-
Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.
Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
Twitchers And Twitches (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter Steve
- Start date
Ashley beolens
Breeding the next generation of birders.
I would like to say twitchers have been given a bad name unfairly, I used to twitch a lot, but family commitments leave me only able to go occasionally, and on the whole I have not had bad experiences. Infact most of the time there is a great sense of Camaraderie with birders enjoying the company of other birders, It is a great place to pass on tales and ID tips, and is generally a social event. Very rarely this is marred by birders acting badly (the red throated thrush in Essex with people jumping fences to get to the bird to name one), but these are few and far between.
Although chasing the next tick is to some people all it is about there are very few people to whom this is the sole purpose, and most of us do just as much birding on spec. looking for birds and watching our local patches, as twitching the megas.
To ask if it is real birding or just a tick race is an insult, most twitchers have a better understanding of critical ID features than your average birder, and in general are the people pushing new ID frontiers, they also have more of an understanding of where birds originate, if they are migratory, whether it is short or long distance, what birds will turn up at what times of year,and in what weather conditions and even in some cases how many of a species are kept in captivity. The real question should be does it actually matter who has seen more birds in a year/Life?
A rant from an ex(not through choice) twitcher
Ash
I twitch therfore I am!
Although chasing the next tick is to some people all it is about there are very few people to whom this is the sole purpose, and most of us do just as much birding on spec. looking for birds and watching our local patches, as twitching the megas.
To ask if it is real birding or just a tick race is an insult, most twitchers have a better understanding of critical ID features than your average birder, and in general are the people pushing new ID frontiers, they also have more of an understanding of where birds originate, if they are migratory, whether it is short or long distance, what birds will turn up at what times of year,and in what weather conditions and even in some cases how many of a species are kept in captivity. The real question should be does it actually matter who has seen more birds in a year/Life?
A rant from an ex(not through choice) twitcher
Ash
I twitch therfore I am!
nigelblake
don't re member
well put Ashley
Ash
part of my job here is to stimulate conversation,and open up forums for debate. I ask questions which I hope will generate a discussion. So IMOHO asking whether its Birding or a Tick race is not an insult to anyone. Can I take from your answer that twitchers are not taken seriously by others? you do seem rather defensive? Have twitchers got a bad reputation amongst Birders?
part of my job here is to stimulate conversation,and open up forums for debate. I ask questions which I hope will generate a discussion. So IMOHO asking whether its Birding or a Tick race is not an insult to anyone. Can I take from your answer that twitchers are not taken seriously by others? you do seem rather defensive? Have twitchers got a bad reputation amongst Birders?
G
Gaye Horn
Guest
Twitchers here are considered and called "Serious" birders.
I did not understand their innate need to Tick their LIST.
That was when I first started out.. I had opinions and I believe now they were wrong.. my opinions not the twitchers. There is room for all as far as I am concerned.
There are good and not so good in all things but some twitchers are fantastic at sharing the info as in publications and guides.Call it a Bring and Brag sort of thing, but those of us that have not seen what they have; it is pretty great to hear or read about.Certainly stimulates alot of conversation.
If it is a race to see who ends up with the most.. why is that any different then anything else?Birding in my mind is a far far better thing to occupy one's time then other pursuits and it is generally environmentally friendly and a non invasive pasttime. That and the fact it is the world's fasting growing hobby surpassing even GOLF!So it adds to any economy in so many ways.
My hat is now off in salutation to all birders, and most especially twitchers. They are the people legends are written about. Good on them.
I did not understand their innate need to Tick their LIST.
That was when I first started out.. I had opinions and I believe now they were wrong.. my opinions not the twitchers. There is room for all as far as I am concerned.
There are good and not so good in all things but some twitchers are fantastic at sharing the info as in publications and guides.Call it a Bring and Brag sort of thing, but those of us that have not seen what they have; it is pretty great to hear or read about.Certainly stimulates alot of conversation.
If it is a race to see who ends up with the most.. why is that any different then anything else?Birding in my mind is a far far better thing to occupy one's time then other pursuits and it is generally environmentally friendly and a non invasive pasttime. That and the fact it is the world's fasting growing hobby surpassing even GOLF!So it adds to any economy in so many ways.
My hat is now off in salutation to all birders, and most especially twitchers. They are the people legends are written about. Good on them.
Ashley beolens
Breeding the next generation of birders.
I didn't mean it as a personal attack on your question, I understand it is the best way to spark off a thread, and I understand that it is not Necessarily your opinion, maybe I should have said "to say that twitching is just a tick race, would be an insult because......."
my humble appologies for my lack of articulate ranting. 8-P
Ash
my humble appologies for my lack of articulate ranting. 8-P
Ash
IanF
Moderator
I've nothing against twitchers 'per se' - it's like everything else, it takes all sorts. Some are decent guys and gals, but others are not so forthcoming.
