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Posted by Toe on 00:07:43 12/12/11
Today I went up with Tito to hopefull get the Green-tailed Towhee found yesterday at Possum Branch Preserve in northern Pinellas County. We left early and arrived at ~8:30, only to learn the bird had been seen and heard briefly just before we got there. We waited, and waited, and more people came, and waited some more. I kept thinking "why not play a tape", but we waited, and waited, and waited. (play a tape, play a tape, internal monologue). At close to 11:00, Tito decides to play his I-phone call really low, and off by himself, to familiarize himself with the Towhee's call. As soon as he does, he motions for the rest of us, about a dozen birders, to come over and points to the first Christmas Berry in front of him. There's the bird! It was there all the time, but we waited for over 2 hours without seeing it for fear of playing a tape.
Now I understand completely the dangers of playing a tape in winter since if you do, the bird might think it's another member of the same species, and we wouldn't want that to happen since in nature, birds never hear other members of their species calling from the same area! That is just impossible!!
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