Legendary bird finds and finders ... (1 Viewer)

[Bonsaibirder]

Many birders have found rare birds, but which are the greatest feats of bird-finding? I don't mean firsts for Britain (or anywhere else), I mean finds which demonstrate great skill in the field. I love to hear these stories and there must be many out there. Here are some examples which illustrate what I mean. I do KNOW some of these are true whereas maybe some may just be tall tales:

- one legendary rarity finder found 8 Radde's Warblers in the Spurn area in one day (out of 9 present)

- and that guy found Caspian Tern and Rock Thrush in the same day at Spurn too

- a 1st state record for Missouri identified on call from a moving car

- a singing River Warbler at Flamborough identified from inside a tent

- a friend of mine used to call another birder a "Radde's in flight man"

- Blyth's Pipit identified on call in flight in inland UK

- first for Britain identified on call in flight (buff-bellied pipit)?

There must be many more ...

 

[KenM]

One April morning, I ''piped'' into my garden a ''piping'' male Bullfinch, which arrived with it's mate in it's wake! I was somewhat excited by my mimicry! when upon closer inspection.....the mate morphed into a stunning male Hawfinch. :eek!:

 

[Boro Birder]

Ken, is that true or a tall tale, 2 very different looking birds be hard to get a male Bullfinch mistaking for a male Hawfinch, just to start bully has a black cap and a stunning red breast. Oll

Damian

 

[Jane Turner]

John Raines it is said called a White-rumped Sandpiper from a car in Ireland. He was wrong it was a Bairds (might have been the other way round). Either way he picked it out naked eye whilst driving

 

[KenM]

Ken, is that true or a tall tale, 2 very different looking birds be hard to get a male Bullfinch mistaking for a male Hawfinch, just to start bully has a black cap and a stunning red breast. Oll

Damian

Totally and utterly!.....I've found many a "good" bird, but that incident on April 18th 2004...left me in "meltdown". I live opposite woodland, same area as was when a lad, where I practiced my bird calls (still can't do Nightingale or Nightjar though ). Still have the less than perfect image of the Hawfinch, which have occured perhaps 6-8 times over 34 years in the garden.

 

[John Cantelo]

I think that the palm must go to Dr James Chapin. In 1936 whilst in the Congo he noticed a headdress containing long reddish-brown feathers that he couldn't identify. Intrigued, he visited the Royal Museum of Central Africa in search of similar feathers and found two wrongly labelled specimens supposedly of Indian Peacock which had similar feathers. In 1955 Chapin managed to find seven living specimens of the species, now known as the Congo Peacock.

 

[Bonsaibirder]

Jane, yours reminds me that a recent Broad-billed Sandpiper on Teeside was called (tentatively I think but very impressive nontheless) within a flying flock of small waders.

- a well known one is Ted Parker III finding an undescribed species calling in the background of someone else's sound recording from a South American country.

 

[lewis20126]

Best ever bit of birding IMO and I hope I've got the facts right:

Bret Whitney (legendary Neotropic specialist) was leading a tour to Madagascar. I don't think he had been there before but had learnt many of the songs before he travelled using tapes. At Ramanofana he heard a song he didn't recognise - it was the Cryptic Warbler, a new species for the world!

cheers, alan

 

[Bonsaibirder]

it was the Cryptic Warbler, a new species for the world!

Great stuff!

 

[Bonsaibirder]

In 1955 Chapin managed to find seven living specimens of the species, now known as the Congo Peacock.

Excellent stuff! A bit like the guys who found a new species of partridge in their stew ...

 

[jurek]

One German birder on a ferry to Heligoland saw a distant passerine flying over the sea. He said that it was not simply a warbler, but Melodious Warbler and not Icterine - and it was!

 

[Bonsaibirder]

One German birder on a ferry to Heligoland saw a distant passerine flying over the sea. He said that it was not simply a warbler, but Melodious Warbler and not Icterine - and it was!

I like it!

 

[Samuel Perfect]

There must be some awesome seawatching stories out there somewhere with birds being IDed at phenomenal distances.

As with so many other cases in life it's so often 10% of the people who find 90% of the birds.

 

[Larry Lade]

Steve when I saw this in your initial post:

"- a 1st state record for Missouri identified on call from a moving car"

I thought that this might be referring to a Western Wood-Pewee. Is this the bird you were referring to?

(I know the person who IDed this bird. I was able to travel down where the bird was being heard and seen and get it on my Missouri List!)

 

[Larry Sweetland]

One German birder on a ferry to Heligoland saw a distant passerine flying over the sea. He said that it was not simply a warbler, but Melodious Warbler and not Icterine - and it was!

I once heard third hand, that pretty much exactly this happened at Portland Bill UK (sorry if this is in any way wrong). I heard that whilst seawatching a warbler flying in off the sea was identified as a Melodious in flight by G Walbridge. A Melodious was then found where it appeared to drop down.

 

[andy r]

Many birders have found rare birds, but which are the greatest feats of bird-finding? I don't mean firsts for Britain (or anywhere else), I mean finds which demonstrate great skill in the field. I love to hear these stories and there must be many out there. Here are some examples which illustrate what I mean. I do KNOW some of these are true whereas maybe some may just be tall tales:

- one legendary rarity finder found 8 Radde's Warblers in the Spurn area in one day (out of 9 present)

- and that guy found Caspian Tern and Rock Thrush in the same day at Spurn too

- a 1st state record for Missouri identified on call from a moving car

- a singing River Warbler at Flamborough identified from inside a tent

- a friend of mine used to call another birder a "Radde's in flight man"

- Blyth's Pipit identified on call in flight in inland UK

- first for Britain identified on call in flight (buff-bellied pipit)?

There must be many more ...

Your info on the Radde's is completely wrong, 8 birds were seen and none were found by the person you are talking about (ADAM HUTT), although three of them were found by other legend Lance Degnan who I presume you are referring to for finding the inland Blyth's on call!
AAH has found many a bird at incredible distances which have turned out to be as he said, when they finally came within 100 yards of us to confirm them!
Andy

 

[Jeff Hopkins]

I was in Tikal, Guatemala, birding with Glenn Crawford, an expert Belizean guide. We heard a single chip note in the underbrush. He immediately said "Kentucky warbler." The he paused a few seconds and said, "Or maybe hooded." The bird chipped once more, and he said "Definitely Kentucky."

It was a bit of work, but we eventually got eyes on the bird. It was a Kentucky. When I asked him how he knew such an uncommon warbler from just the chip note, he answered "Well...they don't sing down here."

I can only hope to someday be as good as he is.

 

[JWN Andrewes]

Cliff Waller, Lundy, back in the sixties, Britain's first Spanish Sparrow. Two days later Britain's first Rufous-sided Towhee. Same guy. Same place. Outrageous!

James

(ps - may have them the wrong way round, but even so...)

 

[lewis20126]

Cliff Waller, Lundy, back in the sixties, Britain's first Spanish Sparrow. Two days later Britain's first Rufous-sided Towhee. Same guy. Same place. Outrageous!

James

(ps - may have them the wrong way round, but even so...)

Yes amazing stuff that, but boats up the Bristol Channel were much commoner back then!

cheers, alan

 

[Bonsaibirder]

Your info on the Radde's is completely wrong,
Andy

Oh dear - that's a shame it was such a good story! I only heard that third hand, so glad someone could put me right. And yes I was referring to Lance with the Blyth's