Here's the Cornell Lab's
<
https://www.macaulaylibrary.org/2021/06/22/behind-the-scenes-of-sound-id-in-merlin/>
article on how they built Merlin bird ID. They didn't accept recordings
willy-nilly, they had a team of experts go through and manually tag hours
of audio recordings.
Preston Mui
prestonmui at gmail.com
http://prestonmui.github.io/
(425) 223-8450
On Wed, Apr 3, 2024 at 4:26 PM ck park via Tweeters <
tweeters at u.washington.edu> wrote:
>
i'm surprised merlin's database is populated by junk data. did they
>
accept any/all recordings just to get something to market, or have they at
>
least vetted the audio with experts in bird calls / songs? one would
>
think, where confusing audio is possible, it would take nothing for them to
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post that you MIGHT be hearing X, Y, or Z, depending, and to verify
>
visually if possible...
>
>
On Wed, Apr 3, 2024 at 3:19 PM PENNY & DAVID KOYAMA via Tweeters <
>
tweeters at u.washington.edu> wrote:
>
>>
Ha, ha. I still laugh about the time Merlin "recorded" a Yellowhammer
>>
(Eurpean bird) when birding in New Mexico, and another time last spring
>>
when Barb Webster and I were at Stillwater near Carnation, WA and Merlin
>>
claimed American Robin rather than the Bullock's Oriole we watched
>>
calling.
>>
>>
I do admire your persistence as a Merlin detective!
>>
Penny Koyama, Bothell
>>
>>
On 04/03/2024 10:12 AM PDT Kevin Lucas via Tweeters <
>>
tweeters at u.washington.edu> wrote:
>>
>>
>>
Over the winter Merlin has repeatedly mistaken vocalizations by starlings
>>
as being from Western Wood-Pewees. There are several places where a
>>
starling does a GREAT imitation, e.g. Eschbach Nature Area, the Eagle Path
>>
at the southern end of the Yakima Greenway Path in Union Gap, and at two
>>
places where we lived. At the Eagle Path and Eschbach, when I've read
>>
out-of-season Western Wood-Pewee heard-only reports, I've thought it likely
>>
to be one of the talented Starlings I'd heard there.
>>
>>
In our back yard last week Merlin was fooled that a starling was a robin.
>>
I was watching and listening to the starling atop the utility pole calling
>>
like a robin. It sounded good enough I decided to give Merlin a go. Merlin
>>
failed, said American Robin. Most times with Starlings Merlin correctly
>>
indicates Starling.
>>
>>
During a winter raptor survey this year in the White Swan area I heard an
>>
unusual vocalization. I was next to running water, so I could not hear all
>>
of the quality of the song. I tried Merlin. It said Wood Thrush. I didn't
>>
know what Wood Thrushes sounded like. Once home, I listened to Wood Thrush
>>
vocalizations. It had not been a Wood Thrush. I worked on the Merlin
>>
recorded audio using Audacity -- noise reduction, frequency notch filters,
>>
and amplification. I then played back the cleaned-up audio on my computer,
>>
and used Merlin on my phone to try again. This time Merlin nailed it --
>>
Song Sparrow.
>>
>>
Yesterday I went to one of my favorite spots to look for Greater
>>
White-fronted Geese. About 10 minutes after I arrived I heard a flock of
>>
them heading my way. As they got closer I took some photos. Some landed
>>
with the Cackling and Canada Geese, others flew over. I wondered whether
>>
Merlin was good at distinguishing between Cackling and Canada Geese, but
>>
wouldn't be able to test since they were mixed together there. When I heard
>>
some more Greater White-fronted Geese calling as they flew toward me, I
>>
pulled out my phone and gave the magic man a go. They flew low, calling,
>>
right over me. Merlin fowled it up, identifying them as Cackling Geese.
>>
>>
Perhaps Merlin can distinguish between Cackling and Canada Geese, but I'd
>>
trust him even less after his latest foul up with fowl up.
>>
>>
I'm looking forward to hearing my first Western Wood-Pewee of the year
>>
while I'm watching it. I'm not annoyed by Merlin. I'm amazed, and sometimes
>>
I find him incredible.
>>
>>
Good Birding,
>>
https://www.aba.org/aba-code-of-birding-ethics/
>>
Kevin Lucas
>>
Yakima County, WA
>>
>>
*Qui tacet consentire videtur*
>>
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>>
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>>
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>>
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>>
>>
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>>
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>>
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>>
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>>
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