tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2647395313001100441.post4157906101587331304..comments2024-01-16T10:47:14.743+01:00Comments on Bell Tower Birding: Is it GISS, or what?!Jochenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10852825311605464857noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2647395313001100441.post-5302912369249840992009-11-25T14:20:40.844+01:002009-11-25T14:20:40.844+01:00@ Nate, yes, absolutely agreed, it is a continuous...@ Nate, yes, absolutely agreed, it is a continuous line and I suppose my approach was a bit overly-strict, but I enjoy thinking in extremes to test my views on certain problems to then reach a comfortable position somewhere in the "middle". <br />This post of yours has brought me great joy as I like contemplating "philosophy" in birding!!<br /><br />@Laurent: ha, I always thought you were too harsh to yourself when you frequently referred to yourself as a "Rooky". Yes, I remember our first outing, although I cannot remember that particular Hermit Thrush.<br />Lovely bonaparte's pics, by the way...<br /><br />@Cindy: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH<br />OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH<br />HAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA<br /><br />You're back, or maybe you've never been away but I lost you somehow. I even googled you a few times in vain!!!!<br /><br />WELCOME BACK!!!<br /><br />You've been missed. I'll immediately update my link!!!<br /><br />Geez, that's so nice!! Happy Thanksgiving!!<br /><br />@Jason: thanks for the book tip - having a son who just entered his "terrible two" I doubt I'll find the time to read anything than articles on how to stay calm, but I will definitely try to get hold of a copy!<br /><br />@John: exactly. I was probably just trying to make a distinction, a separation where there is really a continuum. This is something I really need to think about some more. Very, very interesting. And you are right, gulls are the prime example where GISS will tell you that something's wrong rather than right, meaning gulls are best sorted through by following your gut feeling.Jochenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10852825311605464857noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2647395313001100441.post-61917587463735691292009-11-24T06:40:40.356+01:002009-11-24T06:40:40.356+01:00Most birders beyond the beginning level use some c...Most birders beyond the beginning level use some combination of GISS and field marks since they are complementary skills. I also think of GISS as being not strictly shape and size but also recognition without consciously considering field marks. Clearly there are few birds that can be recognized by shape alone.<br /><br />I think you're right about GISS being useful for eliminating possibilities. I use a GISS-like approach pretty regularly while scanning or counting large gull flocks. That is one situation where the limitations of the field marks approach become readily apparent, as the plumage differences disappear into one large white mass.John B.https://www.blogger.com/profile/00163297234733313179noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2647395313001100441.post-65405709561120568902009-11-24T04:29:56.946+01:002009-11-24T04:29:56.946+01:00This is why I used the term holistic birding on Na...This is why I used the term holistic birding on Nate's post. Shape matters, color matters, habitat matters. <br /><br />The book's a bit dated on the whole now, but Jack Connor's <i>The Complete Birder</i> had a good chapter on mental issues with birding and covered a lot of this (how the experienced birder zooms in on the obvious marks while the beginner tries to see everything at once). Worth checking a library or somewhere for it.Jasonhttp://www.brewsterslinnet.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2647395313001100441.post-42238149889706426692009-11-23T19:41:10.047+01:002009-11-23T19:41:10.047+01:00well written post Jochen- I go by the 'gizz...well written post Jochen- I go by the 'gizz' of a bird quite often, as I've been watching birds since childhood and so many of them are like old friends that I know by their songs, flight patterns, feeding habits, etc.. so much comes into play and much of it is unconsious on my part. Good to 'read' you again :)<br /><br />(my old link on your sidebar has changed to the one I'll add below- happy thanksgiving to you and yours)Cindy (WoodSong)http://woodsong.squarespace.com/journal/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2647395313001100441.post-42051456380101851192009-11-23T18:26:18.342+01:002009-11-23T18:26:18.342+01:00Wow, You are now using my blog as a reference! I f...Wow, You are now using my blog as a reference! I feel honored, obviously.<br /><br />Your "brown thrush" story reminds me of our 1/18/2007 outing (that's when I basically started to bird), when you showed me one of those brown birds. That was a Hermit Thrush (in the Arboretum), and I clearly remember I asked you "mmm ok, are you sure about it?".<br /><br /><br />Excellent post, Jochen!Laurenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00137501980898703974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2647395313001100441.post-3872696257868252672009-11-23T17:28:52.260+01:002009-11-23T17:28:52.260+01:00Excellent points Jochen. The instant or near-inst...Excellent points Jochen. The instant or near-instant internalization of field marks is absolutely a part of the <i>appearance</i> of giss birding. I suppose that there's really no birder that exclusively relies on giss, as that would be impossible, and even things we think about as a bird's "feel" are real field marks that people are using to ID a bird. The giss birder just knows precisely what to look for for any given bird to the point where they don't really have to think about looking for one thing or another. <br /><br />It's not so much a dichotomy as much as a continuum line, with some birders relying more on one way or recognizing birds or the other but neither exclusively practicing either.<br /><br />And you're right, giss is less about knowing what something is than it is about knowing what something isn't.Natehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04649782420633788927noreply@blogger.com