North Coast Diaries

To twitch or not to twitch... --- Sunday, March 14, 2010

Twitching is a British birding term used to describe the act of chasing after rare or unusual birds. Supposedly, true "twitchers" become so excited about the prospect of gaining a new species on their list that they go into spasmodic convulsions in anticipation of a chase. This is, of course, hyperbole. I've known some folks who get pretty obsessive/compulsive about chasing down rarities, but I've never actually seen a birder have a seizure. I'm not much of a twitcher.  I don't routinely go out of my way to chase down a new species.  I don't like driving all day to spend a little bit of time looking for a single bird.  People who do chase get kind of defensive when I try to explain my lack of interest in chasing stuff.  It's not that I don't want to see these rarities.  It's not that I don't keep a list.  I just don't value the "tick" the same way others do.  I'm honestly not being judgmental.  It's just not the way I roll. There has been a HOODED ORIOLE hanging out in Gaston, Washington Co. since mid-December.  Hooded Oriole is one of those species I've managed to miss in Oregon over my 40-year career.  I've seen them in Texas, but not Oregon.  Today I had to go to Corvallis on business and on the way home I stopped in Gaston.  I spent an hour walking back and forth along Cottonwood Street waiting for the bird to appear.  I had run out of time and needed to get home, but allowed myself one more lap.  As if it somehow knew I was getting ready to leave, the bird appeared from a bush full of crown sparrows in the residential area, sat for a couple "for the record" photos then disappeared. Let's make no mistake about this.  It was a twitch.  Just because I was passing through Gaston on other business doesn't mean I didn't chase this bird.  I didn't have to stop on the way home (and probably wouldn't have had it not been reported the day before).  I didn't have to hang out for an hour waiting for it.  I'd listed just about everything else in the neighborhood (34 species, total) after about a half-hour.  I stayed to list an oriole. I chase stuff.  I list stuff.  Sometimes I even get twitchy.  I just dislike driving more than I like adding new species to my list.  I think globally, but twitch locally...

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