[Kentbloke]

an "oddness" of twitchers?

[Xenospiza]

Originally Posted by Ilya Maclean

A "string" of twitchers?

Sounds good to me: http://www.dutchbirding.nl/gallery.p...id=1650&page=1

[Peter C.]

Originally Posted by Ilya Maclean

A "string" of twitchers?

[Monahawk]

A " vulgarness of twitchers "?

[Joseph N]

I hate it how they use 'twitchers' as the term they use. We're not all twitchers, can't they get it into their heads?

[Jos Stratford]

Originally Posted by Joseph N

I hate it how they use 'twitchers' as the term they use. We're not all twitchers, can't they get it into their heads?

Er, if you go to see a bird found by others, that means you are a twitcher. As a steady stream of twitchers have been to see this bird, the headline is basically correct.

Had the headline stated 'Birders flock to see Rare Bird' then maybe there would be reason to moan that not all birders twitch, but I think it is fair to state all persons who travelled to see this bird were indeed twitchers.

[Pete Mella]

Originally Posted by Joseph N

I hate it how they use 'twitchers' as the term they use. We're not all twitchers, can't they get it into their heads?

In this case, as Jos said, it's perfectly justified. If you hear there's a Wilson's Phalarope at Slimbridge and you go and see it you're a twitcher, whether you like it or not!

"Twitchers flock to help with RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch" (which I have seen) is wrong, but here it's totally fine, surely?

[Zac Hinchcliffe]

Originally Posted by Pete Mella

In this case, as Jos said, it's perfectly justified. If you hear there's a Wilson's Phalarope at Slimbridge and you go and see it you're a twitcher, whether you like it or not!

"Twitchers flock to help with RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch" (which I have seen) is wrong, but here it's totally fine, surely?

Good Call. Agreed!

[Monahawk]

Originally Posted by Pete Mella

In this case, as Jos said, it's perfectly justified. If you hear there's a Wilson's Phalarope at Slimbridge and you go and see it you're a twitcher, whether you like it or not!

"Twitchers flock to help with RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch" (which I have seen) is wrong, but here it's totally fine, surely?

I'd agree with that statement too, Pete.

The term twitcher [which I personally dislike anyway] is all to often used by the press, especially the gutter press, you know 'the red tops'. This is no doubt because they are ill informed about our interest, or they just know how to ignite the litmus paper and wind us up .....and they succeed nearly every time.

[Pete Mella]

Originally Posted by Monahawk

I'd agree with that statement too, Pete.

The term twitcher [which I personally dislike anyway] is all to often used by the press, especially the gutter press, you know 'the red tops'. This is no doubt because they are ill informed about our interest, or they just know how to ignite the litmus paper and wind us up .....and they succeed nearly every time.

I'm not saying the headline isn't lazy or cliched, just that it's not incorrect in this instance.

I does make me wonder if the word "twitcher" is evolving to simply mean birdwatcher - let's face it to a birdwatcher we know exactly what specific subset of our hobby we would call a twitcher, but the general population it is a slang (and often prejorative) term for "birdwatcher", and many rookie birders even call themselves twitchers when they never do such a thing as "twitch" rarities. It may rile us, but widespread incorrect usage does ultimately become language.

It's heartening to see the OED definition of "twitcher" is "A bird-watcher whose main aim is to collect sightings of rare birds."

[username]

The bbc's forthcoming twitching documentary has the working title of 'birders' apparently....let's hope the 'term' catches on amongst the media in general..[i think most of us consider ourselves to be birders don't we]...?
Guess it ain't that important at the end o the day tho...

ps...[if the media keep using the word 'twitcher' to anyone who's remotely interested in birds then it just shows how dumb the media can be]....no surprises there then...!

[Rob Smallwood]

Perhaps we should just all be less sensitive about the word - meanings change - that's part of the beauty of language.....

"One of my hobbies is bird watching"

"Oh - you're a twitcher?"

"Oh no - I'm a birder..twitchers are altogether different"

"Oh - so what have you been doing today?"

"Well, I went to XYZ - I 'd heard there was a ABC there and I haven't seen one for a while/got a decent photo/seen on in this county " etc etc ad finitum

[devon.birder]

I just caught the end of the local TV news last evening (it now comes from Bristol so not that local) in time to see James Lees from Slimbridge talking about the Wilson's. All publicity is good publicity as they say. Roger

[Jaff]

When a Wilson's was up here at Martin Mere it certainly attracted a good number of people to see it so don't underestimate a bird like this, the hundreds of visitors is easily believable as there are many for whom a bird such as this would be a lifer. And with the Penduline's there recently, way to go Slimbridge!

[Surreybirder]

A tic of twitchers?

[cheersm8]

Whats the problem? A hoard of anoraky types with manfrotto tripods and swarski scopes with a flask of weak lemon squash, all flocking to see a bird that they have never heard of til they read it on some 'rare bird alert' ARE twitchers, no other word for it.

ps: How do you think I got to see a Bimaculated Lark?