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Hi All,
I've been bird watching around my home since the late 90's and have a g=
ood knowledge of how to ID birds, but have almost never sent in a rare bird=
submission without an accompanying photo.
I bought camcorder many years ago and think it can be just as good a =
tool as binoculars for identifying birds as well other species. A knowledge=
of field marks, flight times, range and habitat is important but a good q=
uality photo or video (particularly with audio) is better for ID purposes.
There are a few tricks that make using a camera a better tool for ID'i=
ng birds none more important than positioning yourself so that the sun is b=
ehind you. I find a HD camcorder with a high power optical zoom and image s=
tabilization plus an ability to view and edit the video frame by frame is b=
est.
On a related note a camera has replaced collecting for many, like me, =
who watch and report on Lepidoptera. In this case I've found - being the co=
ntrarian that I am - collecting to be a much better means of identification=
for moths and butterflies.
There is nothing wrong with being old school as a bird watcher but I=
think we have to accept that most people aren't interested in learning the=
finer points of bird identification; they just want to know what they saw.=
That's why sites like iNaturalist have become so popular. All the best.
Fritz McEvoy
Sunrise valley, CB
________________________________
From: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca <naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca> on beha=
lf of Laviolette, Lance <lance.laviolette@lmco.com>
Sent: May 22, 2018 2:35 PM
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Subject: RE: [NatureNS] Acadian Flycatcher on Brier Island
Hi,
Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on your point of view), photographi=
c equipment has become so advanced and taking photographs so inexpensive th=
at =91shoot first, identify after=92 is a technique that is gaining favor. =
I know a number of birders who have hung up their binoculars and now carry =
only a camera with long lens. Their gear allows them to shoot many photos a=
second so they point, shoot and look through the photos on their camera=92=
s view screen to identify what they photographed.
The obvious plus is that they always have photographic evidence of a sighti=
ng. The negative is that I=92m seeing more people starting out their birdin=
g =91career=92 by taking photographs without learning the basics of bird id=
entification. They repeatedly submit photographs of the same common bird to=
Facebook pages or web sites asking others to identify it for them.
Cheers,
Lance
Lance Laviolette
Glen Robertson, Ontario
From: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca [mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca] =
On Behalf Of Eric Mills
Sent: Monday, May 21, 2018 5:35 PM
To: nancy dowd <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
Subject: EXTERNAL: Re: [NatureNS] Acadian Flycatcher on Brier Island
Hi Nancy,
One-observer rarity reports bedevil rarities committees. =FDAs a compiler a=
nd monographer of Brier Island birds, my principle is to accept well docume=
nted single-observer reports by reputable observers. What to do about my ow=
n reports? I rely on my co- author Lance Laviolette to keep my toes to the =
fire.
As for eBird, its arbiters will speak for themselves when I submit the repo=
rt. I'm sure they would like a photo, but rather than grab my camera my ins=
tinct is to study a bird rather than shoot first. Many new birders shoot fi=
rst and then study the photo rather than the bird. I deprecate this. Field =
skills are hard-won.
All the best,
Eric
Eric L. Mills
Lower Rose Bay
Lunenburg Co., Nova Scotia
Canada
(on Brier Island)
From: nancy dowd
Sent: Monday, May 21, 2018 14:49
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca<mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
Reply To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca<mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Acadian Flycatcher on Brier Island
That is quite a sighting! Hope it sticks around for you or others to get a =
photo and/or recording. Is a detailed description, like yours, enough for i=
t to be confirmed or does this species require more?
Nancy
Sent from my iPad
On May 21, 2018, at 11:57 AM, Eric Mills <E.Mills@Dal.Ca<mailto:E.Mills@Dal=
.Ca>> wrote:
A convincing Acadian Flycatcher was along the roadside of Gull Rock Road ab=
out 10am. I glimpsed it from the rear first, saw striking greenish colour f=
rom head down the back, and thought I had a Yellow-bellied. Then it turned =
and I could see whitish throat and light malar, white extending down mid- b=
reast to the belly and very pale yellowish breast sides and flanks. It was =
a big bird, with long tail and wing extension. The bill, which was substant=
ial, had a conspicuous yellowish- orange lower mandible.
At this point, before I could even raise my camera, a car, the first I had =
seen all morning, came banging down the road and the bird took off. I could=
not find it again, but I did locate a Least Flycatcher, which was useful f=
or comparison.
Eric L. Mills
Lower Rose Bay
Lunenburg Co., Nova Scotia
Canada
(on Brier Island)
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Hi All,</div>
<div style=3D"font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;=
color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
I've been bird watching around my home since the late 90=
's and have a good knowledge of how to ID birds, but have almost =
never sent in a rare bird submission without an accompanying photo.&nb=
sp;</div>
<div style=3D"font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;=
color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
I bought camcorder many