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Why are field guides taboo in the field? (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter Doug
- Start date
I'm firmly in the Mitchell Beazley and notebook camp. If one of "those" people in a hide give me that look I smile back like Jack Nicholson in the shining and they then spend the rest of their time in the hide wondering if I have an axe in my tripod case. I really think its unacceptable for people to sneer at people they feel have lesser skills than them,what other branch of life would it be acceptable in? Stand firm fellow field guide users.
Alan
Wherever you find chaos- be sure to add to it.
Alan
Wherever you find chaos- be sure to add to it.
Tero
Retired
I find another use for the guides. I need to walk thru a half a mile of industrial wasteland and sometimes get stuck waiting for a train to go by. I leaf thru the field guide and read some random pages for 5 minutes. If I have one in the car, it may be the only reading material there.mstetz said:
sungrebe
Well-known member
Give me a break . . .
I have more fun birding than I do just about any other recreational activity; I love the hobby, but if there's anything about it that turns me off, it's the notion of 'elite' birders . We're all just out to have a little fun, aren't we? The last thing I want to involve myself with is another hierarchical organization where I have to genuflect to supposed experts, and I resent people who imply superiority due to more advanced identification skills. I'm only moderately skilled, but I make it a point to connect and be helpful and encouraging to anyone I bird with who may have a question. As for using a field guide, if anyone takes issue with my pulling out my Geo or Peterson's, they can just keep their raised eyebrows fixed to their $1500 Swarovskis while I have my fun. This is RECREATION,darn it, not a college entrance exam!
I have more fun birding than I do just about any other recreational activity; I love the hobby, but if there's anything about it that turns me off, it's the notion of 'elite' birders . We're all just out to have a little fun, aren't we? The last thing I want to involve myself with is another hierarchical organization where I have to genuflect to supposed experts, and I resent people who imply superiority due to more advanced identification skills. I'm only moderately skilled, but I make it a point to connect and be helpful and encouraging to anyone I bird with who may have a question. As for using a field guide, if anyone takes issue with my pulling out my Geo or Peterson's, they can just keep their raised eyebrows fixed to their $1500 Swarovskis while I have my fun. This is RECREATION,darn it, not a college entrance exam!
Tim42
Birder4life
Here, here!
Whenever I go birding I carry my trusty Kaufman guide but don't use it unless to verify what I saw or on a real stumper! Where I live, I don't see any birders besides myself, which I think is strange, but the ones I have seen had a Sibley guide with them. I don't have enough room in my pockets for a notebook anyway. You're right, it's not a college entrance exam and birding is meant to be fun! Happy birding! :flyaway:sungrebe said:
Grousemore
Senior Member
sungrebe said:
Well said, Bill...we seem to have had a plethora of the 'good old days' brigade on here recently, with their superior tales of yore.
Needs to be put into perspective, if only to relieve the boredom.
TexasFlyway
Hook 'em Horns
sungrebe said:
You've said it all Bill, Game, Set and Match to you. :clap:
samuel walker
It's OK to be a little blue........
Since being on this forum I proudly bird English style.No field guide.Better to know the bird you seek than be reading at the patch.I'm carring a camera that is used for bird ID when I get home.Reading a book while in a hot spot will gurantee misssing a spectacular bird.Ok I keep a guide in the car to compare the camera playback to.No field guides in thed field.
Sam
Sam
cavan wood
Well-known member
No field guides in the field? I'm sorry, but that's just dumb. I have met so many birders that are so full of themselves that I'm surprised they can identify anything other than their own ego. Anything you can use to further your understanding of what you observe in the world is good. I once was out with a birder at a banding station that casually called a bird as song sparrow. He had much more experience than me and I was in awe of his talent. But when he called the song sparrow, I said "No, that's a swamp sparrow." We both took another look and checked the field guide. I was right and he thanked me for pointing out what he had overlooked. (He was NOT a jerk). Anyone that sneers at you for trying to learn is a joke. Do what you need to do and don't let anyone tell you that their way is the only way. If it works for them great. Take note, consider wether or not you could learn from that approach, but if you still prefer your way, than that's the best way. I hate protocol, I hate know-it-alls, and I hate people telling me that they are superior.
