Comments on: Countable Birds? http://www.birdchick.com/wp/2007/12/countable-birds/ Not your typical birder! Sun, 12 Feb 2012 22:14:08 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: birdchick http://www.birdchick.com/wp/2007/12/countable-birds/comment-page-1/#comment-6121 birdchick Sat, 22 Dec 2007 00:47:00 +0000 http://www.birdchick.com/wp/2007/12/countable-birds/#comment-6121 The voting seems to be in favor of not counting it and the pictures is so far away that there's even a question if it is in fact the bird in question.<br/><br/>I'm leaving it off.<br/><br/>Meanwhile, Non Birding Bill says birders are insane...but he always says that.<br/><br/>It is an interesting question. I've been on field trips where someone was desperately trying to get a "Lillian's Meadowlark" and every meadowlark we saw he kept trying to see some tiny white marks at too far of a distance. He was driving everyone nuts and I think the field trip leaders finally conceded he saw one just to get him to chill out and move the group along.<br/><br/>I might go back...today someone not only saw the Barrow's but also a Harlequin duck...I've seen those in Rhode Island but always fun to see them again. The voting seems to be in favor of not counting it and the pictures is so far away that there’s even a question if it is in fact the bird in question.

I’m leaving it off.

Meanwhile, Non Birding Bill says birders are insane…but he always says that.

It is an interesting question. I’ve been on field trips where someone was desperately trying to get a “Lillian’s Meadowlark” and every meadowlark we saw he kept trying to see some tiny white marks at too far of a distance. He was driving everyone nuts and I think the field trip leaders finally conceded he saw one just to get him to chill out and move the group along.

I might go back…today someone not only saw the Barrow’s but also a Harlequin duck…I’ve seen those in Rhode Island but always fun to see them again.

]]> By: Ecobirder http://www.birdchick.com/wp/2007/12/countable-birds/comment-page-1/#comment-6120 Ecobirder Sat, 22 Dec 2007 00:30:00 +0000 http://www.birdchick.com/wp/2007/12/countable-birds/#comment-6120 I am not even sure that it is a Barrow’s and not a common. In the picture you see a lot of black but I think that is because the bird is swimming away from you and to the right. The black that you see is the tail. The black “spur” or thumb print, as you call it, comes under the white spots and I can not see on at all in the picture. The other distinguishing marks are the shape of the white spot on the face, which is too far away in this picture to tell, and the shape of the head. Barrow’s have a flatter head instead of the domed shape that the common has. It is tough to tell from the picture but the head shape looks the same to me as the other common goldeneye in the picture. I would say at best it is inconclusive, from the picture, whether or not this was a common or a Barrow’s but that is only my opinion. I am not even sure that it is a Barrow’s and not a common. In the picture you see a lot of black but I think that is because the bird is swimming away from you and to the right. The black that you see is the tail. The black “spur” or thumb print, as you call it, comes under the white spots and I can not see on at all in the picture. The other distinguishing marks are the shape of the white spot on the face, which is too far away in this picture to tell, and the shape of the head. Barrow’s have a flatter head instead of the domed shape that the common has. It is tough to tell from the picture but the head shape looks the same to me as the other common goldeneye in the picture. I would say at best it is inconclusive, from the picture, whether or not this was a common or a Barrow’s but that is only my opinion.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.birdchick.com/wp/2007/12/countable-birds/comment-page-1/#comment-6115 Anonymous Fri, 21 Dec 2007 23:14:00 +0000 http://www.birdchick.com/wp/2007/12/countable-birds/#comment-6115 I'm with Mike on this, and would<br/>not count it. If you had spotted<br/>the bird first, then took photos<br/>to help confirm the ID, then you<br/>would have probable cause to <br/>check it off. However, I can't <br/>be sure you have a pure Barrow's<br/>in the photo; maybe a hybrid of <br/>the two? It's your list, maybe<br/>Chris W has a good solution.<br/>Hap in New Hope I’m with Mike on this, and would
not count it. If you had spotted
the bird first, then took photos
to help confirm the ID, then you
would have probable cause to
check it off. However, I can’t
be sure you have a pure Barrow’s
in the photo; maybe a hybrid of
the two? It’s your list, maybe
Chris W has a good solution.
Hap in New Hope

]]> By: Parus http://www.birdchick.com/wp/2007/12/countable-birds/comment-page-1/#comment-6111 Parus Fri, 21 Dec 2007 21:05:00 +0000 http://www.birdchick.com/wp/2007/12/countable-birds/#comment-6111 I would say that if you conciously saw the bird but at the time passed it off as something else, and then reIDed it in your photo, count it. <br/><br/>If you never even conciously saw the bird though, it goes on a new list. The "birds that I've photographed but have yet to add to my life list" list. <br/><br/>Happy Birding! --Chris W, WI <br/>The SW WI birder<br/>http://swallowtailedkite.blogspot.com I would say that if you conciously saw the bird but at the time passed it off as something else, and then reIDed it in your photo, count it.

If you never even conciously saw the bird though, it goes on a new list. The “birds that I’ve photographed but have yet to add to my life list” list.

Happy Birding! –Chris W, WI
The SW WI birder
http://swallowtailedkite.blogspot.com

]]> By: Mike http://www.birdchick.com/wp/2007/12/countable-birds/comment-page-1/#comment-6110 Mike Fri, 21 Dec 2007 20:04:00 +0000 http://www.birdchick.com/wp/2007/12/countable-birds/#comment-6110 That's a tough call. You were looking for Barrow's Goldeneye and one clearly passed through your field of view. However, you never noticed it. Listing is what we make it but I think if I was in your shoes, I (with regret) wouldn't count it. That’s a tough call. You were looking for Barrow’s Goldeneye and one clearly passed through your field of view. However, you never noticed it. Listing is what we make it but I think if I was in your shoes, I (with regret) wouldn’t count it.

]]> By: Patrick Belardo http://www.birdchick.com/wp/2007/12/countable-birds/comment-page-1/#comment-6108 Patrick Belardo Fri, 21 Dec 2007 19:13:00 +0000 http://www.birdchick.com/wp/2007/12/countable-birds/#comment-6108 I say count it! I say count it!

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