Those are great photos! I'm kind of like you in that I don't really go out of my way, but I'm always paying attention when I go places. We get a lot of different birds in our yard plus we live across from a lake so we see a great variety. Last year I did see a Great Crested Flycatcher which was really cool, and had never seen before. So I do log most stuff, and participate in the great backyard bird count.
Thanks Steve. That would be cool to see a great crested flycatcher. We get a lot of flycatchers down here, but I’m not sure if I’ve seen that one. I think my biggest challenge would be logging birds that I don’t get a picture of.
I would definitely have to see it and not just hear it if I am going to log it. I had been using the sound id in Merlin in the morning when I sit out a bit and have my coffee. I heard it before I ever saw it. I got lucky that it hung around since it took me two days before I finally saw it. I did manage a halfway decent picture of it.
I put my sightings in eBird nearly every time I go out on a nature walk. But I've never tried including photos or audio -- even though I always have my camera and telephoto lens and take a buttload of images. eBird for me is all about logging what I saw & heard, where, and when. That's valuable for research (by others, not me). Given that I'm a scientist by profession, this is like breathing for me. It's what one does. Sometimes I try not even opening eBird on a walk, and it just feels weird to not log a record of observations. I think the habitual process of eBird logging has made me see and especially listen much more acutely. (Also, thank goodness for the Merlin app!)
I think, also, that I don't want the burden of preparing photos for eBird. It's not a social media platform; "merely" pretty pictures are not its purpose. It's the logging that has the most value, usually. I'd post photos in a heartbeat if I ever capture something truly remarkable, worth leaving an explanatory image or recording for the record, but that hasn't occurred yet. Rare things are rare! (This reminds me that a couple of days ago I saw a couple leucistic mallards. I should attach an image or two to my eBird entry. Thanks for the unintended reminder -- I'm glad I saw your article!)
I think that sound like a good strategy. I definitely want to start logging more of what I see, but it might be a bit much to include pictures of everything I see.
I think your leucistic mallards sighting probably does deserve the pictures.
Such beautiful photos. That house finch is son bright!! They are less bright here.
I did see a bright red Cardinal today. No way was I getting a picture. I don't know how you manage to capture them before they fly away.
Thanks Sam. The 600mm lens helps. Many of these pictures were taken from a fair distance away … sometime the birds don’t even notice me.
They're almost always on the move though. They are so quick. It boggles the mind lol
Those are great photos! I'm kind of like you in that I don't really go out of my way, but I'm always paying attention when I go places. We get a lot of different birds in our yard plus we live across from a lake so we see a great variety. Last year I did see a Great Crested Flycatcher which was really cool, and had never seen before. So I do log most stuff, and participate in the great backyard bird count.
Thanks Steve. That would be cool to see a great crested flycatcher. We get a lot of flycatchers down here, but I’m not sure if I’ve seen that one. I think my biggest challenge would be logging birds that I don’t get a picture of.
I would definitely have to see it and not just hear it if I am going to log it. I had been using the sound id in Merlin in the morning when I sit out a bit and have my coffee. I heard it before I ever saw it. I got lucky that it hung around since it took me two days before I finally saw it. I did manage a halfway decent picture of it.
I put my sightings in eBird nearly every time I go out on a nature walk. But I've never tried including photos or audio -- even though I always have my camera and telephoto lens and take a buttload of images. eBird for me is all about logging what I saw & heard, where, and when. That's valuable for research (by others, not me). Given that I'm a scientist by profession, this is like breathing for me. It's what one does. Sometimes I try not even opening eBird on a walk, and it just feels weird to not log a record of observations. I think the habitual process of eBird logging has made me see and especially listen much more acutely. (Also, thank goodness for the Merlin app!)
I think, also, that I don't want the burden of preparing photos for eBird. It's not a social media platform; "merely" pretty pictures are not its purpose. It's the logging that has the most value, usually. I'd post photos in a heartbeat if I ever capture something truly remarkable, worth leaving an explanatory image or recording for the record, but that hasn't occurred yet. Rare things are rare! (This reminds me that a couple of days ago I saw a couple leucistic mallards. I should attach an image or two to my eBird entry. Thanks for the unintended reminder -- I'm glad I saw your article!)
I think that sound like a good strategy. I definitely want to start logging more of what I see, but it might be a bit much to include pictures of everything I see.
I think your leucistic mallards sighting probably does deserve the pictures.