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VTBIRD for Tuesday, January 15, 2002
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Subject: Eye cup clarification - still lookin'
From: GeorgeLisi(AT)cs.com
Date: 15 Jan 2002 12:40am
In a message dated 1/14/02 11:01:10 PM Eastern Standard Time,
vtbird(AT)raven.csc.vsc.edu writes:
<< George,
I don't know if you wear glasses or not but it sounds like you do. I also
have glasses and my solution was to cut the rubber at the fold, smooth it
down with a nail file and presto it works just great!
Cheers, Roy
>>
>Actually, I used to wear glasses and now I don't. Got my eyes lasered, I
did, and it's a blessed miracle. Highly recommended!!
Anyway, I took my eye pieces off my binos when I did wear glasses and lost
track of em years ago. *So* I'm looking for soft eye cups to retrofit my
Bushnell's.
Thanks again,
George Lisi, Lincoln
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Re: Mystery bird photos, sand bar clarification, and a
camera Q
From: Wayne Scott <wsscottnh(AT)earthlink.net>
Date: 15 Jan 2002 10:05am
> This message is in MIME format. Since your mail reader does not understand
this format, some or all of this message may not be legible.
----INCLUDING text/plain MIME SECTION----
Hi Bob,
I saw your photos, and after an immediate reaction that this sure looked
like a Baltimore Oriole, I looked more carefully. The beak is too thick, the
tail too short, no hint of orange in the tail. There is a nice comparison
with the Dunnocks on the ground in one of the photos. One thing is sure,
this is not an Oriole, Golden or otherwise.
I recognized the bird as a weaver, though I had to scramble to my old
East African guide to try to get it to species as it has been too many
intervening years since I did any birding there. Unfortunately, it is the
only guide I have and there are some +/- 60 species in the genus Ploceus. I
think it is a Golden-Backed Weaver, based on lack of back spotting and you
mentioned the red eye. The guide shows this species with a red eye. I have
about 80% confidence in the species; I would check other references to
eliminate other possibilities. Maybe UVM has more up to date African guides,
if not try Barnes and Noble. In any event, Weavers are common cage birds,
and occasionally appear in Europe as escapees, the likely source of this
bird.
I would be interested to know what others think. Hope this helps,
Wayne
Wayne Scott
Compiler, VT Rare Bird Alert
416 Hanover Center Road
Etna, NH 03750
(603) 643-0179
wsscottnh(AT)earthlink.net
vtbirder(AT)hotmail.com
----DELETED text/html MIME SECTION----
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Re: Mystery bird photos, sand bar clarification, and a
camera Q
From: Wayne Scott <wsscottnh(AT)earthlink.net>
Date: 15 Jan 2002 11:17am
> This message is in MIME format. Since your mail reader does not understand
this format, some or all of this message may not be legible.
----INCLUDING text/plain MIME SECTION----
>=20
My apologies =AD This was intended to be a private response
Wayne Scott
Compiler, VT Rare Bird Alert
416 Hanover Center Road
Etna, NH 03750
(603) 643-0179
wsscottnh(AT)earthlink.net
vtbirder(AT)hotmail.com=20
----DELETED text/html MIME SECTION----
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Re: Mystery bird photos, Off-topic, Eating weaver (crow)!
From: Wayne Scott <wsscottnh(AT)earthlink.net>
Date: 15 Jan 2002 1:41pm
> This message is in MIME format. Since your mail reader does not understand
this format, some or all of this message may not be legible.
----INCLUDING text/plain MIME SECTION----
>=20
>> Hi Bob,
>> I saw your photos, and after an immediate reaction that this sure lo=
oked
>> like a Baltimore Oriole, I looked more carefully. The beak is too thick,=
the
>> tail too short, no hint of orange in the tail. There is a nice compariso=
n
>> with the Dunnocks on the ground in one of the photos. One thing is sure,=
this
>> is not an Oriole, Golden or otherwise.
>> I recognized the bird as a weaver, though I had to scramble to my ol=
d
>> East African guide to try to get it to species as it has been too many
>> intervening years since I did any birding there. Unfortunately, it is th=
e
>> only guide I have and there are some +/- 60 species in the genus Ploceus=
. I
>> think it is a Golden-Backed Weaver, based on lack of back spotting and y=
ou
>> mentioned the red eye. The guide shows this species with a red eye. I h=
ave
>> about 80% confidence in the species; I would check other references to
>> eliminate other possibilities. Maybe UVM has more up to date African gui=
des,
>> if not try Barnes and Noble. In any event, Weavers are common cage birds=
, and
>> occasionally appear in Europe as escapees, the likely source of this bir=
d.
>> I would be interested to know what others think. Hope this helps,
>>=20
>> Wayne
>>=20
Normally, I would not post this off-topic response to VTBIRD, but as I
accidentally sent my previous response for everyone to see, I will eat
weaver (crow) publicly as well! I promise to direct further discussion of
this bird privately.
I was 80% confident in the call; now have little confidence in my ID! I
knew there was a reason I didn=B9t like the old Williams and Arlott A Field
Guide to the Birds of East Africa. Someone directed me to a photo of the
golden-backed weaver on the web that looks nothing like the painting in the
book nor the one in the photo. One fuzzy photo of a Spotted-backed weaver
comes closer to the mystery bird. That bird is called Black-headed Weaver i=
n
the Williams and Arlott book and was my alternative choice. At this point,
I=B9m happy to say with considerable confidence that the bird is a weaver
species, but short suitable illustrations, I=B9m not going to stick my neck
out again. I suggest that there is an internet discussion group
(www.egroups.com) called AfricanBirding. One could request ID help throug=
h
that listserv.=20
=20
Your humble-pie servant,
Wayne Scott
Compiler, VT Rare Bird Alert
416 Hanover Center Road
Etna, NH 03750
(603) 643-0179
wsscottnh(AT)earthlink.net
vtbirder(AT)hotmail.com=20
----DELETED text/html MIME SECTION----
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Re: Lisi's Barred Owl
From: GeorgeLisi(AT)cs.com
Date: 15 Jan 2002 5:32pm
~ In Defense of Our Purlieu ~
There once were some Green Mountain purlieu
That conspicuously lacked Long-billed Curlew
We, as Pipit inferred
Lack *this* boreal bird
But a white phase Gyrfalcon we might do!
George in Lincoln
(We did have a white phase Gyr on the Craftsbury/Greensboro Count years ago
if memory serves; Chris Shultz spotted it bombing low over Craftsbury Common,
buzzing the church steeples. "Purlieu" is a term from medieval land usage
meaning "the edge of the forest and a little ways in", basically).
Pipit wrote:
<< Would that a forest purlieu
Did favor Long-billed Curlew
A bird of plaintive cry
Across an Arctic sky
Give thanks for Lisi's owl
So barred, benign, (no scowl)
That in slight stirring wind
Brought peace to George's mind! Pipit.
>>
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