I have friends who 'twitch' at the mention of a rarity, go to see it and yes, keep a record, but they still enjoy a walk through the woods or over to the ponds to see what everyday birds are around.
Point is it's down to the individual rather than just being a 'twitcher' - fortunately they aren't all the same !
I have friends who 'twitch' at the mention of a rarity, go to see it and yes, keep a record, but they still enjoy a walk through the woods or over to the ponds to see what everyday birds are around.
Point is it's down to the individual rather than just being a 'twitcher' - fortunately they aren't all the same !
Dave Smith
Well-known member
The whole subject of twitching and tick lists means different things to different people - which is why you have asked the question. Here is my view.
Firstly I agree entirely with what Ash has said. I talk from much less experience and my practice will no doubt change with time. I have twitched locally but wouldn't consider travelling more than say 20 miles to see a rarity. If I know that there is a particular bird within that distance I will go to that place to birdwatch rather than anywhere else but will not spend lots of time looking for the particular bird but rather enjoy what I can find. My life list is still only 199(uk) (in spite of a visit to Minsmere yesterday). I do not understand those who drive up to where a rarity is, see it, and then immediately drive off to the next tick. (Which I have seen. Having seen the canvasback here in Essex their next stop was Derbyshire!) When I see something new I want to observe it at some length if possible.
As an illustration, I was more pleased yesterday to see a red throated diver close up; it was only about 10-15 metres from the shore; rather than my first sighting of the same species when it was flying, quite distant but just close enough to make an identification.
I do not keep a year list, but could well imagine doing so when my life list is nearer 300. I have too many relatively common birds to see for the first time.
By the way I just missed out on seeing waxwing yesterday. One of our party spotted 5 in a tree but unfortunately they flew away before I saw them properly. So I saw 5 small sillouettes flying away but did not see anything that would identify them.
Firstly I agree entirely with what Ash has said. I talk from much less experience and my practice will no doubt change with time. I have twitched locally but wouldn't consider travelling more than say 20 miles to see a rarity. If I know that there is a particular bird within that distance I will go to that place to birdwatch rather than anywhere else but will not spend lots of time looking for the particular bird but rather enjoy what I can find. My life list is still only 199(uk) (in spite of a visit to Minsmere yesterday). I do not understand those who drive up to where a rarity is, see it, and then immediately drive off to the next tick. (Which I have seen. Having seen the canvasback here in Essex their next stop was Derbyshire!) When I see something new I want to observe it at some length if possible.
As an illustration, I was more pleased yesterday to see a red throated diver close up; it was only about 10-15 metres from the shore; rather than my first sighting of the same species when it was flying, quite distant but just close enough to make an identification.
I do not keep a year list, but could well imagine doing so when my life list is nearer 300. I have too many relatively common birds to see for the first time.
By the way I just missed out on seeing waxwing yesterday. One of our party spotted 5 in a tree but unfortunately they flew away before I saw them properly. So I saw 5 small sillouettes flying away but did not see anything that would identify them.
Last edited:
Ashley beolens
Breeding the next generation of birders.
Dave you'll never make a twitcher with that attitude!! you should have ticked the small sillouettes :t:
only joking, good luck to you, and well done on keeping your principles, If you can't ID it you don't tick it. You'd be surprised how many people will tick on someone elses views.
Ash
only joking, good luck to you, and well done on keeping your principles, If you can't ID it you don't tick it. You'd be surprised how many people will tick on someone elses views.
Ash
Ashley beolens
Breeding the next generation of birders.
I hear many tales, and never tell them...... well not on a public forum, slanders not a pleasent thing!
But of my own I ticked a pec sand at Cley that was just a sandpiper in a heat haze to me, I was assured it was one by a good friend tho.
And yes I do regret it now, but I was young and impressionable.
But of my own I ticked a pec sand at Cley that was just a sandpiper in a heat haze to me, I was assured it was one by a good friend tho.
And yes I do regret it now, but I was young and impressionable.
Ashley beolens
Breeding the next generation of birders.
I have witnessed myself at a blue winged teal, 20 people standing around discussing a sleeping bird on the far bank (i can't remember dates or location i think it was the midlands somewhere) as Me an a friend walked up, we both looked and were not convinced but half the people there were and walked off happy that they had seen the bird, 5 minuets later while checking a lake on the opposite of the path my friend and I saw the teal swim up to the bank and get out. The other bird turned out to be a dark female mallard. Now how many people ticked a mallard as a blue winged teal purely because someone there told them what it was?
