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John Chandler wrote:

In a post last week Michael Price asked whether the sighting of the Great
Knot had been confirmed. Before communicating that it was confirmed, I
checked my understanding of confirmed with someone locally. I'd be
interested in your thoughts on this.

A sighting of a rarity is called into the tape. What does it take for this
sighting to be confirmed? When two or more observers say they are
comfortable with their identification of the bird? Obviously, as indicated
earlier in this thread, there is a balance between timeliness and
certainty.

Before you hop in the car/on the plane, what level of confirmation would
you want. What difference does it make if you do not know the observers?

John Chandler


Interesting. Obviously, our level of confidence in the original
observer(s) plays a large role. I personally would not travel any distance
chase a rarity like the Great Knot on the basis of the observation so far.
If it were hanging at the local sewage pond in my area, I would try for it,
figuring that my investment of time and $$ is more than balanced by the
possibility of such a good bird. If it isn't there or was mis-identified,
who cares?

Before I traveled any meaningful distance, I would need another experienced
birder to see the bird and confirm it. Too many times have I been with
birders who should have known better, but managed to talk themselves into
an identification that I believe was incorrect, or at the very least, was
premature. Wishing thinking and convincing oneself that one actually saw
certain field marks that should have been present are both actions that
guide this kind of group identification.

Please understand that I do not say that this happened with the
identification of the Great Knot. I repeat that I have seen this happen.

Finally, I don't have the opportunity, the resources or the desire to chase
as some people do. So it would probably take more certainty to provide the
impetus for me to chase a bird than it would for others. Heck, I haven't
even seen the Xantus's Hummingbird, and I know that it is a "good" bird.

Cheers,

Tim

Tim Shelmerdine
Lake Oswego/Aurora, Oregon
shelmert at mail.clackesd.k12.or.us