Date: 2/17/26 2:59 pm From: Shirley Maas via groups.io <dtmsem2006...> Subject: Re: [NEBirds] WAVI again
Hi Ruthie,
Thank you for reaching out. I wanted to contribute to the ongoing discussion regarding the use of the Merlin app, particularly in light of Tony Leukering's thoughtful comments.
As a birder who experiences hearing limitations and is somewhat tone-deaf, I've found Merlin to be an exceptionally beneficial tool. It has truly enhanced my ability to detect and identify species that I might otherwise miss, acting as a valuable aid in my birding pursuits.
However, I fully endorse the emphasis on caution and thorough verification. My personal protocol, which stems from a naturally skeptical approach, involves several steps to ensure the accuracy of any Merlin-assisted identification. Initially, when Merlin suggests a bird, I record it with a clear note indicating it's an "audio-detected" or "Merlin-assisted" observation. If I am subsequently able to achieve a visual confirmation of the bird, I then update my records accordingly.
Furthermore, I always cross-reference Merlin's suggestions with broader ecological and geographical data. This includes meticulously checking established range maps and considering whether the species is genuinely expected to be present in that specific area at that time of year. This multi-layered verification process helps to mitigate potential misidentifications and aligns with the principle of basing our understanding on verifiable facts rather than solely on technological output.
I hope this perspective is helpful to the discussion.
Best regards,
Shirley
Don MaasThe Maas's are currently wintering in the Valley of the Sun in Mesa, AZ, from our home in Choctaw, OK.
On Tuesday, February 17, 2026, 12:01 PM, Ruth Stearns via groups.io <ruthstearns...> wrote:
Hi Ross. Thanks for these comments from Tony Leukering. Curious, do you have the comments from Ted Floyd as well?
Ruthie Stearns.
On Feb 16, 2026, at 5:11 PM, Ross Silcock <silcock...> wrote:
This from Tony Leukering in response to Ted Floyd.
Ross
Ross Silcock 6810 Tournament Drive,Houston, TX 77069
Co-editor Birds of Nebraska OnlineEditor Seasonal Reports, Nebraska Bird Review.
From: 'Tony Leukering' via Colorado Birds <cobirds...>
Sent: Monday, February 16, 2026 4:22 PM
To: Colorado Birds <cobirds...>
Subject: [cobirds] Re: Documenting crossbills, warbling-vireos, etc.
All:
I cannot agree more thoroughly with Ted's cautions about Merlin, and, particularly, his cautions once we get into the warbling-vireo season. I, too, find many warbling vireo songs far from cut-and-dried enumerators of species, and please, please, please, don't take Merlin's word on it as gospel. Save the recording. Save the spectrogram. Both species have been detected during the breeding season at Barr Lake, and there's absolutely no guarantee against warbling-vireo hanky-panky. We want our understanding of the occurrence parameters in eastern Colorado to be based on provable facts, not intuition, supposition, or blind trust in technology.
Enjoy,
Tony LeukeringDenver
On Sunday, February 15, 2026 at 7:03:21 PM UTC-7 Ted Floyd wrote:
