[Tweeters] Magic man fowls it up again

[ck park via Tweeters]

i'm surprised merlin's database is populated by junk data.  did they accept
any/all recordings just to get something to market, or have they at least
vetted the audio with experts in bird calls / songs?  one would think,
where confusing audio is possible, it would take nothing for them to post
that you MIGHT be hearing X, Y, or Z, depending, and to verify visually if
possible...

On Wed, Apr 3, 2024 at 3:19 PM PENNY & DAVID KOYAMA via Tweeters <
tweeters at u.washington.edu> wrote:


> Ha, ha.  I still laugh about the time Merlin "recorded" a Yellowhammer

> (Eurpean bird) when birding in New Mexico, and another time last spring

> when Barb Webster and  I were at Stillwater near Carnation, WA and Merlin

> claimed American Robin rather than the Bullock's Oriole we  watched

> calling.

>

> I do admire your persistence as a Merlin detective!

> Penny Koyama, Bothell

>

> On 04/03/2024 10:12 AM PDT Kevin Lucas via Tweeters <

> tweeters at u.washington.edu> wrote:

>

>

> Over the winter Merlin has repeatedly mistaken vocalizations by starlings

> as being from Western Wood-Pewees. There are several places where a

> starling does a GREAT imitation, e.g. Eschbach Nature Area, the Eagle Path

> at the southern end of the Yakima Greenway Path in Union Gap, and at two

> places where we lived. At the Eagle Path and Eschbach, when I've read

> out-of-season Western Wood-Pewee heard-only reports, I've thought it likely

> to be one of the talented Starlings I'd heard there.

>

> In our back yard last week Merlin was fooled that a starling was a robin.

> I was watching and listening to the starling atop the utility pole calling

> like a robin. It sounded good enough I decided to give Merlin a go. Merlin

> failed, said American Robin. Most times with Starlings Merlin correctly

> indicates Starling.

>

> During a winter raptor survey this year in the White Swan area I heard an

> unusual vocalization. I was next to running water, so I could not hear all

> of the quality of the song. I tried Merlin. It said Wood Thrush. I didn't

> know what Wood Thrushes sounded like. Once home, I listened to Wood Thrush

> vocalizations. It had not been a Wood Thrush. I worked on the Merlin

> recorded audio using Audacity -- noise reduction, frequency notch filters,

> and amplification. I then played back the cleaned-up audio on my computer,

> and used Merlin on my phone to try again. This time Merlin nailed it --

> Song Sparrow.

>

> Yesterday I went to one of my favorite spots to look for Greater

> White-fronted Geese. About 10 minutes after I arrived I heard a flock of

> them heading my way. As they got closer I took some photos. Some landed

> with the Cackling and Canada Geese, others flew over. I wondered whether

> Merlin was good at distinguishing between Cackling and Canada Geese, but

> wouldn't be able to test since they were mixed together there. When I heard

> some more Greater White-fronted Geese calling as they flew toward me, I

> pulled out my phone and gave the magic man a go. They flew low, calling,

> right over me. Merlin fowled it up, identifying them as Cackling Geese.

>

> Perhaps Merlin can distinguish between Cackling and Canada Geese, but I'd

> trust him even less after his latest foul up with fowl up.

>

> I'm looking forward to hearing my first Western Wood-Pewee of the year

> while I'm watching it. I'm not annoyed by Merlin. I'm amazed, and sometimes

> I find him incredible.

>

> Good Birding,

> https://www.aba.org/aba-code-of-birding-ethics/

> Kevin Lucas

> Yakima County, WA

>

> *Qui tacet consentire videtur*

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