Hi,

First, I apologize for being late to answer Dennis Paulson's question. I have Tweeters set to nomail and haven't scanned the archives in awhile.

Before I get to my answer, I have a tip for those who do want to chase: in most cases, you do NOT
want to wait to see if a bird sticks around. My number one rule of
chasing is GO ASAP. When I follow that, my success rate is over 75%,
probably closer to 90%. When I wait, I think I miss over half the
birds.



Why have I chased 'rare' birds? I have several reasons, but the overall theme is that I think it's fun. I read Mike Denny's post, and I think all my reasons match up with his:

- It's a thrill to see a bird that's from someplace much different than where I call home. That's probably why many birders are attracted to arctic birds. Seeing an out-of-place bird sometimes gives me a connection from where it came from, somewhat like I'm visiting that place for just a little bit, though this really only applies when the bird is from exotic locations like Siberia or Mexico. A Black-and-white Warbler isn't going to have the same effect.

- I like seeing new birds, and while I do like seeing birds that are lifers or new to my state or county list, I don't chase them just to make the numbers higher. I want to see every bird because I want to see every bird, if that makes any sense. When you get right down to it, there's probably no difference between my attitude and someone wanting a bird for the number it represents, so that's OK with me, too. It's just not my motivation.

- It's the thrill of the chase. Maybe it's the same kind of adrenaline rush you get from gambling. The rarer the bird is, the more exciting it is, probably because you know the probability of seeing another one in the future is lower.

- It's a social experience. You get to meet and hang out with people you don't see otherwise. Driving overnight with a few other birders is always interesting, and when you get to the stake-out, you often see a few people you haven't seen since the last one.

Later,
John Puschock
Wedgwood, Seattle
g_g_allin at hotmail.com
http://www.zbirdtours.com

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