Beginner Birder or Twitcher ?

Compuwight

Compuwight

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Steve France
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I watched a FB thread evolve over whether someone was a 'Birder' or 'Twitcher' and it got me thinking, do I go out with my camera to simply photograph any bird I come across (Birder) or do I go to photograph a specific bird (Twitcher). I decided that I often do both in that I go out to photograph a Buzzard and come back with pictures of a Egret. Added to that I sometimes come home with totally random shots that reflect my walk in some way. So I wondered how others decide on their genre by purpose or pure accident ?
All of this impacts on the amount of kit I lump around (far to much) as I am currently thinking about a 2nd body so I have the right lens to hand !
 
This sounds a lot like myself and my best mate when we were teenagers and used to go to the pub to meet "birds". He was definitely a "birder" and I was more a "twitcher".. :D

On a more serious note, I don't really shoot birds but I do tend to have a specific goal in mind before setting out, which does lend itself to carrying a more honed down selection of equipment, rather than bunging as much as possible in a huge rucksack.
 
Compuwight said:
I watched a FB thread evolve over whether someone was a 'Birder' or 'Twitcher' and it got me thinking, do I go out with my camera to simply photograph any bird I come across (Birder) or do I go to photograph a specific bird (Twitcher). I decided that I often do both in that I go out to photograph a Buzzard and come back with pictures of a Egret. Added to that I sometimes come home with totally random shots that reflect my walk in some way. So I wondered how others decide on their genre by purpose or pure accident ?
All of this impacts on the amount of kit I lump around (far to much) as I am currently thinking about a 2nd body so I have the right lens to hand !
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:plus1: for a 2nd body to eliminate time lost swapping lenses. I actually have 3 Fuji bodies with the 3 zooms all but welded to them - the 10-24 on an X-Pro1, the 18-135 on the X-T1 and the 100-400 with a 1.4x telecon on the X-T2. Will be shifting the long lens to the X-H1 soon and will move the walkaround onto the X-T2 but I like the rangefinder feel of the X-Pro1 for the UWA.
 
AFAIK a 'twitcher' is very much concerned primarily with spotting rare birds and generally ticks off lists of sightings ... often seen in newspapers and on tv crowded into an area (even peoples back gardens!) to view a bird blown off course etc.
A 'birder' would be more just interested in birds specifically but not necessarily travel miles to see a rare(er) species.

Of course someone else will come along and trash all of that! :LOL:
 
gramps said:
AFAIK a 'twitcher' is very much concerned primarily with spotting rare birds and generally ticks off lists of sightings ... often seen in newspapers and on tv crowded into an area (even peoples back gardens!) to view a bird blown off course etc.
A 'birder' would be more just interested in birds specifically but not necessarily travel miles to see a rare(er) species.

Of course someone else will come along and trash all of that! [emoji38]
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I'd pretty much go along with that. I'd also add that whilst many twitchers are great birders it's not a pre requisite. You look on line for a rarity you haven't seen punch in the sat nav and drive to the location (when allowed). There'll be a large number of people already there with scopes & cameras who can point out the bird to you [emoji2960]
 
gramps said:
AFAIK a 'twitcher' is very much concerned primarily with spotting rare birds and generally ticks off lists of sightings ... often seen in newspapers and on tv crowded into an area (even peoples back gardens!) to view a bird blown off course etc.
A 'birder' would be more just interested in birds specifically but not necessarily travel miles to see a rare(er) species.

Of course someone else will come along and trash all of that! :LOL:
Click to expand...


I'd say that was a concise and accurate summary.

Although you were a little bit kind in avoiding mentioning the somewhat obsessive and occasionally aggressive tendencies of Twitchers!
 
Agreed on the definitions mentioned above. Twitchers are definitely at the obsessive end of the spectrum, although they could be birders as well! I'd call myself a birder although i've been on a few twitches in my time - usually unsuccessful ones. I think I should have a badge or t-shirt with the sogan "World's Worst Twitcher" on it! :LOL:
 
Watched a TV documentary years ago about a twitcher called, I think, Lee Evans. I've got no interest in birds at all but it was a fascinating insight into obsessive behavior!

