What's your guess? (3 Viewers)

[Colin]

CJW,
The red mist has come down. There are lots of points.

1. It got me out birding even if I am the worlds worst.
2. It got lots of other people out birding.
3. It gave people who contributed to it an aim for the day.
4. Bird Forum was promoted on the day. I, myself told some birders that I met about the forum.
5. It is something that probably hasn't been done before.
6. It will be of use in publicising the forum in the future.
7. There must be a 7.
8. I enjoyed my participation in the count.
9. Other people enjoyed themselves judging by the entries in other threads on this topic.
10. People found lifers thus increasing their personal field experience.
11. There isn't an 11.
12. It has promoted discussion worldwide.
13. Lots of people want to do it again so it must be good.
14. I could go on with more points.

There is no comparison with a twitch, they are two very different things. By definition, a twitch which means going to see one particular bird at a particular location on a particular date cannot be described as global.

Oh, and while I think of it, that Kite/Buzzard controversy. I know that it is not possible to say for certain what that bird was given those photographs and thus it may not be a Honey Buzzard so there.

Colin sits back, takes a pill to calm down and slips back into depression as the worlds worst birder.


Colin










lol

 

[peter hayes]

CJW

Now look what you've done to Colin. Just remember, he is a former axeman!

As for the POINT of all this - you could say that about anything.

What is the POINT of Steve working up a link on Bird Forum to connect with your Isle of Man site? Can you justify it? Is it educational? Does it increase enjoyment of birding? All highly debatable.

But I tell you something, the Great Global Bird Count certainly increased my enjoyment of birding, and I don't think I'm the only one!

Peter

 

[jeff]

Colin,

I'd like to see as many points as species seen, please go on

Birdman,

If a tree falls in the middle of the woods, and no-one
is there to hear it, does it really make a sound?

 

[Surreybirder]

This thread has gone a little off-topic!
Any more guesses?!!

 

[Colin]

Peter,
You have reminded me. When this pill wears off I shall go and find my axe and sharpen it up. Fortunately for CJW, he lives on an island and I haven't got a boat!


Colin

 

[peter hayes]

Thanks for pointing that out Surreybirder. We are going off topic, and all the counts have to be in by tomorrow. So if anyone else wants to guess, now's the time!

Peter

ps Colin: it will be great to see you back in action!

 

[Colin]

Yes, I went off topic with the red mist but I have calmed down now. From what I have been reading of peoples lists in another thread, I think that we, as a whole will have a good total and I stick with my number of 1151, unless Feral Pigeon is not allowed and then it's 1150.

Colin

 

[birdman]

If you do want to play the numbers game, consider this - in the last 24 hours, I have received submissions fro New Zealand, Central America, West Africa and SE Asia.

 

[KC Foggin]

If you do want to play the numbers game, consider this - in the last 24 hours, I have received submissions fro New Zealand, Central America, West Africa and SE Asia.

Ha! she says as she rubs her hands together. The suspense is mounting!o

 

[CJW]

Hahaha, great fun.
I'm glad you all managed to embellish your birding experience by counting the bird species you saw and reporting them. Perhaps you should all do it more often and submit your records to your county recorders and then some good might actually come of it all.
Just a couple of points if I may:
1) Colin, yes I do live on an island and am happy to do so if it means that I can avoid people who willingly and openly threaten me because I asked a question that they took offence to. As for the kite/buzzard controversy, what controversy? Because you evidently don't have the experience with raptors that some others amongst us do, perhaps it might be best not to post such petty remarks that end with "so there" - it doesn't reflect well on you.
2) Peter you asked what the point of putting a link to our website on BF was. The basic premise behind the site is to enlighten people as to what can be seen on the IOM and thus, hopefully protect said species (Hen Harrier, Chough etc etc). Unfortunately conservation here on the island has had a very low profile and we would like to improve that situation.
3) Peter, I am not a twitcher (I gave that up many years ago, as the crowds were spoiling my enjoyment). I used the twitching analogy to illustrate that 75 registrations was a very small number in the grand scheme of things. Perhaps I should have used more simplistic language.
All that said, I'm only playing with you. If you enjoyed the GBBC then I'm genuinely happy for you all but if I offended anyone then I am also deeply sorry. At the end of the day, we all get different things out of our hobby.

 

[Colin]

Hey CJW, I was only joking hence the points 7 and 11 and also at the very bottom there is a "lol" and the post is unedited so I didn't put that in afterwards. The "so there" was also tongue in cheek. I think you are probably right with the id of the raptor although I found it very difficult given those photographs (this is not a reflection on the photographer).

Colin offers his hand for a hand shake.

Colin

 

[CJW]

Accepted Colin. I don't take any of this stuff seriously and my postings were also tongue-in-cheek. Certainly ruffled a few feathers though!

 

[dennis]

Wow! Arizona comes through! Go U.S. birders! I believe my original guess of 950 will turn out poorly......much to my delite.

dennis