| | S | M | T | W | T | F | S | | 29 | 30 |
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
| |
6
|
7
|
8
|
9
|
10
|
11
|
12
| |
13
|
14
|
15
|
16
|
17
|
18
|
19
| |
20
|
21
|
22
|
23
|
24
|
25
|
26
| |
27
|
28
|
29
|
30
|
31
| 1 | 2 |  » Stats |
Members: 50,130
Threads: 82,290
Posts: 852,832
Top Poster: glsammy (15,069)
| | Welcome to our newest member, TerryR52 | |  | | 
23-01-2012, 07:57 PM
| | Member of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: South East
Posts: 321
| | | Mistaken bird ID
Out walking today with a mate who was telling me about a Short Eared Owl on the ground that he (and others) had spotted quite close a few days earlier!!
Cameras poised at the ready for several minutes, as it started to move again it turned out to be - a Hen Pheasant 
Makes me smile to think of my howlers, (thankfully, mostly on my own)
How many have seen something that turned out to be NOT what they first thought? |
23-01-2012, 08:20 PM
|  | Active Member | | Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Plymouth, Devon.
Posts: 63
| | | Re: Mistaken bird ID
Whilst on a pelagic boat trip up the river Lynher a few years ago, a large white bird was noticed in a tree quite a way off, what could it be? little Egret maybe? nah, too small. Great white Egret perhaps?! Could be!
As we got closer it was identified - a white plastic bag!!  |
23-01-2012, 11:14 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Northants
Posts: 1,672
| | | Re: Mistaken bird ID
Quote:
Originally Posted by Alan Livsey  Whilst on a pelagic boat trip up the river Lynher a few years ago, a large white bird was noticed in a tree quite a way off, what could it be? little Egret maybe? nah, too small. Great white Egret perhaps?! Could be!
As we got closer it was identified - a white plastic bag!! | And my white plastic bag took flight as we drove past. It was a barn owl. |
24-01-2012, 12:54 AM
|  | Officer of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 525
| | | Re: Mistaken bird ID
I recall one from several years back, someone had spotted a nightjar and sent the word out. When the crowds had started to congregate it was re identified as a cow pat
Ive made a few howlers myself. I spotted a little owl sat on the end of an old decaying tree up near loch ken. I spent some time creeping round on all fours keeping hidden from view so as not to spook it.
When i reared my head from behind a stand of ferns it dawned on me. The owl was the scar left behind from where a branch had broken off 
I was just glad no one was watching |
24-01-2012, 04:08 AM
|  | Officer of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: East Yorkshire
Posts: 563
| | | Re: Mistaken bird ID
Dunlin I've done that sort of thing more times than I care to recall,better to be cautious rather than miss something.
My first ever King Fisher was similar to 2dogs Barn Owl;I had spotted a bit of blue plastic in an old Hawthorne on a winters day but did not think any more of it 'till some one with sharper eyes said "oo look, King Fisher!" whereon the plastic bag sprouted wings and flew off.
Dave |
24-01-2012, 06:07 AM
|  | Dame Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: North Kent
Posts: 9,725
| | | Re: Mistaken bird ID
The Brown Hare that turned out to be two dock leaves sticking up. Wondered why it didn't run!
__________________
The female of the species is more deadly than the male.:p |
24-01-2012, 06:10 AM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: London
Posts: 4,912
| | | Re: Mistaken bird ID
The Grey Heron that no one else could see, but they could see the weathered post sticking out near the waters edge. 
[Not a bird, but a classic mis-ID was my friend who excitedly ran up to an area in short grass where she was going to pick the golf balls, for a fry up!]
__________________
Rejoicing in ordinary things is not sentimental or trite. It actually takes guts ― Pema Chödrön
Last edited by Deb London; 24-01-2012 at 06:13 AM.
|
24-01-2012, 06:45 AM
| | Officer of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: East Yorkshire
Posts: 563
| | | Re: Mistaken bird ID
Actually folks this thread has just reminded me of a WAB social group dedicated to the very subject Wild About Britain - Incorrect IDs anonymous
It may be time to revive it
Dave |
24-01-2012, 06:46 AM
|  | Active Member | | Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Hayes, Middlesex
Posts: 33
| | | Re: Mistaken bird ID
My little tale isnt about seeing something that wasnt what I thought it was, but calling out a spot.
In a bird hide with 7 others, scanning the islands on a lake, I called out 'Wheateater' instead of Wheatear 
The coffees were on me that day as a bribe not to tell anyone else |
25-01-2012, 04:39 PM
| | Member of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: South East
Posts: 321
| | | Re: Mistaken bird ID
Hahaha
made me giggle to read these
my "worst" was an obvious clod of earth that turned out to be a female Merlin
Who knows what tomorrow will bring
Al | | | |
| Thread Tools | | | | Display Modes |  Linear Mode |
Posting Rules
| You may not post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
| | |
| | | 20 members and 420 guests | | a4gom, alanc15, Alastair Rae, artdemole, Bios, chattycaff, Dorts, Douglas, Jackaroo, jaguarondi, JaySteel, Kenneth Baldwin, LSS, mack100, Matt Smith, matt1234, neptuno, Pete Collins, Sofija, Za | » New Wildlife Posts | | | | |  Snake ID Today 01:28 PM 3 Replies, 4 Views | | | | | | | | | | | » New Environment Posts | | | | | | | | | » New Activity Posts | | | | | | | | | » New Community Posts | | | | | | | | | |
