Zackiedawg
Well-known member
I was hoping to get a general feel for how birders would react to a situation I encountered this weekend. I am mostly a bird photographer, moreso than a pure birder, but having done so for many years and with a few of my local spots that I know well. I frequently come across birders compiling lists of what they spot - some are very knowledgeable and can ID species with high degree of accuracy - others will reach out and ask if they're unsure, even reviewing a shot I took of the bird zoomed in so we can both correctly identify what we saw. I don't think I've ever come across anyone intentionally trying to fudge their list to add species they didn't see - though I suppose like anything else, it exists out there in the world.
However, what I came across this weekend was a couple, both with binoculars, and a list as well as a bird guide book, who were discussing and debating their sightings within earshot of me, and what really struck me was how many species they were getting wrong. Initially, I tried to just stay out of it, but when they misidentified a yellow-rumped warbler I had just photographed, calling it a golden-winged warbler, I offered a correction showing them the photograph...their reaction was not rude or negative, but semi-dismissive - sort of 'thank you, but we're sticking with our ID'. So I went about my business again as it was no real concern to me. I did overhear that they intended to place their list on e-bird. As I moved a little farther down and saw a juvenile common yellowthroat in the reeds, and photographed him, they moved in just beside me and saw the same bird - excitedly both writing down that they'd spotted a Nashville warbler. I didn't intervene this time. Later, a female red-winged blackbird was rooting around in the tall reeds just above the wetlands waterline, and once again the couple came in behind me, declaring to eachother that they could now add a marsh wren to their list. A green heron was recorded as a least bittern. A cooper's hawk became a sharp-shinned hawk. A palm warbler became an orange-crowned warbler. It just kept on going - I decided to stop for a while and let them work their way far down the boardwalk from me, just so I didn't have to keep hearing the wrong identifications.
So - should I have intervened, tried to reason with them, showed them more photos to prove the IDs, or simply ignore it and let it go? I let it go - but then the part that bothers me is seeing e-bird lists which have all these sightings on it, which will mislead many other folks reading those lists and hoping to go find some rarities that were never there.
What would you do?
However, what I came across this weekend was a couple, both with binoculars, and a list as well as a bird guide book, who were discussing and debating their sightings within earshot of me, and what really struck me was how many species they were getting wrong. Initially, I tried to just stay out of it, but when they misidentified a yellow-rumped warbler I had just photographed, calling it a golden-winged warbler, I offered a correction showing them the photograph...their reaction was not rude or negative, but semi-dismissive - sort of 'thank you, but we're sticking with our ID'. So I went about my business again as it was no real concern to me. I did overhear that they intended to place their list on e-bird. As I moved a little farther down and saw a juvenile common yellowthroat in the reeds, and photographed him, they moved in just beside me and saw the same bird - excitedly both writing down that they'd spotted a Nashville warbler. I didn't intervene this time. Later, a female red-winged blackbird was rooting around in the tall reeds just above the wetlands waterline, and once again the couple came in behind me, declaring to eachother that they could now add a marsh wren to their list. A green heron was recorded as a least bittern. A cooper's hawk became a sharp-shinned hawk. A palm warbler became an orange-crowned warbler. It just kept on going - I decided to stop for a while and let them work their way far down the boardwalk from me, just so I didn't have to keep hearing the wrong identifications.
So - should I have intervened, tried to reason with them, showed them more photos to prove the IDs, or simply ignore it and let it go? I let it go - but then the part that bothers me is seeing e-bird lists which have all these sightings on it, which will mislead many other folks reading those lists and hoping to go find some rarities that were never there.
What would you do?