What is a "dude"? (1 Viewer)

[Edward]

Gee, there's a lot of bad feelings in birding, over there. Maybe too much crowding. Strix's reply (second in) was really beautifully accurate, at least for NA. I have never been to a twitch, and I've never seen birders put one another down as in this forum. Strix's rendition is totally helpful, and you notice he dodges any kind of put-down at all. I have often been a harsh critic of my own NA culture, but birding in England sounds increasingly undesireable.

CLUNK! That's the sound of you hitting the nail on the head, Carson, or at least that's a very interesting observation you've just made! As Jason points out it can't be all like that and but as a Brit long-exiled from the motherland I follow these discussions on dudes, twitching and crowds with a mixture of fascination, amusement and horror (but mostly amused fascination). My experience of birding in Britain is very positive (I only really started birding seriously after I left the UK so consider myself a foreign birder when I go back home) because people have always been very willing to give up their time to show me around in my former backyard, one BF member in particular never fails to show me great new birds in Cheshire when I go back. These big twitches in Britain are something totally out of my experience (although I twitch as much as the next man here) but I'd certainly like to see what goes on even if it was for a crappy dirt bird like female Harlequin Duck. By the way I didn't go for an American Herring Gull today because a) the weather was atrocious and b) I realized that without a lot of reading up on it I wouldn't recognise an American Herring Gull yet even if it sat and crapped on the bonnet of my car. Does this admission make me a dude or not?

Anyway, the downside of the massive birding community in the UK is that many people seem to be incredibly competitive and putting one over on your peers seems not only common but desirable. I made the mistake once of asking some British birders in Spain what they had seen on their trip, hoping to share some information. Before I knew it they had reeled off a list of every rare bird they had found at home in Leicestershire and clearly expected me to be extremely impressed and reply in kind. One-upmanship is alive and well in the shires!


Or am I talking rubbish ? It has been known.

E

 

[Andrew]

Dudes = birders wearing matching coats!

 

[Bluetail]

Spot on, Edward. And as to whether you're a dude... well, see my original question! Seems people are reluctant to define exactly what level of expertise is needed to avoid the charge of dudeship!

Jason

 

[pduxon]

Does it really matter? if people are enjoying birds then good for them

 

[Bluetail]

Does it really matter?

No, I suppose not. It's just that it gets up my nose when I hear other birders referring to "dudes", especially since one man's dude is another's expert. You're right, I'll let it rest.

Jason

 

[Edward woodwood]

Hey Jason.....
I think Adey cracked it....u and me are both 'dudes' in the new meaning of the word perhaps..

still, we have some VERY good company if that's the case :bounce:

indeed my last trip report was entitled
BIRDING and DUDING in YUCUTAN and BELIZE

I have owned up.....anyone else?

 

[Bluetail]

Oh I've never pretended to be anything other than a dude! :eat:

Jason

 

[Michael Frankis]

I don't think it's only twitchers calling non-twitchers, either. if you twitch a long-stayer about a fortnight after it turns up then I think you'd definitely qualify as a Dude!

Having finally just been to see the American Robin in Grimsby 2½ months after it was found, I guess I qualify now!

Michael

 

[deboo]

Hey dudes...just chill ....

Dave.

 

[cuddy]

At some point we have all been dudes hopefully we all progress.

Support begginers they are the future.

 

[simondix]

Definition exists in Bill Oddie's Black Bird Book. I am probably one as I am sure I have missed some CMFs in my time.

 

[HH75]

Hi all,
As I understand it,it's not a birder's lack of knowledge or experience per se that makes them a dude,more the way that they dress,the fact that they keep their bins in the original case,their refusal to go birding outside of reserves etc?
Harry

 

[POP]

Did'nt the Beatles write a song Hey Dude?

John

 

[Bluetail]

Thanks, Harry (and everyone). I'm certainly getting the impression that people tend to see it as a question of attitude before one of expertise.

Jason

 

[dogfish]

Hi all,
As I understand it,it's not a birder's lack of knowledge or experience per se that makes them a dude,more the way that they dress,the fact that they keep their bins in the original case,their refusal to go birding outside of reserves etc?
Harry

I think lack of knowledge/experience is a big part of what it takes to be a dude. The thing about binocular cases is that your true dude walks around with his or her bins in the case until they get to the hide or whatever. I'm thinking those nice leather-type cases with shoulder straps for the East German Zeiss here. Thus missing the gyrfalcon that flies over their heads. Wearing unsuitably bright clothing would also qualify; not on grounds of taste but for its bird-scaring qualities. But as Bill Oddie says, they're probably nicer people and much happier than us more committed types.

Sean

 

[Andrew]

A real anti dude is one who wears their footy team's jersey on a day out in summer! (For Novacastrians subsitute summer for winter!)

 

[Colin]

I guess I must be a black belt dude because I am.........(see my long time signature).

 

[Ranger James]

I thought a dude was a birder with all the expensive kit, but not much of a clue?
As opposed to the archetypal birder, looking like they've just woken up on a pub floor, with the sum total of their worldly wealth hanging round their necks.
Opposite ends of the same inacurate and polarised scale.

Best thing to do is not to define yourself by someone else's standards, and don't get caught up in old fashioned birding elitism. Come on guys - there's plenty of birds to go round!

 

[marcus]

I just read this 'old' thread about the definition of dude, and I have to admit, it really had me cracking up.
Am I a dude because when I go out with my binoculars I'll try to hide it, afraid that I'll be laughed at by anyone who sees it?
marcus

 

[Jane Turner]

Has anyone else eve gone out birding without bins? A couple of times I've crawled out of a car at silly o'clock and had a "doh" moment!

You feel so naked!