[nysbirds-l] Sit-and-Wait (Good) vs. Active Foraging (Bad) Strategies
I spent a little over an hour at Captree this afternoon, during which the Common Ground-Dove was seen just once, and for just a few minutes. About a dozen birders were searching for the bird, and it became quite clear to me that their mostly uncoordinated efforts were not likely to produce favorable outcomes. My conclusions are as follows: 1. Newly arriving searchers should discreetly approach someone already present, exchange cell numbers, and make an effort to fit into a coordinated strategy. If the first person you approach turns out to be a misanthrope, find a more civic-minded birder--there will be many there tomorrow. 2. It is best to wait quietly and motionless, preferably in a car, while scanning an area where the bird has been seen in the past. This bird likes to forage in short grass, along the margins of taller, denser vegetation. All of the margins the bird has favored are relatively narrow, so birders walking or standing in a prime spot are not likely to see the bird in that spot. 3. During periods when the bird is not being seen, it is grossly counter-productive for multiple birders to walk and drive repeatedly along all of the preferred margins. 4. All of the best margins can be surveilled from as few as six fixed points, four of which can be worked from a vehicle parked at a discreet distance from the margins in question: a. a point near the northeastern corner of the east lot, giving vantages of the north edge and the eastern foot-path toward the fishing piers. b. a point near the northwestern corner of the east lot, giving vantages of the north edge and the western foot-path toward the fishing piers. c. the extreme southwestern corner of the main lot, giving vantages of the western half of the driveway to the boat launch area. d. a point giving vantages of the eastern half of the driveway to the boat launch area, and some of the roadside margins east of the toll booths. e. a point near the eastern end of the south lot, giving vantages of the driveway to the south lot. f. a point near the exit of the west (boat launch) lot (where it exits back onto the Ocean Parkway), giving vantages of the roadside margins west of the toll booths. 5. When news of the bird's presence is circulated, people moving over in hopes of seeing it should take great care to avoid approaching by a track that might disturb the bird. Pay close attention to cues from people already on the bird, and, if in doubt, call one of them for a suggested route. Shai Mitra Bay Shore Think green before you print this email. -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
[nysbirds-l] Sit-and-Wait (Good) vs. Active Foraging (Bad) Strategies
I spent a little over an hour at Captree this afternoon, during which the Common Ground-Dove was seen just once, and for just a few minutes. About a dozen birders were searching for the bird, and it became quite clear to me that their mostly uncoordinated efforts were not likely to produce favorable outcomes. My conclusions are as follows: 1. Newly arriving searchers should discreetly approach someone already present, exchange cell numbers, and make an effort to fit into a coordinated strategy. If the first person you approach turns out to be a misanthrope, find a more civic-minded birder--there will be many there tomorrow. 2. It is best to wait quietly and motionless, preferably in a car, while scanning an area where the bird has been seen in the past. This bird likes to forage in short grass, along the margins of taller, denser vegetation. All of the margins the bird has favored are relatively narrow, so birders walking or standing in a prime spot are not likely to see the bird in that spot. 3. During periods when the bird is not being seen, it is grossly counter-productive for multiple birders to walk and drive repeatedly along all of the preferred margins. 4. All of the best margins can be surveilled from as few as six fixed points, four of which can be worked from a vehicle parked at a discreet distance from the margins in question: a. a point near the northeastern corner of the east lot, giving vantages of the north edge and the eastern foot-path toward the fishing piers. b. a point near the northwestern corner of the east lot, giving vantages of the north edge and the western foot-path toward the fishing piers. c. the extreme southwestern corner of the main lot, giving vantages of the western half of the driveway to the boat launch area. d. a point giving vantages of the eastern half of the driveway to the boat launch area, and some of the roadside margins east of the toll booths. e. a point near the eastern end of the south lot, giving vantages of the driveway to the south lot. f. a point near the exit of the west (boat launch) lot (where it exits back onto the Ocean Parkway), giving vantages of the roadside margins west of the toll booths. 5. When news of the bird's presence is circulated, people moving over in hopes of seeing it should take great care to avoid approaching by a track that might disturb the bird. Pay close attention to cues from people already on the bird, and, if in doubt, call one of them for a suggested route. Shai Mitra Bay Shore Think green before you print this email. -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
