Subject: Re: Starting Gull ID
Date: Nov 6 14:44:49 1997
From: wings at olympus.net - wings at olympus.net


Greetings, Tweets.

Among other salient points, Michael Price had the following advice
regarding learning bird identification [edited to reduce bandwith] --

> If you're a beginner, puh-*leeze* don't start looking for the unusual
>before you pretty well know the usual. ...I think it was the writer, Pete
>Dunne who once wrote ..., "When I was young, I had no trouble finding
>rarities. I'd just look at a plate that had some rare bird on it, and the
>next day, there it was." ... When you have solid experience and knowledge
>of the birds that are usually there, the rare ones will usually be
>perceptibly different. <

And may I add that your joy and satisfaction in finally seeing that rarity
may be even greater, having gained confidence from lots of practice with
more common species.

> Well, I'd leave a little space in there for doing it for enjoyment,

Amen!

> ...And also not feeling stupid because you may not pick it up right away.
>It actually has little to do with intellect and everything to do with
>becoming familiar with regular patterns in plumage and size. There's
>nothing intrinsically easy or simple ... If it gets to be too frustrating,
>step back from the scope or put down your bins and take a few deep, slow
>breaths, then try again or look at something else for a while. ... Give
>up, even, when it stops being fun, and try again another day. Rather than
>feel like you're back in school and awful things will happen to your
>self-esteem because you aren't learning this stuff quickly enough to be an
>expert--that takes years, and learning from many, many mistakes--or to
>satisfy others' preconceptions and agendas of what constitutes a 'good'
>birder, relax instead. ... After all, you've got the rest of your life to
>learn, and no matter how much you learn, there will *always* be more. Be
>prepared to feel confused as part of the process for as long as it takes
>for that wonderful moment when something clicks and you realise you now
>*know* that bird, and you wonder that there was ever a time you didn't. <

Thanks, Michael. Gulls are hard, and so are empidonax flycatchers,
sparrows, and fall warblers. You've presented great advice for anyone
trying to learn birds, period. (Or other subjects, for that matter!) In my
case, I've been birding for 34 years, but my life list is *un*impressive --
partly because of opportunity, but perhaps more because I tend to be a
"birdwatcher" more than anything else. My brother has only been a birder
for the last 10 years or so, and already he's far better than I am at it.
Part of that is his innate ability as an observer, and part is because he
dedicates as much time as he can squeeze around his other responsibilities
to looking for and watching birds. In other words, he tries to get as much
"practice" as he can. He's great to go out with because he gets just as
much enjoyment out of seeing a rarity as seeing a familiar bird in a new
light, or observing some neat behavior.

Thanks, Tweets, for letting me on a soapbox. Now, happy birding to ye!

-- Janet Hardin
wings at olympus.net
Port Townsend, WA

P.S. Pete Dunne has written fun stuff about birding. Anyone read Kenn
Kaufman's new book, _Kingbird Highway_? A good read, recommended for
holiday giving.