Tweets,
I just got my winter issue of Living Bird from Cornell Lab and while I always
enjoy Pete Dunne's column "The Catbird Seat", I really liked this one and
encourage anybody who has access to it to check it out.
Its on the recent developments into techno birding, like Video captures. A
summary is:
Pete walks up to a Chat getting ever closer. Finally the bird tells Dunne to
come and talk to it about a subject. The Chat says that birds are upset that
the rules of birding have been broken. The bird says "Look. We worked the
rules of engagement out long ago. We hide; you find us. We offer brief or
distant looks; you try and note field marks. We fly away; you guess our
names. Get it right, you win."
"So stop with all of this digital recording and video stuff. That's not field
birding. That's collecting, then making identifications after the fact. And
that's not fair."
Dunne agrees with this but points out to the bird: What can it do about it?
The bird pulls out a red cap, dabbed makeup over the lores, garished tip of
tail with a squirt of guano and turned into a Fan-tailed Warbler.
"You can't do that" Dunne whispers.
"Au contraire" the chat replies and turns into a meadowlark.
Dunne gasps "It's going to make every Identification questionable!"
The bird goes on to threat: That its worse than that. It explains to Dunne
that there are 50 million Robins learning how to be Red Phalaropes in
backyard bird baths. Squadrons of House Sparrows hoarding yellow easter dye
it prep for becoming Bachman's Warbler and seeing this species in every
neighborhhod in the country.
This will make those lifers so cheap.
"It doesn't have to be this way. Just stick to the staus quo, leave the
tech-weenie-stuff home, and we'll forget about the charades. Deal?" says the
Chat.
Dunne starts to leave but thinks to ask about photos. He turns to see a
Labrador Duck sitting where the chat was. The duck throws back its head and
sings: :witchity, witchity, witchity; then Oh, sweet Canada, Canada, Canada"
and winked.
Dunne turns and runs away!
By all means try and read this article.

Scott Downes
sgd24 at aol.com
Seattle WA

To identify a species should not be enough to quench one's thirst,
a proper thirst must seek to understand every facet of the bird's
existence.