lonestranger

Are you comfortable with your id? After all it's your list and you are the only one that needs to approve it. I don't keep ANY lists but if I did, I'd be hesitant to list birds that I wasn't sure about, especially if I still wasn't sure after asking for help with the ID. That's just my spin on a list that I don't keep though, this is your list and you have to decide what goes on it.

BRDL 64 ???? ???? ???? I wasn't even sure of the spelling of the bird for my second guess, but I got the code right which was enough of a hint for me to solve the puzzle in three guesses today without checking a list.

I also wish you could edit your post without a time limit. I'm not always quick enough to notice when I have been too loose with my O's.

Blue Jay

It took me seven guesses this morning. ? I really wish you could copy your stats when you loose. You should be able to share your misery when get that close and still miss the mark.

Is there a need to delete the files if you're going to format the card, or would deleting the files be redundant when formatting?

Hmmm, not sure if I should I point out the edits in my post that @Charlie Spencer was too quick with the quote button to notice.

Just ignore what I said, @chipperatl, Charlie explains it much better than I tried to. Just don't tell him I said so.

I don't really know what I am talking about, as I've proven all too often, but I think formatting removes everything on the card and then leaves a file behind telling the card how to communicate with the camera. Erase removes the photos but doesn't set up any kind of new communication in the process. That's just my spin on it and remember, I don't know what I am talking about.

For me it's easier to take the memory card out of the camera while it's still on the tripod instead of taking the camera off the tripod and then trying to find enough room on the coffee table for the camera and lens to sit beside the laptop. This might be one of those times where size does matter. ? *resists the childish urge in me to say mine is bigger than your's is*

I always thought it was for faster transfer speeds but I don't know if that's actually the case, or if it makes any significant difference.

Barn Swallows

To my eye, what might be interpreted as the belly of the bird in the second photo goes way too far past the belly to actually be the belly itself. I thought it might be the bird's wing, perhaps splayed out in a protective fashion, but it could just as easily be something in front of the belly, but I don't think it's the belly. Personally, I see no reason why I'd question someone who had suggested that these photos go along with the experience they had. Yeah, the bird looks different in both photos but I see nothing fake looking in either. The lighting, posture, and positioning can all explain why the bird looks different in the two photos, when you add in camera quality that might not handle white balance too well, different coloured birds wouldn't surprise me. Sometimes it's better not to, thinking can lead to headaches just like these. ?

I don't think the head sheen is all that reliable for any bird for the simple fact that the amount, and angle, of light can change the head sheen's appearance dramatically. A Mallard can look green headed or blue headed, or a variety of other colors, simply by how the light hits it. As for the species specific question about your Goldeneye, you're bound to get more feedback on that in the ID forum than the General Birding section.

BRDL 62 ???? ???? ???? A lucky second guess that the game refused to accept forced me to check the banding code list to find out why. While checking to see why a code that should have worked didn't, I found the answer to the puzzle. I should point out that MJ picked my opening bird today so I have to give her all the credit for my luck.

I hate to admit that I too have had to deal with the dreaded @Aaron Syndrome because of my file transfer method. It can come at the cost of missing a great photo and be quite embarrassing too. Maybe not quite as embarrassing as missing a shot because you forgot to remove the lens cap, but a lot harder to recover from if you don't have a memory card with you.

I'm curious to hear an answer to this myself. My practice has always been to insert the new memory card, SD and/or CF, into the new camera and format it. I take photos, remove memory card and transfer photos to computer, put memory card back in camera, delete all photos(usually), and then start taking more photos. I think I may have formatted a memory card once after the initial formatting, but with my memory being what is, I can't remember why I did that. I have never had an issue with a memory card in any of my cameras and will probably keep following the same procedure even though I probably just jinxed myself by saying that. As for the files that the computer can't read, is it possible a few files were protected while in the camera making them inaccessible to the computer? I'm not tech savvy and don't think it works that way, I've only seen the protect option in my menu, I've never used it so I have no idea how it actually works, just suggesting it as a possibility.

I can't say that I blame you, I wouldn't blame anyone for backing away from page 2 either. Some long winded guy would just not shut up. I think that's where it took that weird turn that @meghann mentioned. *whispers* ...It's actually all @Charlie Spencer's fault for the weird turn. *whistles innocently* ?

*looks around to see if anyone is watching...hits the play button one more time and starts dancing*

Now how am I supposed to dance like no one is watching if I know I'm stepping on someone else's toes while I'm spinning wildly about??? Sorry but you might have to start wearing steel toed boots because sometimes I'm too busy enjoying the dance to notice who's toes I'm stepping on. *dances out to applause in my head...knows the applause is mostly because I'm leaving*

Ummm, I guess the 6 foot woman I was dancing with got her toes step on too much because the 4 inch bird in front of me is looking elsewhere for a partner. I'd call myself a wallflower but I can't spin the same way as someone else. *starts singing Frank Sinatra style for those dancing*... I gotta be me...,

If I didn't think the extra reputation points would go to your head, I would have given you a few extra Haha's for that one.

Look, now you've made @Aveschapinessad too. You better quit before people start thinking your not as funny as you thought you were.

Now you've gone and made me sad. I don't want to dance with you either if you don't want to dance with me.

You're just jealous, and it's not very funny.?