Why so many "ID this bird" posts? (1 Viewer)

cavan wood · Mar 19, 2005

crispycreme said:
Look how quiet this forum became since this thread started.

tumbleweeds...

Please don't anyone take this as a judgment for or against either side of this debate, but if people are truly worried about this thread having a negative impact on people, then maybe we should all stop posting on it, so that people won't see it at the head of the new postings list all the time.

Although it has been a stimulating debate, and I've enjoyed reading all the points of view.

Scott.

StuartReeves · Mar 19, 2005

Jos Stratford said:
PS what's this Sri Lankan raptor?

I'v never been within a thousand miles of Sri Lanka, but I'm not going to let that stop me ! Howabout Crested Honey Buzzard (Pernis ptilorhyncus) ?

Ghostly Vision · Mar 19, 2005

Sri Lankan Raptor is Oriental (Crested) Honey Buzzard, Jos - but you knew that.....?

Get your point - common out there, difficult to those nowhere near the area maybe.

(ps don't ask me how I can be sure it's not a European HB - no of fingers would be a start, but range is the clincher for me on this one).

Since everyone seems to be getting upset and intimidated, and this thread is going nowhere, may I suggest it is closed to new posts to prevent any further offence?

GV

snowyowl · Mar 19, 2005

HelenC said:
Why? You may think that it is intrinsically better to study birds and become a better birdwatcher, but, no offence, that's your opinion. .......................... If someone else's ID requests seem silly to you, fine. Ignore them as lots of people have suggested. What good does it do to moan about them? How many people have been put off by this thread already, I wonder?

Of course, that's just my opinion.

Well said!
:clap:

Neil Grubb · Mar 19, 2005

jobkjoseph said:
i agree that birdwatching is just a hobby/leisure activity for many.

but still i feel that just "shooting & posting" is wrong. People should be birdwatchers first, & photographers second.

regards,
Job

Sorry, but I just don't get that. My own experience is that I got into birding via photography.. The two are complimentary, in my opinion. I have learned hugely by photographing birds and posting pics on BF. Studying my own photographs after a day in the field tells me a lot about bird ID. I am in Spain on conference right now and have taken pics of birds I don't recognise. You can bet I will learn loads through these pics and doubtless one or two will appear on BF tomorrow. So what if photography is a big factor in my birding ? Hopefully BF members enjoy looking at posted pics; sometimes they can be a bit of a brainteaser; and the posters certainly learn a lot and enjoy the interaction with other BF members.

Edward woodwood · Mar 19, 2005

tricky area

can't see why people would object too much to people who are basically at the moment (such as Neil) non birders asking for an ID but if you are a 'birder' have a scope, nice bins and a digi cam then maybe you ought to try to ID it yourself as nothing more than a small piece of self-improvemnt.

The telling thing for me is that people who are 'birders' don't feel daft asking (without trying themselves first) for what should be, even for a novice birder, a straightforward ID.

Taking notes on the bird and researching it, is an intellectual exercise that will result in the acquisition of knowledge that can then be built on (or learning if ya like!) - never a bad thing. Society may be dumbing down - birders don't have too

non birders - keep em coming
'birders' raise the bar a bit please......

Tim

delia todd · Mar 19, 2005

I don't really care who posts pictures or what their reasons are - I just like looking at them, trying to ID them for myself and if I can't enjoy looking at the responses so that I can learn. Bird books always have pictures at different angles to what you are seeing LOL.

Neil Grubb · Mar 19, 2005

Tim Allwood said:
tricky area

can't see why people would object too much to people who are basically at the moment (such as Neil) non birders asking for an ID.....

.... if you are a 'birder' have a scope, nice bins.......

Oh, I will invariably have a stab at ID myself after consulting a bird guide. And I have a scope. My bins are low quality however. Does that make me a birder now? Can I join the club yet? Please ?

Hee heee.............

Neil

Edward woodwood · Mar 19, 2005

membership is open to all of course Neil, sounds like you already are a member if you're id-ing the vast majority of your birds....and it will only get easier.

although to paraphrase Groucho i wouldn't want to be member of a club of that would have me of course... and i don't see myslef as 'in a club'

Tim

Nutcracker · Mar 19, 2005

Tim Allwood said:
and i don't see myslef as 'in a club'

Tim

Not even the Oriental Bird Club ?!?

:-O

Edward woodwood · Mar 19, 2005

Nutcracker said:
Not even the Oriental Bird Club ?!?

:-O

oh you smartarse! :clap:

have beer for that one

B

Tim

Jos Stratford · Mar 19, 2005

Ghostly Vision said:
Sri Lankan Raptor is Oriental (Crested) Honey Buzzard, Jos - but you knew that.....?

Get your point - common out there, difficult to those nowhere near the area maybe.

Yup, partly a reflection on the comment to use field guides - several times in the early stages of a trip to a new part of the world (and occasionally in the latter stages!) I have come across a raptor, looked at it, looked at the field guide and looked at the bird ...and still not been sure. A little later into the trip, the very same raptor appears and it is now identified without problem - the reason is as much due to experience as to the field guide ...you've now seen some at closer range, seen more classic plumages of the bird, got to know the jizz, etc.
What if though I was on a very short trip somewhere - clearly would be very beneficial to me to draw on others experience ...Bird Forum and post a pic! I do remember one occasion in the Okavango in Botswana when, as part of a team of experienced African birders counting raptors, we came across a Steppe type eagle which stumped us all despite close views. If I had been on the forum then and had taken a photo, guess where that shot would have been!

