IKLland Posted January 24, 2021 Share Posted January 24, 2021 Hey guys, make a list of the five most annoying things when birding in order. 1. Is the worst 5. Is the best. 5. Not seeing a bird you traveled hours to see.... 4. having to leave. 3. not being able to travel now.....so I can’t bird out of state... 2. birds not cooperating for photos. 1. undoubtedly when I am at the beach, trying to photograph the mystery gulls, and some rude kids look at me with my camera, and have to chase away the gull when I might have had a lifer. let’s see yours! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bird Nuts Posted January 24, 2021 Share Posted January 24, 2021 I agree with most of yours. I can't really put mine in any order, though. Cars going by. They either scare away the bird(s) or are so noisy I can't hear the bird(s). The wind seems to ALWAYS pick up when I press the record audio/video button. Being rushed. Don't tell me we need to get back before a certain time!! Traveling a long distance only to find out that the bird you were looking for decided to leave that day. It has happened so much, I don't chase birds much anymore. Too much equipment to bring on trips! Sometimes I need two cameras with lenses, binoculars, scope with tripod, notepad and pencil, GPS and directions, snack, water, etc. I especially dislike setting up the scope...while I'm carrying everything else... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnd Posted January 24, 2021 Share Posted January 24, 2021 Rain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seanbirds Posted January 25, 2021 Share Posted January 25, 2021 #1:Noisy family members/friends that just have to talk (loudly) and scare away every bird and animal within a square mile. #2:Finding an abundance of neat birds one day in a certain place and the next day you bring your camera and they’re all gone. #3:Running out of battery or memory on your camera the minute before you find a really rare bird. #4:People looking at you funny when you spish. #5:Being called a bird-watcher. I am not a bird-watcher!!! I’m a BIRDER. B-I-R-D-E-R. What about that do you not understand?!?! 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Connor Cochrane Posted January 25, 2021 Share Posted January 25, 2021 The biggest problem for me is getting rides. I've missed some great birds like Red-flanked Bluetail, Eastern Yellow Wagtail and Lesser Sand-plover. I can't get my license for another year, and especially now (with COVID) it's really tough getting rides. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron Posted January 25, 2021 Share Posted January 25, 2021 The thing that annoys me most is other people just in general for several reasons some stated above. Which is why I like to go birding as early as possible as there’s less of them. Off leash dogs, especially them running rampant in water bodies. Your dog isn’t playing with the ducks Susan, he’s harassing wildlife. Lately, the cold. My eyelashes were freezing together this morning! Sorta need my eyes open to see birds. Identifying Gulls & peeps That most birds and good birding areas are on the exact opposite side of the city from me. I have the option to drive myself over there I suppose, but never have liked driving. Also, I guess as an extra one, not being able to be in two places at once! Hate being at my cabin knowing I’m missing out on stuff here, and vice versa. Still not over that I missed out on seeing the 2nd Province record of a Great-tailed grackle because I was in BC and it got killed a few days before I got back! Same thing happened with a Ruff (except it didn’t die). Though, I got some pretty good birds when I was away which made up for it. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IKLland Posted January 25, 2021 Author Share Posted January 25, 2021 7 hours ago, The Bird Nuts said: I agree with most of yours. I can't really put mine in any order, though. Cars going by. They either scare away the bird(s) or are so noisy I can't hear the bird(s). The wind seems to ALWAYS pick up when I press the record audio/video button. Being rushed. Don't tell me we need to get back before a certain time!! Traveling a long distance only to find out that the bird you were looking for decided to leave that day. It has happened so much, I don't chase birds much anymore. Too much equipment to bring on trips! Sometimes I need two cameras with lenses, binoculars, scope with tripod, notepad and pencil, GPS and directions, snack, water, etc. I especially dislike setting up the scope...while I'm carrying everything else... I forgot about being rushed.....good one! No one else seems to have kids on a beach scaring away the gulls.... 2 hours ago, Seanbirds said: #1:Noisy family members/friends that just have to talk (loudly) and scare away every bird and animal within a square mile. #2:Finding an abundance of neat birds one day in a certain place and the next day you bring your camera and they’re all gone. #3:Running out of battery or memory on your camera the minute before you find a really rare bird. #4:People looking at you funny when you spish. #5:Being called a bird-watcher. I am not a bird-watcher!!! I’m a BIRDER. B-I-R-D-E-R. What about that do you not understand?!?! Yup, people talk loud, and I just say ssssssshhhhhh, it’s a rarity! They look at me in confusion. My camera seems to last a while. Yeah, I don’t watch birds. I feel like a bird watcher is a backyard birder. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avery Posted January 25, 2021 Share Posted January 25, 2021 Here’s mine: 1. Weather. Being mainly an auditory birder, the wind inhibits that. Also, not many birds are out and about in high winds. Rain just shuts things down. Snow is fine, I just can’t use a scope. The cold is rough, but it only affects me, not the birds. 