Mark B Bartosik
Well-known member
Over a year ago I started to be serious to collect Piping Plover resighting data (when not too busy with other birds, like Least Tern) and tried harder to find banded Least Terns (even that I observe these birds for many years; data from banded birds is way more valuable) as I have wonderful communication with banders who band these birds. BTW they are doing truly great job.
I think that after collecting about 300 PIPL band resights (of over 70 different birds – in two Texas counties) and about 30 banded LETE (these are usually single resight records) I feel that I can try to evaluate usefulness of recently used bands from a view of field observer.
The best to read are the recently used alphanumeric bands placed on lower legs (some already used on LETE). They are easiest to notice and read with a minimal effort (well, sometimes some effort is needed). Color bands and flags used on PIPL are source of constant problems and frustrations. When used on upper leg they are often invisible as plovers often rest standing on one leg keeping another one concealed inside puffed belly feathers. Even when moving plovers are often hopping on one leg and are keeping another leg hidden. The alphanumeric flags also are often impossible to read when wrong side (narrow one) is facing an observer. This can be a frustrating experience. Worth to mention is also fact that some colors are fading and bands are looking differently compare to how they were at the time of banding. Please note that in some cases when I was observing a large flock, ~70 PIPL, with 20 banded individuals (example from real life), it was impossible to know what bird I already photographed (and if all taken photo will show all needed details). Large flocks are much easier to get spook (very often for no apparent reason) and will fly away so there is no time to keep checking all taken photos if one wants to collect as many records as possible.
My suggestion is that an ideal, or better said close to ideal, from available band types would be the alphanumeric band, perhaps placed on both lower legs (still much less than average as some PIPL carry two color band on both LL and color band/flag on one UL and metal one on another one). BTW sometimes one or more of these color bands are lost making impossible to identify an individual. I do not know if the right alphanumeric bands are produced in size to fit PIPL but if not I think it would be worth to negotiate with manufactures.
One might ask a question why to help an observer with easier to view bands (benefit to bird with less bands to carry seems to be obvious). I think the main purpose in banding birds is to get as many as possible resight records to generate more data. Most (practically all) birders/photographers has only short lasting novelty interest in collecting band records – can get easy frustrated and will not invest too much time for this activity. Birders want to chase other birds and see as many as possible and not to spend a lot of time trying to identify (correctly) all bands on both legs. Similar situation with photographers plus many of them do not even know what species they photographed (had many cases that they pointed to banded PIPL and asked what bird it is; had a few birders as well – perhaps here PIPL are in winter plumage most of the time – something not well illustrated in some bird guides). Also one needs good equipment to document, correctly, the data. I am using 500mm lens with 1.4X TC so on my camera it is equivalent to view using 22X scope. Of course when checking photos on my computer screen I am getting much better details, but that can be done after I get back home. Even then I find out sometimes that I did not take enough photos to see all bands and/or to catch the right angle for numeric flags. These are not problems to face when photographing alphanumeric bands (except with some flight shots; but color bands are even worse and usually it is impossible to photograph them on both legs on flying birds; we are talking about very small birds here).
Perhaps some people might offer a positive feedback and claim that the color bands and/or flags are great; well maybe if one see one or a few banded PIPL per year and even might be lucky to see these birds from short distance when they are foraging (usually easiest situation to see all bands). Situation will change if one has to deal with a large number of banded birds on wintering grounds.
To illustrate my pointed problems here are a few composite photos.
One is showing what is visible when plover is standing, hopping etc. on one leg plus a lost band case
http://www.pbase.com/mbb/image/159726483/original
These little critters can not only stand and hop on one leg but also stretch wings, take off, fly and land;’ all using only one leg.
http://www.pbase.com/mbb/image/159726613/original
Sometimes engraved flag and/or unique band combination can save the record (Snowy Plover case – can’t say that, unfortunately, about many PIPL and LETE cases)
http://www.pbase.com/mbb/image/159726546
And just to show the collection of 72 banded PIPL found in two Texas counties (practically all during last year and half). BTW large number of first time winter resights suggests that I might be right about visibility of used bands, and flags.
http://www.pbase.com/mbb/image/159726481/original
Visibility of bands placed on long legged plovers is much better but I am not sure what will happen if these start losing bands – they will be, in some cases, another one having exactly the same combination …
http://www.pbase.com/mbb/image/159726544/original
Best regards,
Mark
I think that after collecting about 300 PIPL band resights (of over 70 different birds – in two Texas counties) and about 30 banded LETE (these are usually single resight records) I feel that I can try to evaluate usefulness of recently used bands from a view of field observer.
