[texbirds] Re: Of class and cameras - my last words on this subject
- From: Jay Packer <jay@xxxxxx>
- To: Texbirds <texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2014 08:07:00 -0500
My participation in Texbirds has often suffered due to a lack of time. I've
still try to maintain my birding in the field however.
This thread has so many items I wish to respond to. However, I can tell I'm
going to walk into work a little late this morning just writing this reply.
At the end of the day, people need to understand that the more remarkable a
claim is, the more substantial the need for solid documentation. And of
course, a photograph will be invaluable for a truly remarkable record. I
don't think anybody would dispute that.
The rest of it is largely hurt feelings. Some insensitive things have been
said. At times I think this was unintentional, but also I think could have
been foreseen and avoided upon reflection. Honestly Cameron, I've met you a
couple of times and found you to be very nice and pleasant. However, the
way you phrased your comments about field notes, particularly Heidi's field
notes, galvanized people to respond and kicked off a bitter thread.
As for Anthony's comments, I'm sad to say I just find them rather bizarre.
Economic inequality is an unfortunate aspect of our reality today. I sit
around and feel sorry for myself that I can only take a few international
trips. And then I realize how ridiculously rich I am in the grand scheme of
things. The same can be said for anyone who reads my message. We are the
richest people that have ever lived in the history of humanity, except for
a very small number of people that are above us. It really is all relative.
I've tried hard to never look down on people that are less fortunate than
me, who don't have super expensive optics, or who enjoy doing the game of
birding in a different way than I do. I never got a sense from this thread
that anyone was out to criticize those who couldn't afford or didn't want
photographic gear. I'm not sure why that came up or why we need to address
it any further.
As for the rest of it, maybe I can reply further this evening. I doubt I'll
have the time though. In the meantime, I'm going to suggest that my school
be put on lockdown, lest Abilene gets hit by a stray missile heading to or
launched from Lubbock...
--
Jay Packer
(sent from my phone)
On Mar 19, 2014 10:21 PM, "Clay Taylor" <Clay.Taylor@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
> All -
>
> There are very few of us that do NOT have a camera in their cell phone,
> and it need not be a smart phone. Virtually ALL of the camera phones that
> I have messed with at bird festivals on the past 10 years will give a
> serviceable ID photo when held up to a spotting scope eyepiece, and even a
> binocular.
>
> If you have a bird that needs recording, snap a cell phone shot through
> you birding optics. Will ithe resulting image make the cover of Audubon
> Magazine? Unless that bird is an Ivory-billed Woodpecker, heck no! Will
> it help the TBRC decide to accept your out-of-range or out-of-season bird
> record? Yes, if you knew how to operate the system, it probably will.
>
> I got into birding AS a photographer, and in the 1970s virtually NO
> birders carried a camera. In an era when you were "supposed to" take notes
> and make drawings, about 1% of my birding associates did. I was the >1%
> that carried a camera. Not so anymore.
>
> No excuses for not at least TRYING to get an image of that IBWO flying
> across the road in E TX.
>
> Clay Taylor
> Calallen (Corpus Christi) TX
> Clay.taylor@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
> Sent from my iPad
>
> > On Mar 19, 2014, at 7:55 PM, "Brush Freeman" <brushfreeman@xxxxxxxxx>
> wrote:
> >
> > Well, I gotta give that round to Cameron...If you got the money to chase
> > birds all over Texas you can swing for a decent camera...Matter of
> > priorities, or if you are like me , or you are a crappy photographer that
> > just hates taking photos of anything that will not sit still ...IE simple
> > stuff like sunsets, rocks, flowers, toenails etc.
> > **********************************************************************
> > Brush Freeman
> > 503-551-5150 Cell
> > 120 N. Red Bud Trail. Elgin, Tx. 78621
> > http://texasnaturenotes.blogspot.com/
> > Finca Alacranes., Utley,Texas
> >
> >
> > On Wed, Mar 19, 2014 at 8:08 PM, Cameron Carver <c.o.carver@xxxxxxxxx
> >wrote:
> >
> >> This is not entirely meant for the general audience, but since I know
> >> Anthony and he thought it a good idea to share his sob story with us
> all I
> >> thought I would offer solutions to his problems.
> >>
> >> Anthony, you are prone to report impressive numbers and species in
> >> locations on a first visit to a new place. This raises suspicion
> especially
> >> when others visit the location and the same birds are not there. So,
> your
> >> reports go largely unsubstantiated. A camera would be a wise investment.
> >>
> >> Let's talk about investments. If people question your sightings on a
> >> regular basis and all you can provide are written details, I think it
> might
> >> be time to get a camera - especially if you are tired of other's
> >> complaints. If you want a $250-$500 camera but cannot afford it, perhaps
> >> consider less county listing games. A full jaunt around a county or two
> >> could cost about $50 in gas and maintenance. If you do that twice a
> month,
> >> think of the money you will save if you cut back. Of course that is
> >> sacrificing something you enjoy. But if your goal is to document bird
> >> species in those counties, you are doing no one any service by not
> having a
> >> way to document unusual/rare birds. I won't force you to buy a camera
> >> though.
> >>
> >> As for Audubon and TOS. You say that if you were not a regional
> >> representative then TOS would not have one. That is not true. I know of
> >> several that would step in and not spend a dying Audubon society's
> money.
