Date: 9/16/25 5:04 pm From: Martha & Bill McClintock <mbmcclintock...> Subject: Re: [VTBIRD] Shorebirds and Merlin
A belated response to all the wonderful responses I got to my Merlin and
Shorebirds post.:
Thanks for the response.
I have been very lucky that I was one of the people who found the western
sandpiper on the Missisquoi delta and also a marbled godwit. Lucky or a
person who loves shorebirds and kayaking and spends a lot of time
on the delta?
I am well aware of Merlin's limitations...at least once a year, it tells me
that a chipping sparrow around my home is a worm eating warbler. Last
week, Merlin "heard" a Townsend's warbler when I saw a black throated
green. I never "identify" and report a bird based on Merlin alone but it
is always an invitation to look a little harder. I spent three hours on
the delta looking at every smallish sandpiper and plover...it was great.
Looking carefully, I saw a poor little SESA with an injured leg, a WRSA
that had lost some feathers and a tiny bit of the white seemed to be always
visible. A really strangely patterned peep. One sandpiper that MIGHT MIGHT
MIGHT be a winter western. I took several dozen photos of this bird and
submitted several to a bunch of AI identifiers. Half came back Western and
half came back white rumped. I will not submit it to eBird but it was not
a lost day or effort. And I don't think that we should simply say, "Merlin
makes mistakes." We should think further about why Merlin is making the
mistakes. That is why I asked if anyone else is finding Merlin identifying
birds as WESA or CRPL...What birds might it actually be? Is there a
pattern? I didn't get a response to my question. But I will continue to
work on why Merlin is hearing so many bobolink calls along the river. Are
migrating bobolinks resting in the reeds and cattails? It gives me a
reason to look harder but I won't report based on a Merlin call ID.
Happy birding, Martha
On Fri, Sep 12, 2025 at 5:54 AM Richard Littauer <richard.littauer...>
wrote:
> Western Sandpipers only have 24 observations in Vermont on eBird (possibly
> some of the same bird), and Common Ringed Plover has only been seen once. I
> wouldn't trust Merlin for those observations. Golden Plovers are around at
> the moment, so that's a bit more likely.
>
> I just wouldn't trust Merlin at all, generally. It's useful for
> confirmation after having seen a bird and identified it physically, but
> it's not the best for heard-only birds. I've had multiple errors with it
> this week.
>
> Best,
> R
>
> On Fri, Sep 12, 2025 at 1:13 AM Martha & Bill McClintock <
> <mbmcclintock...> wrote:
>
> > For some reason, I have never used Merlin as I look for shorebirds. But,
> > today, as flocks flew over, I mused that I wished I was better at
> > identifying the chatter of the small flocks flying over. Lightbulb!!!
> > Merlin.
> >
> > Merlin repeatedly heard a western sandpiper, a common ringed plover, and
> an
> > American golden plover along with the expected birds. So we spent hours
> > (literally!) with bins, camera, and scope, studying the hundreds of
> little
> > birds scurrying around. No luck with either plover but I am struggling
> > with what may be a western sandpiper. Just not yet sure.
> >
> > So two questions. 1) does anyone find that Merlin mixes up the calls of
> > semipalmated and common ringed plovers? Western sandpipers with others?
> > 2) It was at the west branch of the Mississquoi delta if anyone thinks
> it
> > is worth a try.
> >
> > Martha
> > (usually birding in) Westford
> >
>
>
> --
> Richard Littauer | burntfen.com <http://www.burntfen.com> | socials:
> richard.social
>