My father always said "You are never to old to learn unless you're too stupid", and I think that also applies to being too "experienced". He was neither educated nor a gentleman, but that statement contains a great deal of wisdom.
Cheers,
Scott
My father always said "You are never to old to learn unless you're too stupid", and I think that also applies to being too "experienced". He was neither educated nor a gentleman, but that statement contains a great deal of wisdom.
Cheers,
Scott
raymondjohn
Well-known member
Dear BFs
May I say that the way to become truly proficient about bird IDs is to use the method great bird fieldguide writers (gould) used in the past in OZ.
First shoot 20 to 30 of the little buggers and go from there.
Gratefull fieldguide user
raymondjohn
PS Gavan your old man may not have been a gentleman or educated but he was wise
and practical like Mr Gould.
May I say that the way to become truly proficient about bird IDs is to use the method great bird fieldguide writers (gould) used in the past in OZ.
First shoot 20 to 30 of the little buggers and go from there.
Gratefull fieldguide user
raymondjohn
PS Gavan your old man may not have been a gentleman or educated but he was wise
and practical like Mr Gould.
I always carry a field guide but learned a lesson when I forot to bring one once. I spotted a bird that I didn't recognize. I was very nervous that I wouldn't be able to identify what could have been a special find so I wrote down every minute detail of any field marks or behavior. I even made a sketch which I had never done before. When I came back I was able to positively identify the bird with confidence. The lesson I learned was to spend more time observing the bird before going to the field guide to make an id.
David Pedder
Well-known member
sungrebe said:
Well said! Couldn't agree more. :clap:
cuckooroller
Registered User
For me this is a non-question. I imagine I can identify a few birds without resources, but I would take my whole photodatabase out in the field with me if I could let alone fieldguides. After all, birdwatching for most real birders is not just to determine how one "appears" searching the expressions of fellow birdwatchers in close proximity, but to actually watch the birds. I could care less really if someone thinks I am a "tyro" if I make recourse to whatever resources I have to hand out in the field!
Allen S. Moore
Well-known member
I have not read the whole thread, but I know that some people are thought to be influenced by what they read rather than what they see. I'm Manx and spent 4 years at University in Bradford in Northern England, so I know most of the likely birds in these islands. However, when I am on holiday in Spain (inc. Canarias) I prefer to have my field guide with me. The one time that I did not was when I was walking along the sea front in Santa Cruz de La Palma on the way to the shops, when I saw my only ever ring-billed gull. My field guide was back in my hotel room. The moral of the story is, carry a field guide, even if you don't need to refer to it. You never know when you might happen on an unusual gull, etc!
Allen S. Moore
Well-known member
David Pedder
You've got it in one!David Pedder said:
Keithec
'Green Scum'
Doug said:
I just see it as another fascinating piece of social behaviour (the attitude of some birders I mean.) Personally I don't give a monkey's whether I am considered a 'real' birder or not. If I need to use it I will. If I think about it what decides whether to carry my field guide around is a mixture of "Have I got somewhere to carry it?" and "Am I likely to need it?"
Keith
Richard W
Well-known member
I have a "birding kit" that goes with me when I go out, including several guides, wouldn't be so arrogant to think I can identify everything I see, because I know from experience I can't.
am sure if they stayed at home that would be the day I would find some LBJ hopping about, not know what it is, and kick myself for thinking I didn't need them.
am sure if they stayed at home that would be the day I would find some LBJ hopping about, not know what it is, and kick myself for thinking I didn't need them.
Lucky Birder
Notts Birder
I'm old fashioned and if I did see something I couldn't identify I would take notes and check when I got home. I wouldn't know where to put a fieldguide anyway; I don't have a car and even Collins is too big for my jacket.
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