[wisb] Counting Game - Bohemian Waxwings
- From: Ryan Brady <ryanbrady10@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <wisbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 8 Feb 2011 11:34:32 -0700
Here's a poor photo I took on Sunday showing part of a large flock of Bohemian
Waxwings near Ashland. Take an initial guess and/or make a quick systematic
estimate as if you saw the birds flyby in the field and then email me your
answer. I've painfully counted them all and will post an answer in a few days.
http://www.pbase.com/image/132395650
Ryan Brady
Washburn, Bayfield County, WI
http://www.pbase.com/rbrady
From: ryanbrady10@xxxxxxxxxxx
To: wisbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Counting Bohemian Waxwings
Date: Fri, 14 Jan 2011 14:06:51 -0700
Hi folks, this is more a cautionary heads-up than anything else but with all
the Bohemian Waxwing reports of 100, 250, 300 birds etc. and plenty more to be
seen yet this winter and spring I'm curious as to whether folks are making
actual counts, systematic estimates, or gross estimates of overall flock size?
In my experience, birders (myself included) vastly underestimate flock size in
this species, often upwards of 40-70%, i.e. a flock estimated at 100 often has
140-170+ birds. Don't ask me why but without alot of experience it's very
difficult to correctly gauge numbers of this species without actually counting,
or at least more systematically estimating (e.g. 5, 10, 20 birds at a time). So
I challenge you the next time you're up north to first estimate flock size as
we often do and then make an actual count. My money says there will be far more
birds than you thought!
Ryan Brady
Washburn, Bayfield County, WI
http://www.pbase.com/rbrady
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