Iffy Ticks (1 Viewer)

[andythomas]

Hi Michael

The American Wigeon was in May 1992. I was on holiday at the time, there were no other birders around to ask about it, and I don't think it crossed my mind that I might have found my own rare bird. Even if it had I wouldn't have known who to phone and tell.

I then made the classic mistake of not reporting it to the County Recorder on the basis that someone else would. Of course I would have had no chance of having it accepted as I didn't take a detailed description at the time. It was a case of me seeing a bird I didn't recognise and looking it up in my field guide.

Anyway it appears now that either no one else saw it, which I find hard to believe, or it wasn't accepted.

If it was an American Wigeon and I was the only one to see it, then I'd like to take this opportunity to apologise to all the birders in Northumberland for not reporting it, and hope this doesn't mean I won't be allowed back into the county in future :-C

 

[Michael Frankis]

Hi Andy,

First, I don't think anyone'll be worried about missing out on one that far back, there's been several long-staying 'twitchable' ones in the county, and everyone who wants to see one has done so

But if you've still got any notes on it - why not dig them out and send them in? There's birds been accepted by BBRC from much longer back than 11 years (PM me if you want our recorder's address).

And Northumberland is such an under-watched county, that it would be easy for a bird like this to get by unseen by any other birder. Particularly in May - no-one bothers much looking at ducks in May, we're going round the bushes looking for Bluethroats! (yes I know we should look for everything, but who does?!) (and May is actually quite a good time for finding American ducks, as they move to new sites in spring migration)

Michael

 

[Andy Bright]

Sammy? 3

 

[Jasonbirder]

3 quick points:-

1) Oi Michael!! Whats wrong with Gull-billed terns?? The high rate of rejection by the BBRC comes from those birds claimed distantly on Sea-watches which are mis-identified Sandwich Terns, there are plenty of acceptable recent records of long-staying or Inland Birds such as Titchwell Nov2001, Marazion/Drift Sept2002 etc

2) There was a rumour spread a few years ago about Sammy the Black-winged Stilt having escaped from a Norfolk collection, which was shown to be just mischief-making, firstly the aviculturalist (?) claimed it had escaped when a storm had damaged one of his cages, though the bird was discovered at a time when the East of England had experienced a long period of settled weather, secondly the bird was almost undoubtedly the same bird which had been present in Northumberland at the beginning of August (1993 - it was first seen in Norfolk at Snettisham on August 18th), the only factor which can be held against its origins is the length of its stay and there are plenty of precedents for rarities making extended stays IE: The Stodmarsh Glossy Ibis`, the South Uist Stellar`s Eider etc).

3) Colin, don`t encourage this guy by passing his URL around, perhaps he should just contribute something to the wider birding community rather than just slagging off a well known and respected birder, and if he`s so hot on data protection and copyrighting how come he`s just cut and pasted huge chunks of material from someone elses website to feed his paranoic fantasies?

Rant Over...normal service to be resumed shortly

 

[stevo]

What about birds you`ve seen that have not been officially split yet,but you`ve ticked them.IE Black Brant,Siberian Stonechat.

Regards Stevo.

 

[Colin]

Goshawk,
Yes, I saw the Cotwold Water Park Gull-billed Tern and that was unmistakeable. Everyone that I knew agreed on the id.

Jasonbirder,
I'm not encouraging anyone. I just put the URL there for people to make up their own mind. As I said, I have no comment to make either way.

 

[Michael Frankis]

Hi Stevo,

Keep the Siberian Stonechat on your list, un-numbered, ready to add a number as soon as the BOURC get their act together and split it (can't be long now).

Might as well forget the Black Brent, it ain't going to be split. Just log it for your personal list if you wish along with other no-hopers like British gengleri race Chaffinch and Icelandic coburni race Redwing.

Michael

 

[HH75]

Hi all,
Gull-billed Terns do occur in the UK and Ireland:saw 2 together in June 2000!Never accepted,but NOT for reasons listed:nobody has submitted them yet(and I'd be slow to submit birds that I wasn't involved in finding)!
Dodgiest ticks:RC Pochard stands out.Have also seen Thrush Nightingale and Little Bunting in the hand and being released,but not once they had landed!Not giving them up,though!
Have yet to tick any suggested splits,and haven't ticked the poss.Elegant Tern from last year.
Harry H

 

[Sylvia]

I have a few questionable birds on my list from my visit to Playa del Carman on the Yucatan coast in May '01. My husband and i went to a bird sanctuary that had a fence around it, but not over it. The men at the front gate said that the birds weren't captive, but i still wonder. Of course, i did NOT count the macaws and parrots sitting on man-made perches and eating seeds and fruit bits from cups! They acted like pets. But there were a few other birds that acted more wild that i did put on my list, but i still wonder if i should -- like Plain Chachalaca.

