Field ID Fail

Day 169: When I'm tutoring people in how to do "field-guide" photography, I often use birds as an example. The same method can be applied to Meadow Rovers who are trying to educate Park visitors with respect to being able to identify those little LBJs (Little Brown Jobs) they always ask about. This is the second of a series of illustrations I'll be using in a Rover training session this June.

When observing any species of bird or plant or anything else, it is important to capture as much information as possible, whether by eye or with a camera. A bird viewed head-on supplies very little in the way of distinguishing features. You might be able to see an eye ring or breast markings, but that's often insufficient to make a solid ID. Were there bars on the wings? Was the body colouration uniform? What did the silhouette look like? Was it short and squat, or did it have a sleek outline? What shape was the beak? The famous "Angry Bluebird" is certainly a cute photo, but as far as being helpful in making an ID, it is a classic fail. A square-on side view of a bird is much more informative! Likewise, wildflower IDs often require being able to observe the leaf as well as the flower. If you can't get both in one shot, take two! That way, the ranger at the information desk will be much more likely to be able to help you.