I have the Feather snap feeder and I love it. I do not pay for a monthly subscription so mine does not identify the birds but just takes pictures and sends to my phone. I guess I am grateful for the lack of ID
Sent from my iPhone
> On Dec 5, 2024, at 11:37 AM, Paul Roisen <roisenp1950...> wrote:
>
> Henry,
> Already in full bloom here is Iowa and Nebraska. We have had some
> people trying to add some pretty exotic species to eBird using Merlin (by
> the way a great TOOL when used in conjunction with sight and a field
> guide), but there are still some who follow the app blindly. Every state
> should be promoting birding and offering in-state help, such as field trips
> and sharing the +'s and -'s of apps such as Merlin. At the very least we
> should be promoting the positives of the ID tools on eBird. Birding
> buddies for newbies might be an option for local birding clubs as well as
> KOS, IowaOU, NeberaksaOU, MissouriBS etc.
> Thanks for injecting your humor into this Henry.
>
> God Bless.
> *Paul O. Roisen*
> *Woodbury County, IA*
> *Mobile 712-301-2817*
>
>
>> On Thu, Dec 5, 2024 at 11:22 AM Henry Armknecht <armknecht...>
>> wrote:
>>
>> Just add them to your yard list (and claim some new state records) and
>> pat yourself on the back.
>>
>> Thank you for sharing this note of caution and letting us get a laugh.
>> My guess is that the ID abilities of this technology will improve over
>> time. Unfortunately many of the people getting these cameras will be new
>> to birding and start out with misinformation. I am forever grateful for
>> you and the other great mentors who helped me learn how to observe and
>> identify birds when I was starting out.
>>
>> Henry A
>>
>> Hays
>>
>>> On 12/5/2024 9:42 AM, Chuck Otte wrote:
>>> Last winter Jaye got me a bird feeder cam which we mounted on the front
>>> porch (rural Geary County, near Milford - both the town and the lake)
>> with
>>> most of our other feeders. It's been quite enjoyable and allows us to
>> monitor
>>> things even if we are gone for a few days! This morning, for the first
>> time,
>>> when I opened the app on my phone it gave me a gallery of 24 photos of
>>> birds and an identification of them. (list will follow below) It got 4
>> of 24
>>> correct. The remaining 21 were incorrect and in fact 5 of the
>> identifications
>>> were of species that haven't been seen in Kansas and have quite
>> restricted
>>> ranges. Some are downright hilariously wrong. If you have one of these
>>> feeder cams, by all means enjoy it. But follow up any identification it
>> makes
>>> with a visit to your field guide(s) paying very close attention to
>> geographic
>>> ranges of the alleged species. If you don't have a field guide, put it
>> in your
>>> Christmas wish list - please!
>>>
>>> In the following list the alleged identification is first followed by
>> what the bird
>>> actually was:
>>>
>>> American Goldfinch - American Goldfinch (male)
>>> House Finch - House Finch (male)
>>> Northern Cardinal - Northern Cardinal (male)
>>> Red Fox Sparrow - House Finch (male)
>>> Field Sparrow - House Finch (female)
>>> White-winged Dove - American Goldfinch (male)
>>> Tufted Titmouse - Tufted Titmouse
>>> Cedar Waxwing - American Goldfinch (male)
>>> Purple Finch - House Finch (male)
>>> Mourning Dove - House Finch (female)
>>> Brown Thrasher - House Finch (female)
>>> Verdin - American Goldfinch (male)
>>> Brown-headed Cowbird - House Finch (female)
>>> Chestnut-backed Chickadee - Black-capped Chickadee
>>> Carolina Chickadee - Black-capped Chickadee
>>> Black-crested Titmouse - Tufted Titmouse
>>> Common Grackle - House Finch (female)
>>> Red-headed Woodpecker - House Finch (male)
>>> Orange-crowned Warbler - American Goldfinch (male)
>>> Gila Woodpecker - American Goldfinch (male)
>>> Pine Warbler - American Goldfinch (male)
>>> American Crow - Northern Cardinal (male)
>>> Oak Titmouse - American Goldfinch (female)
>>> Merlin - House Finch (female)
>>>
>>>
>>> +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>>> Chuck Ottemailto:<cotte...>
>>> 11319 Dundon Rd
>>> Milford Kansas USA 66514
>>> 785-463-5485
>>>
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>>> mailto:<ksbird-l-request...> >>
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>
> For KSBIRD-L archives or to change your subscription options, go to
> https://listserv.ksu.edu/ksbird-l.html > For KSBIRD-L guidelines go to
> http://www.ksbirds.org/KSBIRD-LGuidelines.htm > To contact a listowner, send a message to
> mailto:<ksbird-l-request...>
