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When is a birder no longer "new"? (1 Viewer)

MichelleOhio

MichelleOhio

Well-known member
Serious question...what should we know to move on to the amateur catergory? I call myself "new" but am I really?

Just looking for thought or discussion on this.
 
MichelleOhio said:
Serious question...what should we know to move on to the amateur catergory? I call myself "new" but am I really?

Just looking for thought or discussion on this.
Click to expand...

knowing enough to give advise to others.... be-it on a single given subject, or be able to point out a species to someone who doesnt know what he/she is looking at, or just when you feel confident enough to have a fairly basic understanding of birds as a whole

youll never stop learning though no matter how keen or long a birder you are
 
Bananafishbones. Excellent answer. I feel that I know so little but when I bump into an offhand comment on a bird with my acquaintances or neighbors, I find I know the local birds far better while they have no idea what they are seeing or hearing. It's nice to have a helpful comment for them.

I like your definition.
 
You've got it spot on Dave. It's all down to how confident you are with your ID skills - in your view, not someone else's - and how comfortable you feel pointing stuff out to other people. After 51 years birding I'm still learning new stuff all the time.

Chris
 
MichelleOhio said:
Serious question...what should we know to move on to the amateur catergory? I call myself "new" but am I really?

Just looking for thought or discussion on this.
Click to expand...


answer? well two I suppose. 1.When you finaly stop asking 'anyone seen a kingfisher today' on your birding trips out :-O 2. When Emmerdale becomes more interesting than Springwatch. :-O
 
Hotspur said:
When you leave your fieldguide in the car.
Click to expand...

On that rule I must be a new birder, my copy of Collins lives in the pocket of my scope harness.:-C However, I don't refer to it too often.;)

I think Dave's answer in post 2 is spot on, you're no longer a new birder when you are confident enough to offer opinions on birds to others.
 
Keith Dickinson said:
On that rule I must be a new birder, my copy of Collins lives in the pocket of my scope harness.:-C However, I don't refer to it too often.;)

I think Dave's answer in post 2 is spot on, you're no longer a new birder when you are confident enough to offer opinions on birds to others.
Click to expand...

i offer my opinions on birds to people frequently but still consider my self a new birder, but maybe that just because i'm a gobby git.

i also know for a fact that should i be around for 50 more years i'd still be learning

as for cheersm8's second comment, it aint never going to happen
 
I'm back to square one whenever I go to a new country excluding the odd introduced or migratory birds. You can only really be an expert in selected places unless your a millionaire.

Even the common birds can stoop you sometimes with odd dialects or plumages.

All you can really do is compare yourself to other people. There is no direct standard, unlike video games (i.e. 500 birds and your at lvl 2!)
 
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When people ask you 'Where did you learn so much about birds?!' and you look at them a little flustered like in 'Who? Me? When did that happen?' ;)
 
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