> >> And the reason it is dying has absolutely nothing to do with you...
> >>
> >> Birders come in all shapes and sizes and ages and classes. Each person
> >> enjoys birds differently. But if you expect to report rare birds you
> better
> >> have something better than your word. Experience helps, but even the
> best
> >> get it wrong. I blew an ID the other day. Eric Carpenter corrected me
> and I
> >> learned from it. Had that been in the field instead of from a photo no
> one
> >> would have caught it.
> >>
> >> Cameron
> >>
> >> Sent from my iPhone
> >>
> >>> On Mar 19, 2014, at 19:18, Anthony Hewetson <terrverts@xxxxxxxxx>
> wrote:
> >>>
> >>> Greetings All:
> >>> A lot of birders don't seem to realize it but there is a class element
> >> in all of this talk of photo-documentation as well.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> There is a chance that this might be considered off topic and moderated
> >> but I would like all texbirds, particularly those who are board members
> of
> >> TOS, to read this.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> There are proficient, even more than proficient, birders out there who
> >> can barely afford relevance in this activity. If relevance comes to
> >> include photo-documentation of every bird of interest, they are out!
> That
> >> is why this is relevant to texbirds. If we condescend to beginners or
> the
> >> experienced but impoverished we are not reaching out.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> Guess what Mr. Carver; a lot of people can't afford cameras of
> >> sufficient quality to document birds at any distance. The comment that
> >> everybody has a smartphone is a) boloney and b) disingenuous. If 60% of
> >> people have smartphones and the vast majority of those are young folk -
> >> then well over 50% of birders are not so equipped. And, ss somebody
> already
> >> pointed out, smartphone or not, you need a camera, and a good one, to
> >> document birds at any distance. My $500 camera (which put me in debt)
> did
> >> not convince anybody that the swan in Lubbock might be a Trumpeter but
> >> somebody's multi-thousand dollar camera got their attention.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> I am, possibly, a reasonably proficient birder and I can't afford a
> >> better camera. Mine is adequate for documenting butterflies and I have
> now
> >> documented over 1500 records for BAMONA - it is not unwillingness; it is
> >> relative poverty! I have to prioritize certain things in my life
> >> (mortgage, a thoroughly disgusting amount of medical expenses due to an
> >> as-yet-undiagnosed illness that will undoubtedly keep my bank balance
> near
> >> zero until they run out of tests or I die, and various financial
> >> obligations that I have acquired through previous personal connections
> >> which I will not shirk because my mamma taught me better than that).
> Four
> >> months ago, my bank balance at the end of the month was $43.57 - and I
> have
> >> no family who will bail me out. I'm one bad event from taking a second
> job
> >> - at which point my contribution to Texas birding will be over.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> If I was not subsidized by my local Audubon chapter, I would not be
> able
> >> to attend (as a Regional Director) TOS meetings and we would have
> another
> >> region in Texas without a regional director. I feel like a complete
> rube
> >> when I stay in those hotels. The hotels I usually stay in usually cost
> >> less than cabins at State Parks and provide a wealth of wildlife viewing
> >> opportunities:)
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> Many, many times I have been made to feel as though I should not be
> >> participating in this activity and that, in absence of a good camera -
> >> better binoculars - a serious spotting scope - a pda with serious apps,
> my
> >> participation does not merit consideration. There is no ill intention
> on
> >> anybody's part but, if you look at the statistics, birders tend to be
> well
> >> off and it is very easy for somebody like me, standing next to a person
> >> burdened down with thousands of dollars worth of optics and benefited by
> >> years' worth of world travel, to be made to feel like a complete Joe
> Dirt
> >> by a casual comment dropped about my 'crappy' optics.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> Heck, I was once told that, if I wanted to teach Master Naturalist
> >> classes, I should acquire Master Naturalist 'certification'. I guess
> the
> >> $60,000 I spent on a Master's Degree in Zoology doesn't count to the
> mostly
> >> well-entitled folk who can drop a few thousand for 'certification'. You
> >> can bet I provided a little bit of wisdom to that particular person and,
> >> yes, I provided that wisdom Joe Pesci style.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> Well - check this before you wreck this: I am a relatively impoverished
> >> birdwatcher and I'm proud of the skills I've managed to attain despite
> not
> >> having the financial wherewithal and/or familial assistance that would
> >> allow me to have better quality tools. I do my best to contribute
> >> regionally and at the state level and, given my low class status, I
> feel I
> >> do a pretty good job.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> If somebody wants to buy me a nice camera, well bring it! I'm not so
> >> proud that I'll turn down a free camera - if that's what it takes to
> count!
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> Until then, bear in mind that the poorly-equipped birder next to you
> >> already feels inadequate enough and take some time to evaluate their
> skills
> >> before you judge them on the basis of the 'rig' that they are sporting.
> >> They probably did not choose to get by with $300 pair of binoculars, a
> >> hand-me-down scope and tripod, or a $500 camera.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> Anthony 'Fat Tony' Hewetson; Lubbock
> >>>
> >>> P.S. No offense to the guys who very generously provided me with the
> >> elements I needed to have a working spotting scope and tripod. I love
> all
> >> three of you guys and really appreciate the upgrade from my previous
> >> Bushmaster on a stick lifestyle:) It has been absolutely fantastic on
> >> field trips that I have led to be able to set that bad boy up and put my
> >> participants on birds.
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