How many twitchers, have ticked greater sand plover only to be told later it was a lesser (both British records were miss IDed to start with) now they will claim they saw lesser but they couldn't ID it at the time so did they really look at it well? Granted they are similar but If you don't get all the ID features yourself how do you really know you are looking at what is claimed?
Another example (probably going to be found out on this one) on Scilly for the lesser kestrel last year a Montagues harrier was seen by most people, when on the boat back we were discussing the bird when a gentleman said yes nice male wasn't it, to which we all replied well apart from it being a female, to which he said "I didn't look at it that closely, thats just what I was told" no if that is not taking someones word for it I don't know what is.
How many twitchers, have ticked greater sand plover only to be told later it was a lesser (both British records were miss IDed to start with) now they will claim they saw lesser but they couldn't ID it at the time so did they really look at it well? Granted they are similar but If you don't get all the ID features yourself how do you really know you are looking at what is claimed?
Another example (probably going to be found out on this one) on Scilly for the lesser kestrel last year a Montagues harrier was seen by most people, when on the boat back we were discussing the bird when a gentleman said yes nice male wasn't it, to which we all replied well apart from it being a female, to which he said "I didn't look at it that closely, thats just what I was told" no if that is not taking someones word for it I don't know what is.
fatbirder
Fatbirder
This "I was there and an expert told me" problem of twitching works both ways... I was at a Twitch once when a pontificating "expert" convinced everyone that a particular bird was NOT the one in question... I remember him saying (loudly) that it was actually an escapee of a different species and went on to say why. As he walked away with his throng of admirers the bird took to the wing showing off the clinching ID features and proving him absolutely wrong... all his admirers did not tick a perfectly tickable bird (and Steve I will NOT say more as otherwise it will be completely obvious to all who I am slandering)
bo
bo
nigelblake
don't re member
Hi All and Bo
It already is obvious who you mean, the name has arisen in debate in these forums already.
When I was photographing the White-rumped Sandpiper at Titchwell (Twitch well?) and had spent 3 days with the bird and watched its every move, I was amazed at just how many birders (well they had top notch gear!) could not tell the WR Sand from Dunlin, and indeed many went away happy to tick the bird when they had not seen it, it was over on the other side of the scrape out of view.
Nigel
It already is obvious who you mean, the name has arisen in debate in these forums already.
When I was photographing the White-rumped Sandpiper at Titchwell (Twitch well?) and had spent 3 days with the bird and watched its every move, I was amazed at just how many birders (well they had top notch gear!) could not tell the WR Sand from Dunlin, and indeed many went away happy to tick the bird when they had not seen it, it was over on the other side of the scrape out of view.
Nigel
Andrew
wibble wibble
Many of us must admit to have twitching tendencies but combine it with a nice soaking in of the location wherever the bird happens to be. I don't twitch nationally but do keep an eye on the net and if there's a nice bird reported in Devon I will be prepared to go and see it with a nice day out thrown in. So reports of rarities do influence many birders choices of destination if they are honest.
P
peter hayes
Guest
How is He these days?
MikePearson
Well-known member
As I mentioned on another thread recently regarding the Pallid Harrier at Wareham Greens/Stifkey. The conversation I overheard meant that many people went way happy that they had seen the specimen. Even though discounted later by reputable sources, how many rubbed that tick off the list, given the expenditure of getting there?
Mike
Mike
T0ny
Okillre Member
I think we all like to see new birds; now if that bird is a local or national rarity, travelling to see it is twitching. Therefore, I have twitched - and I hope to live long enough to twitch again. But, I also enjoy seeing commoner (at the moment) birds on my local fields. The twitches I have been on have enabled me to meet some really nice people, and some fellow-weirdoes. The manics chase the bird frantically in ever-decreasing circles (though no-one has yet reported an Oozlum bird), and the rest of us stand and chat while waiting for it to re-appear. As has been said, one criticism is that twitching leads to mis-identification, relying on other peoples' id skills, mass-hallucination and over-confidence. My own rule is that, unless I see the bird well enough to be confident of identifying another if I was alone, I don't tick it, not even in pencil. I've not yet seen Wilson's Petrel well enough for it to be on my list - but my list is for my own enjoyment, I don't feel I am in competition with anyone else, and I work to standard BOU lists. I have had rarities rejected by the BBRC, which came off my list, even though I was certain of the ID at the time. Mind you, twitching by public transport adds a further element of uncertainty to the pastime - it's not only will the bird still be there, but will the bus come ? On one occasion, in Dorset, the bus driver went a mile off route to drop me closer to Winspit, which I thought was very nice of him, and the other passengers all wished me luck as I staggered down the road. On another occasion, I diverted a coach-load of club birders to see a Little Bunting that was 'almost' on our way home. Birding's fun - so's twitching.
Tony
Tony
Similar threads
- Poll
