DSLR photographer slumps to whole new low

Post image for DSLR photographer slumps to whole new low

by TomMckinney on May 16, 2011 · 6 comments

in Birding Western Palearctic

So another absolute disaster in British birding this week. You’ve probably all seen it, but in case you missed it, this was posted on Boltforum.diy the other night:

Wingnut_1979 wrote:
Hi all, I’m fairly new to birdwatching and mainly just like to take photographs of the birds I see out and about. Can anyone identify this mystery bird for me? It was very tame and showing very closely. I’ve attached a shot below. Thanks.

The post then prompted the following replies:

Roland_Fist wrote:
Your mystery bird is a Plug. They’re quite common throughout Britain. Nice photo though.

Monkey_Balls wrote:
I agree with the person above.

Donkey_Punch wrote:
I also agree.

Shitty_Wizard wrote:
i agree with plug.one of my favourite spring migrants

Twat_Rudder wrote:
And me TO!!!!!!!!!!!! We often see Plug’s feading on the wall sockits in our area!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Loveley birds, and THANKS four shareing, your’e photo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
_______________________
My  plugspotting blog; UK pluglist 52. world pluglist 54

***

But it didn’t take long for the keen eyes of an experienced birder to notice that not everything was quite right:

Crab_Stick_1964 wrote:
Err, anyone slightly concerned that this bird only seems to have two pins?!!
_______________________
My blog – http://www.I-love-plugs.blogspot.com

***

Which then lead to a more critical assessment of the bird’s identity:

Spam_Hammer wrote:
I’m glad I’m not the only person to have worried about this. Also, the shape of the pins is very worrying. Certainly suggestive of American Two-pin Plug, which is worrying. Wingnut_1979, do you have anymore photos? This would be a first for Britain, so it’s an amazing record and also very worrying. Where and when did you see it? This is all very worrying.

The wait for Wingnut_1979′s reply was agonising, but eventually he/she returned with further details and a series of crippling photos:

Wingnut_1979 wrote:
Hi all, I saw it on Sunday at Wickes DIY store in Glossop, Derbyshire. I was in there taking photos of the tubs of Unibond Tiling-grout and then planned to hang around until dusk to watch the Halogen Strip-lights displaying. It was showing at the end of the electrical accessories aisle. The other Plugs were mobbing it. I’ve never even heard of the species before, and if it’s really that rare then I’m very sorry that I didn’t let you know.

When I saw that posting I felt like crying! An American Two-pin Plug less than two minutes away? Fucking hell! Even though news was three days late, I went to check out Wickes the next morning and found the electrical accessories aisle in question – just in case anyone doubts whether the record is genuine – but nothing. Still, I put up my nets and managed to trap a few Eurasian Plugs, including a Two-pin Type-C Plug which had been ringed as a chick at Hornbach’s DIY store on Heligoland.


Third calendar year bird. Top pin lacking white is indicative of sub-adult plumage


White morph and two dark morph birds feeding

How the fuck could Wingnut_1979 have not worked out what this was? Jesus H. Christ! I mean, identifying Plugs isn’t exactly difficult is it? It’s not like expecting a beginner to separate Dowel and Drywall Screws in flight. Just how fucking stupid are these people? They jump straight into the hobby, buying £10,000 worth of gear, spend all day long blocking the aisles at Wickes and B+Q to get their close-up wankathon shots of common shit like Philips-head Screwdrivers and Bosch Belt-sanders, then they turn up at Focus Do-It-All and start luring rare breeders with iPhone apps such as endangered P220-grain Sandpaper… it’s just unbelievable!

I never thought I’d say it, but British birding’s going to Hell in a fucking handcart.

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Tagged as: love plug, love sockets, plug sockets, plugs, tom mckinney, wet carpet

Article by Tom Mckinney

Tom McKinney has been birding for over 20 years and has birded on every continent, other than the continents he's not yet been to. He is famed for having found Britain's first Gray's Grasshopper Warbler and then waking up and realising it had all been a beautiful, beautiful dream. When not birding he enjoys going to Ladbrokes and writing short biographical entries about himself in a 3rd person voice.

Tom has written 49 awesome articles for us.

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  • Charlie

    …and you’re absolutely certain you’ve never written a book made up of a collection of equally sharp and ‘pin’point accurate attacks on the misunderstood (ha ha) ‘nouveau-twitcher’ of the Brit Birding scene?

    • http://www.kolibriexpeditions.com/birdingperu/blog/ Gunnar Engblom

       Charlie, what a coincidence! There is a theme repeated here. I made the same assumption in my review of that same book. Are you sure you are not banned on Birdforum, Tom? Have you checked lately?
      I just joined the club.  But I have given Steve a “desperate” asking for forgiveness for trying to post a review on that same book on birdforum.
      But as usual, this is fuckin A… This’ll become a classic Tom, when we shut down birdingblogs in 6 more months and publish a cult-birdingblog book,
      Man, you rock! I’ll bet you get banned now!

  • http://www.surfbirds.com/blog/colinb Col

    tom you knob. fantastic! Especially the blog links – well worth checking out! 

  • http://10000birds.com Mike

    This is a frickin’ riot. Very worrying, but funny.

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