Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!usc!mizar.usc.edu!burhans
From: burhans@mizar.usc.edu (Mustang Sally)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: Re: Car birding
Message-ID: <31689@usc>
Date: 5 Apr 91 21:10:46 GMT
References: <1991Apr4.231840.5995@pimacc.pima.edu>
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In article <1991Apr4.231840.5995@pimacc.pima.edu> cwilliamson@pimacc.pima.edu writes:
>There a certain birds you can only hope to find by car birding.
>
>PLOVERS. The search image for involves finding a certain 
>type of freshly plowed field, and then noticing, "JESUS! Some
>of those dirt clods are moving!" Last year we found a flock that

>fields is BURROWING OWL. THe search image here is the rounded head, again
>easily mistaken for a dirt clod. Scan holes along irrigation ditches. It is

Thanks for all the replys. This "search image" technique is especially
useful. I found myself able to see a bird out of the corner of my
eye flying above the L.A. River (the bird, not me) and I "knew" it
was a heron cuz I saw the search image of a kinked neck. I followed it
with the binocs and by gosh, so it was. Kindof impressed myself, but
then, for me, that's ez. Anyway this has been most helpful! Now if
only I could find a nearby bookstore that carries Birding magazine,
I'd be a happy camper, er, birder.
-- 
Jackie Burhans (burhans@usc.edu)          
Data Stylist, USC Student Affairs