to tick or not to tick? (1 Viewer)

Surreybirder

Ken Noble

• Feb 29, 2004

• #1

that is the question.
On 14.9.1994 I saw a pale grey-coloured small skua flying N in a strong wind off St Mary's Island, Newcastle.
I never ticked it as a long-tailed skua (which would be a lifer for me) as I felt I couldn't eliminate 1st summer artic skua.
However, Michael Frankis tells me:

there were 23 [long-taileds] N at St Mary's on that day, all juvs, the biggest passage of the year (also 39 juv Arctics N as well, but they wouldn't be cold grey)

Click to expand...

I feel inclined to award myself a tick after 10 years. What would others do?
Ken

 

IanF

Moderator

• Feb 29, 2004

• #2

I can empathize your quandary as I have been in a similar position on numerous occasions, but nowadays I'm quite rigid in that I won't include a bird as a tick unless I'm 100% satisfied myself as to it's identity. In these circumstances whilst I value Michael's opinion very highly, the fact they were seen passing at the right time period wouldn't be enough for me. Now if I had Michael stood beside me when I saw it and he confirmed the ID then that would be a different matter!

 

Tom Moodie

Well-known member

• Feb 29, 2004

• #3

Sorry Surreybirder but I have to agree with IanF on this one, especially for a life tick. LT Skua was a bogey bird for me for a number of years until 2002. Keep seawatching and I'm sure you'll see.

Good luck
Tom

 

E

Edward woodwood

Member

• Feb 29, 2004

• #4

if you have notes and a description.....u can tick it
if not.....

 

Charles Harper

Régisseur

• Mar 1, 2004

• #5

Tick it! Tick it! You did see a L-T Jaeger, and you ain't getting any younger.

 

Surreybirder

Ken Noble

• Mar 1, 2004

• #6

Looks as if it remains a bogey bird.
It was one of those occasions where, by the time I had established it was a skua (white wing flashes primarily) and got its general colour it was too late to start looking for ventral barring etc.
If only a nice adult in breeding plumage would pass me by. It goes without saying that LTSs are rare in Surrey.

 

S

Sven W

Well-known member

• Mar 1, 2004

• #7

IanF said:

Now if I had Michael stood beside me when I saw it and he confirmed the ID then that would be a different matter!

Click to expand...

Personaly, I wouldn't tick it unless I was certain beyond resonable doubt based on my own observations. For lifers I take others ids as indications only. Needless to say, this approach has cost me a number of lifers, but it is a pleasure saved for later occasions.

On the other hand, I know many who doesn't have this rigid approach. They can't possibly get the same enjoyment from a new lifer.

 

Fulmar

Well-known member

• Mar 1, 2004

• #8

The same for me, I only tick when I am really convinced that I am correct (although mistakes are made by everybody). Other people can be a (great) help to point at some species and explain why it is that species, but I still want to see the features myself. It happened already at least two times that someone, who I regarded as an expert, pointed out a possible new lifer, but when I later looked at the photo I made, it showed that it was a different species!

Peter