>=20
>>> On Tue, May 22, 2018 at 8:14 PM, Fritz McEvoy <fritzmcevoy@hotmail.com> w=
rote:
>>> 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 bir=
d submission without an accompanying photo.=20
>>>      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 knowled=
ge  of field marks, flight times, range and habitat is important but a good q=
uality photo or video (particularly with audio) is  better for ID purposes. =
=20
>>>      There are a few tricks that make using a camera a better tool for I=
D'ing birds none more important than positioning yourself so that the sun is=
 behind you. I find a HD camcorder with a high power optical zoom and image s=
tabilization plus an ability to view and edit the video frame by frame is be=
st.=20
>>>      On a related note a camera has replaced collecting for many, like m=
e, who watch and report on Lepidoptera. In this case I've found - being the c=
ontrarian 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 bu=
t I think we have to accept that most people aren't interested in learning t=
he 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 best.
>>>               Fritz McEvoy
>>>                 Sunrise valley, CB
>>> From: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca <naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca> on b=
ehalf of Laviolette, Lance <lance.laviolette@lmco.com>
>>> Sent: May 22, 2018 2:35 PM
>>> To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
>>>=20
>>> Subject: RE: [NatureNS] Acadian Flycatcher on Brier Island
>>> =20
>>> Hi,
>>> =20
>>> Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on your point of view), photogra=
phic equipment has become so advanced and taking photographs so inexpensive t=
hat =E2=80=98shoot first, identify after=E2=80=99 is a technique that is gai=
ning favor. I know a number of birders who have hung up their binoculars and=
 now carry only a camera with long lens. Their gear allows them to shoot man=
y photos