canberrabirds

Sorry... and Thornbill identification

To: <>
Subject: Sorry... and Thornbill identification
From: "Geoffrey Dabb" <>
Date: Fri, 18 Aug 2006 10:18:11 +1000

I was about to reply along the same lines as Ian, and commending his courses anyway, and the occasional COG ID sessions.  I would add 2 points:

 

Thornbills take a bit of work, and hence a degree of seriousness of purpose.  Without this, you might need to accept permanent, well, beginner status.  This requires at least a bit of practice with the recorded bird calls.

 

Putting ambiguous pics on the chatline and asking ‘what’s this’ is not the way to improve ID skills.  Often the views shown are exactly those that defy identification in the field, and require more info (ie better views, voice etc) to establish identity.  

 


From: Ian Fraser [
Sent: Friday, August 18, 2006 10:00 AM
To:
Subject: Re: [canberrabirds] Sorry... and Thornbill identification

 

Hello Julian. I'd actually put this one aside to let someone more qualified than I answer, but Janette's timely comment made me realise that perhaps we all do that too often.

By taking the plunge now, I'm not for a moment suggesting that I'm the best one to do this, but as on other occasions perhaps if I start off with a couple of basic suggestions, then others can come in with more useful stuff.

Firstly, don't despair! The first months are the hardest, when everything is new and there are no reference points. But you're already making progress - you've recognised your bird as a thornbill and a while ago you couldn't have done that; give yourself credit. For a while, a flock of birds is just that - a homogeneous mass. But as you persevere with the commoner ones everywhere you go, you'll find that you can automatically 'screen out' the Silvereyes, White-plumed HEs, Yellow-rumped Thornbills etc and focus on the less familiar ones. (Then go back and enjoy the ones you initially screened out!) You'll find yourself knowing if something is 'different'.

There's no quick fix I'm afraid - in fact there's no substitute at all for lots of practice. Get familiar with your field guides (and if I may, I'd suggest both a 'national' guide and the McComas Taylor's "FG to the Birds of the ACT", published by the ACT Nat Parks Assoc - that filters out for you the things that are only in Kakadu or Tassie, so you're not spending time wondering if it's one of them!). Go through them and through them, until you know what to expect and where to look in the book. In particular, try to get a feel for different groups - as you're obviously already doing!

Listen too - and if you don't recognise a call, always follow it up. We remember both call and bird better that way.

Don't try to do it all on your own. COG is full of knowledgeable and generous birdos who are happy to share their knowledge. Go on all the excursions you can and announce yourself as a tyro and people will look out for you. We were all there once!

Thornbills - all the above apply, and I'd challenge any of my colleagues to say that they don't sometimes have to spend a while on one before they're (reasonably!) confident of what they're looking at. Get in the habit initially of a little check list. You've recognised eye colour as important - spot on!; is it alone/a pair, or a flock?; mostly on ground or in foliage?; streaked anywhere? on the forehead? scalloped on forehead? eyebrow? and of course contrasting rump colour? (And I have more than once (or twice!) seen yellow rumps initially which, in different light didn't look so yellow after all... Some Buffies are brighter than others! Or their bums are anyway...)

OK, more than enough from me - over to someone else.

On the behaviour etc; I am very reluctant to say this, being very scrupulous about anything resembling advertising on this list. However this does seem pertinent in the context. I teach a course called 'Understanding Birds' which just may be of use. If anyone's interested, please contact me off line.

And just one final suggestion - don't let anything overwhelm your simple pleasure in the birds themselves.

happy birding

Ian

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Ian Fraser
Environment Tours; Vertego Environmental Wordsmithing
GPO Box 3268, Canberra, ACT 2601
ph: 61 2 6249 1560  fax: 61 2 6247 3227
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