2. People. I like to bird solo, but I will definitely join a group of birders in a line of scopes, or get help finding a rarity or lifer. I don’t blame other people for being loud. They are’nt intentionally disrupting me, who chose a public place to be. Noisy birders however... also, I will realize after a long solo bird outing, that I haven’t talked for hours. And I like that. 3. Nemesis birds. Currently, Redheads are my archnemesis. I’ve driven from 45 to and hour away to the same spots about 7 time now, where they are reliably seen in numbers from 1-14. 4. Limited Travel. Currently the cause is COVID. Now that I have a car, it certainly expands my range, but now I can’t go out of state. My family NEVER goes on vacation. We’ll go visit family, but that’s not a vacation. We’ll usually go to Connecticut once a year, where I was hoping to get Chuck-Wills-Widow, Seaside Sparrow, Worm-eating Warbler, to name a few. We were finally going to go on a vacation last year, to Florida! Then a month before that, COVID shut it down. ? 5. Not being able to get a good enough look “or listen” before the bird is gone. I hate having potentially encountered a lifer, but not being able to confidently ID it. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueJay Posted January 25, 2021 Share Posted January 25, 2021 The most aggravating thing for me is when a rare bird is spotted during the school week and leaves before the weekend arrives. I've missed a couple birds like Black-crowned Night-heron because I just couldn't go. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Spencer Posted January 25, 2021 Share Posted January 25, 2021 (edited) My biggest one is trying to schedule some birding time when travelling with non-birding family members. I'm sorry, but doing this right requires some degree of standing around relatively motionless. I'd love to take a long walk with you some other time, but that's not why I jammed in these four hours out of a six-day trip. Cold weather, but that's easy enough to avoid. If it's cold, I don't go out. There's plenty of birds at the feeders. Otherwise, I'm easily made happy. This is my relaxation; I'm not going to add stressful elements like chasing (tried it once; hated it), running out of time, gear, nemeses, etc. You can't see them all, because you don't know in advance what's there today; why try? As long as the weather is decent (by my standards), I'll see what I can and not worry about what I don't. Edited January 25, 2021 by Charlie Spencer 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Spencer Posted January 25, 2021 Share Posted January 25, 2021 (edited) 17 hours ago, Seanbirds said: #5:Being called a bird-watcher. I am not a bird-watcher!!! I’m a BIRDER. B-I-R-D-E-R. What about that do you not understand?!?! It's an phrase that's been in use for centuries, so it's going to take a while to work it out of common use. Frankly, I'm still uncomfortable using 'to bird' as a verb. If the worst thing that happens in the field is someone asks if I'm a 'bird watcher', I'm having a pretty good day. There's no malice intended; it's not like they called me 'Jane Hathaway' (Google it). I appreciate them showing an interest. Edited January 25, 2021 by Charlie Spencer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bird Nuts Posted January 25, 2021 Share Posted January 25, 2021 18 minutes ago, Charlie Spencer said: Otherwise, I'm easily made happy. This is my relaxation; I'm not going to add stressful elements like chasing (tried it once; hated it), running out of time, gear, nemeses, etc. You can't see them all, because you don't know in advance what's there today; why try? As long as the weather is decent (by my standards), I'll see what I can and not worry about what I don't. I've been trying to make my birding outings more relaxing. I used to always look up the birds people were seeing at a certain location before going there, but now I try to keep my expectations low. I don't have nearly as many rare alerts going to my inbox anymore. I can't just go somewhere without a time limit, though, because I have things to do at the house (like take care of two very needy doggies). I also have to get birding in in between meals if I didn't pack a snack (which I usually don't because it takes up too much space)... So, yeah, I am just about always rushed. ? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Spencer Posted January 25, 2021 Share Posted January 25, 2021 57 minutes ago, The Bird Nuts said: I've been trying to make my birding outings more relaxing. I used to always look up the birds people were seeing at a certain location before going there, but now I try to keep my expectations low. I don't have nearly as many rare alerts going to my inbox anymore. I can't just go somewhere without a time limit, though, because I have things to do at the house (like take care of two very needy doggies). I also have to get birding in in between meals if I didn't pack a snack (which I usually don't because it takes up too much space)... So, yeah, I am just about always rushed. ? I do most of my local birding in two hours or less. If I'm going outside a one-hour radius, I'm usually ready to quit after three or four hours anyway, depending on how long it takes to get home / back to the hotel. Once or twice a year I may pull an full day with bottles of water and Subway, but that usually for special occasions (CBC, festivals, those trips with a rare day that has no family activities, etc.) If I'm going somewhere new, I'll look to see what's in the area. That's so I can familiarize myself with what I might seen, not to chase any of them down. I've chased exactly twice. Once was Roseate Spoonbills two hours away and way too stressful. After that experience, I only undertook the Hooded Grebe because it was less than 30 minutes =away, and the bird had spent an entire week along the same 100 meters of shoreline. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Connor Cochrane Posted January 25, 2021 Share Posted January 25, 2021 24 minutes ago, Charlie Spencer said: I do most of my local birding in two hours or less. If I'm going outside a one-hour radius, I'm usually ready to quit after three or four hours anyway, depending on how long it takes to get home / back to the hotel. Once or twice a year I may pull an full day with bottles of water and Subway, but that usually for special occasions (CBC, festivals, those trips with a rare day that has no family activities, etc.) If I'm going somewhere new, I'll look to see what's in the area. That's so I can familiarize myself with what I might seen, not to chase any of them down. I've chased exactly twice. Once was Roseate Spoonbills two hours away and way too stressful. After that experience, I only undertook the Hooded Grebe because it was less than 30 minutes =away, and the bird had spent an entire week along the same 100 meters of shoreline. You should meet the Californian County Birders, they are almost the exact opposite of you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Spencer Posted January 25, 2021 Share Posted January 25, 2021 5 minutes ago, Connor Cochrane said: You should meet the Californian County Birders, they are almost the exact opposite of you. Oh, we have plenty of 'Type A' birders here in SC, God bless 'em (all to pieces). I've gone out with some of them, but I don't get swept up in their urgency. I have enough 'challenges' and 'opportunities' at work, thankyouverymuch. If there was much I found annoying about birding, I'd probably be looking for something else to do. I know it may be shocking, but there ARE other things I could be doing with my discretionary time. Sometimes I even do some of them. Hey, NO! Put down those stones!! OUCH! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colton V Posted January 25, 2021 Share Posted January 25, 2021 15 minutes ago, Charlie Spencer said: There ARE other things I could be doing with my discretionary time. Sometimes I even do some of them. @Aveschapines I think you need to ban him from the forum. (just kidding) 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Spencer Posted January 25, 2021 Share Posted January 25, 2021 1 minute ago, Colton V said: @Aveschapines I think you need to ban him from the forum. (just kidding) If it makes anyone feel better, during my teenage years, the only things worth doing were those that involved 'Star Trek'. We're talking original series, years before the first (bad) movie, before Next Gen was even an idea. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Posted January 25, 2021 Share Posted January 25, 2021 3 hours ago, Charlie Spencer said: I've chased exactly twice. So have I, and have had 50 percent success, and 50 percent failure. If y'all promise not to laugh, I'll tell you how far away from my house they were. They were 6 and 9 minutes. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avery Posted January 26, 2021 Share Posted January 26, 2021 2 hours ago, Kevin said: So have I, and have had 50 percent success, and 50 percent failure. If y'all promise not to laugh, I'll tell you how far away from my house they were. They were 6 and 9 minutes. So you were quite literally chasing them! Most of my chasers are at least 30 minutes away. I think the shortest distance for a bird I’ve chased has been 10 minutes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IKLland Posted January 26, 2021 Author Share Posted January 26, 2021 3 hours ago, Kevin said: So have I, and have had 50 percent success, and 50 percent failure. If y'all promise not to laugh, I'll tell you how far away from my house they were. They were 6 and 9 minutes. Wow! Great hard math! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IKLland Posted January 26, 2021 Author Share Posted January 26, 2021 I am new to chasing, done it for 9 different birds, found two of em, but I like it! But, it was only on three locations in 4 different days.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HamRHead Posted January 26, 2021 Share Posted January 26, 2021 I love chasing! I've chased close to 10 birds. Got most. At least one took two tries. Most were fairly local. The furthest was 125m. It was my birthday present! Got it, too. A Black-legged Kittywake. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron Posted January 26, 2021 Share Posted January 26, 2021 I have a 100% chase and find rate. Found all 2/2 ? More fun to find them yourself, though sometimes necessary I guess. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avery Posted January 26, 2021 Share Posted January 26, 2021 Often I find that if I am unsuccessful in finding a chase bird, I will find a different lifer anyway. So, I would say all of my chase trips are half successful, as I usually find the bird I chased last time, and not the one I went to see. For example, on this last trip to find Redheads (I don’t know how I haven’t yet.) I found a Canvasback! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Spencer Posted January 26, 2021 Share Posted January 26, 2021 (edited) Annoyance #2 - comments about photos such as "You should have focused manually", "You should have brightened / darkened the exposure", "These aren't very good photos", etc. Well, duh. Do you think I deliberately skipped over the great shots because I'm under contract to NatGeo? YOU come focus this point-and-shoot and adjust the exposure while whatever that is (RCKI? BGGN? Something else on Red Bull?) bounces through the wind-blown shrubs and the moving clouds keep changing the light. This is especially frustrating from other birders, who should be aware of the challenges. NOT helpful. Edited January 26, 2021 by Charlie Spencer 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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