?I want to add one item to John's list:? Chasing rarities gets me out of a rut and to new places.? I live much of the year in rarity central -- SE AZ -- but even there, rarities force me to see new places.

?Of course, there's nothing like the joy of finding a real winner .? A few years ago, I located a Plain-capped Starthroat while leading a trip at my neighborhood hotspot,? Agua Caliente Park. ? It was the nation's only Starthroat that year.? The best part was a local Poobah who insisted I was in error, only to eat crow when we finally got definitive pictures.

RCC

Richard Carlson

Full-time Birder, Biker and Rotarian

Part-time Economist

Tucson, AZ, Lake Tahoe, CA, & Kirkland, WA

rccarl at pacbell.net

Tucson 520-760-4935

Tahoe 530-581-0624

Kirkland 425-828-3819

Cell 650-280-2965

--- On Fri, 7/16/10, John Puschock <g_g_allin at hotmail.com> wrote:

From: John Puschock <g_g_allin at hotmail.com>
Subject: [Tweeters] Re: a question
To: tweeters at u.washington.edu
Date: Friday, July 16, 2010, 1:34 PM




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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