The best to read are the recently used alphanumeric bands placed on lower legs (some already used on LETE). They are easiest to notice and read with a minimal effort (well, sometimes some effort is needed). Color bands and flags used on PIPL are source of constant problems and frustrations. When used on upper leg they are often invisible as plovers often rest standing on one leg keeping another one concealed inside puffed belly feathers. Even when moving plovers are often hopping on one leg and are keeping another leg hidden. The alphanumeric flags also are often impossible to read when wrong side (narrow one) is facing an observer. This can be a frustrating experience. Worth to mention is also fact that some colors are fading and bands are looking differently compare to how they were at the time of banding. Please note that in some cases when I was observing a large flock, ~70 PIPL, with 20 banded individuals (example from real life), it was impossible to know what bird I already photographed (and if all taken photo will show all needed details). Large flocks are much easier to get spook (very often for no apparent reason) and will fly away so there is no time to keep checking all taken photos if one wants to collect as many records as possible.
My suggestion is that an ideal, or better said close to ideal, from available band types would be the alphanumeric band, perhaps placed on both lower legs (still much less than average as some PIPL carry two color band on both LL and color band/flag on one UL and metal one on another one). BTW sometimes one or more of these color bands are lost making impossible to identify an individual. I do not know if the right alphanumeric bands are produced in size to fit PIPL but if not I think it would be worth to negotiate with manufactures.
One might ask a question why to help an observer with easier to view bands (benefit to bird with less bands to carry seems to be obvious). I think the main purpose in banding birds is to get as many as possible resight records to generate more data. Most (practically all) birders/photographers has only short lasting novelty interest in collecting band records – can get easy frustrated and will not invest too much time for this activity. Birders want to chase other birds and see as many as possible and not to spend a lot of time trying to identify (correctly) all bands on both legs. Similar situation with photographers plus many of them do not even know what species they photographed (had many cases that they pointed to banded PIPL and asked what bird it is; had a few birders as well – perhaps here PIPL are in winter plumage most of the time – something not well illustrated in some bird guides). Also one needs good equipment to document, correctly, the data. I am using 500mm lens with 1.4X TC so on my camera it is equivalent to view using 22X scope. Of course when checking photos on my computer screen I am getting much better details, but that can be done after I get back home. Even then I find out sometimes that I did not take enough photos to see all bands and/or to catch the right angle for numeric flags. These are not problems to face when photographing alphanumeric bands (except with some flight shots; but color bands are even worse and usually it is impossible to photograph them on both legs on flying birds; we are talking about very small birds here).
Perhaps some people might offer a positive feedback and claim that the color bands and/or flags are great; well maybe if one see one or a few banded PIPL per year and even might be lucky to see these birds from short distance when they are foraging (usually easiest situation to see all bands). Situation will change if one has to deal with a large number of banded birds on wintering grounds.
To illustrate my pointed problems here are a few composite photos.
One is showing what is visible when plover is standing, hopping etc. on one leg plus a lost band case
http://www.pbase.com/mbb/image/159726483/original
These little critters can not only stand and hop on one leg but also stretch wings, take off, fly and land;’ all using only one leg.
http://www.pbase.com/mbb/image/159726613/original
Sometimes engraved flag and/or unique band combination can save the record (Snowy Plover case – can’t say that, unfortunately, about many PIPL and LETE cases)
http://www.pbase.com/mbb/image/159726546
And just to show the collection of 72 banded PIPL found in two Texas counties (practically all during last year and half). BTW large number of first time winter resights suggests that I might be right about visibility of used bands, and flags.
http://www.pbase.com/mbb/image/159726481/original
Visibility of bands placed on long legged plovers is much better but I am not sure what will happen if these start losing bands – they will be, in some cases, another one having exactly the same combination …
http://www.pbase.com/mbb/image/159726544/original
Best regards,
Mark
