Birders are odd

[Civchic]

I have ALWAYS loved birds, ever since I was a kid. But it wasn't until I picked up a camera that I really started to focus on the incredible species diversity around me, and really get a thrill at spotting (and especially photographing) a new-to-me species.

It's migration time, and apparently this year is a booming warbler year. I headed down to my favourite lakefront park today to see if I could finally get a snap of those &(*$(*#&!ing Orioles that fly to the tops of the tallest trees when they spot me, and there was a herd of birders in the woods. A veritable throng of folks in rubber boots and binoculars. I asked one what he was looking for and apparently a Connecticut Warbler has been spotted in these parts (I guess minus one point already for not knowing that). I said something along the lines of "Cool! I've just gotten interested in birding myself this year" whereupon he looked at my camera sling and said "Well, you're not really a Birder, you're a bird photographer," like I was a substandard class of human.

Haha. Well, I didn't see the little warbler either. Or get a good picture of the Oriole. But watch out for Birders with a capital B, they are very grumpy about photographers in their woods!

 

[BillM]

Those Birders are a strange lot

 

[robbins.photo]

Those Birders are a strange lot

I don't mind them so much. Mostly they just mill about in those silly, floppy hats consulting their little notebooks while trying not to tip over from the 320lbs worth of binoculars they have strung around their necks. So yup, all in all not a bad lot really.

Bird photgraphers though - sheesh. What a substandard class of human those poor wretches are. Yikes.

Oh wait, was that outloud? Lol

 

[sm4him]

I'm always pretty careful to call myself a Bird Photographer, not a Birder. I love the birds, and I love learning about them, and attracting them to my yard. I love seeing new ones. But for me, the END goal is always good photos of them.
For a birder, the end goal is simply seeing--or even hearing--the bird. I've always said that in many ways, being a Birder is easier because you get to count the new bird as long as you get a glimpse of it. For me, seeing a new bird is exciting, but it really doesn't count in my mind until I get photos. And then I want better photos.

Even the definition of a good location can differ. A friend and I went to an extremely popular spot here locally for migrating birds. There was a group of birders there at the same time. My friend and I saw some glimpses of some of the migrating warblers, but they were all too high up in the trees and we didn't get any decent shots at all, so to us, the day was a total bust. Later that day, I saw where one of the birders had posted on FB that the group saw EIGHTEEN different warblers, plus a few other unusual sightings. My friend messaged me later and said, "Were we even in the same PLACE they were??" But all they needed was a glimpse of the bird, and it gets checked off the list!

As for the ATTITUDE of the guy you encountered--that's not a Birder, that's a Jerk.

As with most groups of people, I've encountered two types of Birders--some are very approachable and friendly, and LOVE to share their love of birds with others. I've come up on groups of Birders and the next thing I know, they are inviting me to look through their scopes, and describing how to tell the difference between two similar birds, or helping me identify one that we've only heard at that point rather than seen.
The other type is the type you've described--Jerks. A lot of them really do *frown upon* Bird Photographers, because to their mind, WE are all the same--doing anything for "the shot" and not really caring about the birds. Unfortunately, these people have NO idea how much they can discourage people who may otherwise be future Birders.

I've encountered my fair share of both types, but thankfully, a majority of the Birders I've met lean much more toward the very-friendly end of the spectrum.

 

[Civchic]

Yeah, this guy was total Jerk, very snooty. It put me aback, because I'm just there with my camera, enjoying the same Nature as him. I'm being quiet and wearing my brown jacket and not flailing around in the woods, since I have the same end goal - to see the bird.

But I totally agree with you sm4him about my end goal being a photo, and then a better photo. Today was not a good photo day for me, even though I saw lots of birds. None of them were cooperative. Bird photographer it is! Although I don't fit in well with those guys either, with my baby 250mm. LOL.

They also SHOUTED when they saw the bird they were looking for. Dude! Glad you saw your bird, mine flew away!

 

[BillM]

Bird photgraphers though - sheesh. What a substandard class of human those poor wretches are. Yikes.

Oh wait, was that outloud? Lol

I've been called worse :geek:

 

[astroNikon]

Some of them wear fish suits to get those awesome photos !!

 

[JacaRanda]

There does seem to be a difference and I found that out pretty early. I was also warned about it early.

Birdography is the name of the game for me. Just seeing the birds and documenting it would not keep me from my Saturday and Sunday football games on the boobtube.

 

[Braineack]

I want to build a cat farm.

 

[MSnowy]

I want to build a cat farm.

You build a cathouse and I'm there

 

[astroNikon]

I want to build a cat farm.

wow, gigantic acreage dedicated to land moving equipment !! Sounds kewl .. think of the rare cranes & excavators you could collect
Cat | Equipment | Caterpillar

:mrgreen:

 

[runnah]

 

[runnah]

 

[dxqcanada]

There are Birders (those that seek/identify/count birds), then there are Birders who photograph (those that seek/identify/count/photographically catalogue birds), there are Photographers that take pictures of birds (those that seek to take great images of birds), and finally there are people with cameras that like taking pictures of things like birds.

I think many Birders have run across too many of the type 3 and 4 that have no respect for the habitat they are entering, nor respect for others that are on the above list. I have gone shooting into Birderlands many times, and have encountered all of the above. I too dislike the latter, who tend to be oblivious to the fact that their actions may be scaring off the wildlife that others have spent the day searching for. I have also bumped into a "serious" Photographer of birds, who I found a little obnoxious ... setting up staging areas in the middle of a walking path and baiting (food and sound) ... reminds me of a hunter ... might be just me, but I found that a little offensive.

My wife and I have passed by many a Birder (type 1 and type 2) who are nice and generally tell us of what they have seen (in the direction we are walking to). Never encountered a dumb-ass Birder, closest thing are the silent ones.

 

[runnah]

There are Birders (those that seek/identify/count birds), then there are Birders who photograph (those that seek/identify/count/photographically catalogue birds), there are Photographers that take pictures of birds (those that seek to take great images of birds), and finally there are people with cameras that like taking pictures of things like birds.