I'm sure I've posted this point before but it's worth repeating. I've been out on the Somerset Levels with a very experienced birder (book-writing experienced) who mistook a heron for a harrier on brief glimpse. Mitigating circumstances? Well we were out looking for harriers so that bird was uppermost in our minds at the time. As an entomologist I quite often see specimens of common species misidentified (under the microscope) as something rarer, usually because the identifier wants to find something rare and seizes on something slightly abberrant and 'forces' it into what he/she wants it to be.
QUOTE]
I have wanted to make a point for quite a while now, and would like to address it to Imaginos, an entomologist. More conversation than any real contribution, but here goes:
I consider myself a barely competent field lepidopterist, I have spent many, many hours in the field identifying our local butterflies, moths, plus a few of the more interesting beetles, etc. However, I do not claim to be an expert by any means, as I know a few experts, more than enough to understand that I ain't one.
However, in the field, I do run across some very similar species of insects that are extremely hard to distinguish, and would like to give an example.
We have locally, two very small, very similar species of Satyrinae. The Gemmed Satyr (Cyllopsis gemma) please see link, if you are interested;
http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species?l=1846
And the Carolina Satyr (Hermeuptychia sosybius). Again, if you have read this far, please see link;
http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species?l=1847
These insects are just over an inch in wingspan, and very difficult to distinguish before netting. How are they distinguished? By the way they fly, but the difference is very, very subtle.
I have spent enough hours in the field observing the Carolina, which is quite common, that when I do chance across a Gemma, which is quite uncommon in my area, that I can instantly recognize the differences in the flight, no matter how brief the sighting. And again, understand that this is a tiny little butterfly.
Now, of course I have never seen an Ivorybill. On the other hand, I have seen many, many Pileateds. They are quite common, and have a very distinctive flight.
My point is, that if I were to see a large Woodpecker, well enough to be sure it was a woodpecker, and it did not fly like a Pileated, then what other conclusion could I make? Plus, if I could get a field mark, any field mark, I would dare any one of you to refute the sighting. I am that confident in my observational abilities. I can only believe that there are birders out there that possess at least the same level of ability as I, and probably (certainly) a great deal more.
I made the mistake of doubting myself on a Whooping Crane once. I had done no research on the Whooping Crane, but was of course familiar with the species, and it's status.
So when one flew across the highway a few hundred feet in front of me, I naturally assumed that I had lost my damn mind. I instantly knew what it was, I nailed the identification, but would not allow myself to believe it.
How many IBWO sightings are lost because of this?
After the sighting, I did some research to find that there is a resident population of Whoopers in the Kissimee Prairie. Which just happened to be right where I made my sighting.
Maybe I will see an IBWO some day. Probably not. But if I do, it will take more than a few skeptics to dissuade me.
Jon