GC
 
I've been chasing birds all my life, but now in my eigth decade I've decided none were worth the effort - I could have saved a fortune. :facepalm:
 
jerry12953 said:
I'd like to have seen that. Lee Evans is a well-known twitcher, I think.

I've rarely felt so down-hearted as after a failed search for a rare(ish) bird. It just seems so pointless.
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Just found it on YouTube, if you search "Encounters: Twitchers (1996) you should find it :)

GC
 
Sky said:
I've been chasing birds all my life, but now in my eigth decade I've decided none were worth the effort - I could have saved a fortune. :facepalm:
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And me even married a few of them LOL
 
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I do find that under most circumstances bird photographers and twitchers rarely mix well together and we tend to get accused (sometimes with good reason ) of getting to close to the birds . This is often caused by photographers with the wrong equipment trying to get to to close to the birds .or lack of experience ... but I have also seen instances of people who should know better doing the same ..
The one thing that has been noticeable since the start of this covid crap is the rise of the female bird photographer/ wildlife lover brigade and judging from some of the photos I see on social media a lot of them are not complying with restrictions regarding travel . ..
 
Well today I went of out to specifically photograph Sea Eagles. I met some twitchers who were very excited to catch a glimpse, with there Bino's and scopes and verified each others sighting. They seemed very content with me photographing alongside at this RSPB nature reserve and we were all abiding by the 'rules'. However, the Eagles never ventured close so I found my attention drawn to a flock of Canada Geese, which of no interest to the twitchers. !
Pair of Sea Eagles.jpgCanada Goose.jpg
 
gramps said:
AFAIK a 'twitcher' is very much concerned primarily with spotting rare birds and generally ticks off lists of sightings ... often seen in newspapers and on tv crowded into an area (even peoples back gardens!) to view a bird blown off course etc.
A 'birder' would be more just interested in birds specifically but not necessarily travel miles to see a rare(er) species.

Of course someone else will come along and trash all of that! :LOL:
Click to expand...

Sounds about right, I've peered into a few gardens in my time :whistle:. I've not done that many twitches of late, I just can't be bothered with the 'new' birders who seem (to think they) know it all, that and the cost of twitching these days. In the 80's whilst on St.Mary's, Scilly Islands we were watching a myrtle warbler (an American species) when the CB radio in someone's hand crackled "Wilson's Warbler, Rame ,Cornwall" (a first for UK and indeed the Western Palearctic) within seconds the crowd had dispersed and were trying to get back to the mainland, one of the crowd Ron Johns IIRC, decided to charter a helicopter to get him off the island and onto Rame to see the bird, I don't know if he did get it or not. I've done: Cardiff to Cley ,Norfolk to Ramsgate (?) to Newcastle and back to Cardiff over a weekend, Cardiff to John O'Groats in 48hrs (and dipped!!(missed the bird)) and a few jaunts to Ireland before now. Twitchers would generally have initially been birders who have allowed their hobby to evolve into twitching. The name, from what I've been told comes from nervous twitches when waiting for a bird to show., but I would stand corrected. There was and probably still are rivalries if you like, between birders and twitchers and birders, twitchers and photographers.
Then there's the 'stringer', he can be a birder,a twitcher or possibly even a photographer, he just can't tell the truth and makes up his sightings but never has any evidence nor anyone else sees his birds. Followed on by the suppressor, he genuinley finds stuff but only tells his inner sanctum or tells everyone after the bird has moved on, not a nice guy.
gcgraphs said:
Watched a TV documentary years ago about a twitcher called, I think, Lee Evans. I've got no interest in birds at all but it was a fascinating insight into obsessive behavior!

GC
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Met Lee (AKA 'socket') a few times over the years, he's a bit of a marmite type of guy, but I like him, he's a bloody good birder and knows his stuff. Found me a few ticks on my first visit to North Norfolk back in the day.
 
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