However, the bird i REALLY can't decide about is the Bendire's Thrasher i "saw" in Hot Creek Park south of Mammoth Lakes, California, in May '00. The one picture in my older Audubon's Western Birds guide was very close to the bird that i saw, but it has only one photo, showing only one angle. Several other aspects of it match the guide's description. BUT, where i saw this bird was too far north, according to the maps. ::sigh:: I haven't given up hope that i'll be able to confirm this somehow, someday. Maybe even a BF member will be able to help me.

p.s.
steviewol, i have NEVER heard of any U.S. birder ticking a dead bird. In the thousands of birding email posts i have read, no one ever mentioned doing that.

 

[phyllosc]

I was there too for the Dom Crane but never ticked it. Like others on this thread I agree it was a brilliant time with so many good birds around. And of course not only in god's own county but on god's own patch!

Iffy birds I have removed include a Lesser White-fronted Goose seen at Hornsea Mere in April 1977. It had only just arrived when I saw it and it my first ever Rare Bird. I was over-joyed to see it. But in those day - in my early teens - I knew nothing of 'escapes' and Rarity Committeees and so the bird took pride of place on my British List.

Several years later my adult suspicions were confirmed when a good friend of mine looked back through his decades worth of British Birds and found the Rarity Report for 1977. The Goose had in fact hung around for months and the 'possibility of escape could not be ruled out'. So off it came along with a stringy Montagu's Harrier.

The experience of taking birds off a list was akin to pulling-teeth and not one I want to repeat too often, but you cannot fly in the face of strong evidence, you're only cheating yourself.

As regards the link that Colin posted: this guy has really has it in for Lee Evans. Whatever you think of Lee, life is just too short for this kind of anger and bitterness.

Dave

 

[Michael Frankis]

Hi Dave,

Reminds me of my one-and-only Lesser Whitefront, twitched near Tophill Low in Feb 1996. BBRC accepted it though with the comment "but the Yorkshire one is perhaps a little more doubtful" (BB 90: 461, 1997). My feeling is that it was most likely one of the Swedish re-introduction birds and so tickable as a Category C bird - so it's staying on my list

Michael

 

[phyllosc]

Michael.

Good for you, I've yet to catch up with LWF. And Top Hill Low, one of my old haunts! I haven't been there for years.

Dave

 

[Charles Harper]

God bless you for tidying your records Andrew, but I can't imagine being able to go back over my life list now-- I can't even remember half of the experiences, would have trouble even describing Central American birds I saw once or twice 25 years ago. Some records come complete with a vivid image of the bird, but many, sadly, are just names, places and dates now. All I know is I tried to be honest with myself and conservative in my judgement. Nevertheless, I know I was more callow then than now. I like the simplicity of your concept of 'Sureness: Yes or No', but it sounds too absolutist to work. I'd be putting too many sightings somewhere along an analog scale of certainty and go nuts!

 

[James]

I have just read the website posted by Colin about LGRE.
I was horrified, whatever the truth the fact that people are fighting over the length of each others lists has really brought home to me the need to stop worrying about numbers. (Demoiselle Crane gone, others going?). At the end of the day my list is my list and yours is yours. So long as I can still enjoy a days birding without getting even a year tick I will survive. I would sooner spend a bad days birding than a good days arguing over who's list is the longest. Thanks for all the confessions of iffy ticks as most people followed the spirit of fun with which I posted this question.

James

p.s. Can I just keep the falcated duck @ Parkgate a couple of years ago please?????????

 

[HokkaidoStu]

Hi James.

I completely agree re that link to the Lee Evans thing. Unbelievable. Even if it's true ( or partially true ) I can't believe someone would take time off from their life to make a website like that. Pathetic. Who cares?

 

[James]

Hi Stu

Is Hokkaido Stu related to Disco Stu in the Simpsons?

James

 

[HokkaidoStu]

Eh?

Even though I would call myself a Simpsons fan I have no idea what you're talking about!!!! I haven't seen that character......

Mind you we're a bit behind with new episodes here in Japan.

Sorry to disappoint you but my name is Stuart and I live in Hokkaido.........

 

[James]

Disco Stu will arrive in Japan sooner or later on one of the episodes, of that you can be sure. I envy your location as I would love to visit Japan, not only for the birds but also as I am a zen buddhist. It must be an interesting place.
No insult is implied by the Simpsons reference by the way!

Regards James

 

[chris murphy]

I've got some right howlers on my list. I dare not even hazard a guess where all my R.C.Pochards are from, and I've also ticked the Minsmere Baikal Teal. That is of course until the BOURC look at it, laugh their heads off and then throw it in the sin bin. I'm not sure about the validity of the Bar Headed Geese that I've seen...I think they could be suspect. Then there was the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker which I claimed in flight, knowing full well that it was'nt one. I could go on, but life is too short.

P.S. Michael, I've seen Gull Billed Tern in Britain at Titchwell. Nothing suspect about that.

 

[James]

Don't tell me I can't have the Baikal Teal either, now I really am sorry I raised this issue!!!

James