Neil Grubb · Mar 19, 2005

Tim Allwood said:
membership is open to all of course Neil, sounds like you already are a member if you're id-ing the vast majority of your birds....and it will only get easier.

although to paraphrase Groucho i wouldn't want to be member of a club of that would have me of course... and i don't see myslef as 'in a club'

Tim

My comment was made mostly in jest. I find it funny that it's human nature to categorise people; to pigeon-hole them. The reality is that there is a continuum of interest out there, from the person who puts scraps out for the birds and can't name more than a couple of species, right through to the dedicated and very knowledgeable types (many of whom frequent BF). Any categorising of people within this is arbitrary, and in my view unimportant.

bobsofpa · Mar 19, 2005

Photographer

I am not a "birder" but I am a photographer that enjoys taking bird photos because of the challenge. I have my own web site, www.bobsheldon.com, where I have galleries of my photos and one of them is "Birds" with over 200 bird photos. When I put up a photo in my gallery I want it to be correctly identified. I have purchased several bird books and a computer ID program. I am successful in identifying about 90 to 95% of the birds I photograph, but that other 5 to 10% I need help. This forum has been extremely helpful in accomplishing this. Please keep the "ID this Bird Please" active.

Bob Sheldon

Andrew Rowlands · Mar 20, 2005

bobsofpa said:
I am not a "birder" but I am a photographer that enjoys taking bird photos because of the challenge. I have my own web site, www.bobsheldon.com, where I have galleries of my photos and one of them is "Birds" with over 200 bird photos. When I put up a photo in my gallery I want it to be correctly identified. I have purchased several bird books and a computer ID program. I am successful in identifying about 90 to 95% of the birds I photograph, but that other 5 to 10% I need help. This forum has been extremely helpful in accomplishing this. Please keep the "ID this Bird Please" active.

Bob Sheldon

I think the ID threads are safe, Bob - if the birds are not captive!

Andy.

BirdsPeru · Mar 20, 2005

As mention on many of the posts in this thread there are many level of birders around the world. For example I have some what like 4 or 5 years birding mainly in my country and can identify some good amount of this birds but there is no really good Field (ID) Guide for this country and need help to confirm or correct me on the ID most of the times and other times to ID the bird as the field guide that is available has not so good pictures (Drawings).
Other thing that this kind of threads helps a lot is to start knowing the birds from other parts of the world and this forum helps me a lot when traveling and photographing birds from other parts of the world that I would never know of them without this kind of threads.

Do not wnat to be rude but if some one does not like threads saying "ID help needed" please do not read it but do not critises this kind of post. Many of us like this threads and encourage us to ID the bird and help the one that make the post.

Alejandro

chris baker · Mar 20, 2005

I don't want to be rude, but I feel we're getting the odd "dumb" thread started.

I don't want to be rude but if people want to be photographers first and birders second I think it's up to them.

I don't want to rude but who knows how long someone has poured over a bird guide before asking for help on the Forum.

As for people being optimistic that ID requests have fallen, no comment.

Perhaps we should introduce a Premier League! If you can learn quickly and prove you've tried hard to Id, then and only then can you post a picture, correctly edited with of course your notes and sketches---What a crock!!

Either we have an Id forum or we dont and as we have , it's simple, if you dont like it in there, don't go in. It's the first forum I look at and I'd like to think I've learned a lot from it. Take a look at the thread a "pipit for consideration", if I get half as good as the members involved there I'd be very pleased. But it also shows that bird Id isn't as easy as you may think, no matter how many bird guides you have. If you've mastered the art, bully for you, if you want to help others great, if not, fine.

Thanks to all those of you that have helped me with Id, long may it continue. I hope one day I'll be able to help others.

Jay23 · Mar 31, 2005

Blackheaded blackheaded gulls and IDing

I'm sure that most people only ask for ID assistance when they need it. Field guides are OK up to a point but I remember looking through them over and over and thinking 'it must be in here somewhere'. It's great knowing that theres a community of people 'out there' who can help when stuck.

Anyway, about those blackheaded gulls. On a local lagoon there's a flock of about 30 BHGs throughout the winter. This year two of them remained stubbornly blackheaded for the duration of the winter. In all other respects they were standard BHGs. They certainly made me search the field guides a few times! Anybody else come across this phenomenon?

Chris

fatboyfat · Mar 31, 2005

Hi Chris.

Continental birds that overwinter here remain Black-headed throughout winter, though I am not sure why!

FBF

Anyway, about those blackheaded gulls. On a local lagoon there's a flock of about 30 BHGs throughout the winter. This year two of them remained stubbornly blackheaded for the duration of the winter. In all other respects they were standard BHGs. They certainly made me search the field guides a few times! Anybody else come across this phenomenon?

Chris[/QUOTE]

Why so many "ID this bird" posts? (1 Viewer)

Well-known member

Local rarity

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Member

If I said the wrong thing it was a Senior Moment

Well-known member

Member

Stop Brexit!

Member

Eastern Exile

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Alejandro Tabini

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Similar threads

Users who are viewing this thread