by Gunnar Engblom October 13, 2010 1

Tiger Girl – who is she really?

And Now Check the ears - comment by my birdingblog "friend"

Here is a photo by the third of my BirdingBlog” friends” I have never met. The contest goes on! I still have not revealed who BirdingBlogger 1 and BirdingBlogger 2 are, to give you some more time (and chance to win a good prize – see below). Please, place your guesses before it is too late.

Birdingblogger 3. Who am I?

Sadly, she does not blog anymore – too time consuming she says.
She is still active on Facebook – the fearless Tiger Girl.
From Melbourne, Australia
Tour Guide
Birds of Borneo.

See, was that not easy? Put down your guesses for this friend and the previous ones in the comment section below and take part in the contest. Prizes? OK, time to reveal!

First prize is a free daytrip in Lima (yes, I know the trip to come here will cost you much more but the price is valid for 10 years…so take your time.) The day trip may also be a pelagic if you coincide the dates we are running such.

Runner up prizes. Everyone who gets all 10 answers right will get a Kolibri Expeditions cap or a rainponcho! So what are you waiting for? Don’t worry if the comment does not show up immediately. I have activated moderation so the comment doesn’t show right away, giving others the chance to start taking part in the contest.

UPDATE: Only one correct answer in the comment section and one correct answer away from the blog. Susan Myers is author Birds of Borneo and started a blog called the Life of a bird tour leader, which was very promising, but as she said to me – never got enough traffic to justify the hard work writing post. I think the new platform on Birdingblogs.com will be perfect for her, as she may do a combination of her witty Facebook posts as well as ocassional longer blogpost. Here she shall have a larger audience.

Photo credits: Susan Myers

by Gunnar Engblom January 17, 2010 1

Spectacled Flowerpecker – New Bird to Science from Borneo

A bird without a name

This is quite remarkable! A seemingly totally new species discovered at the well birding Borneo RainForest Lodge. Richard Webster spotted a unknown bird feeding in a mistle-toe in the canopy while walking the 250m canopy walk some 35 m above the ground. He took some pictures, which later were sent to Dr. David Edwards – a specialist at Leeds University, who realized that there are no birds in the bird collections that fits to the photos. Furthermore Edwards had studied the birds of the undergrowth in the same area extensively, why the new bird is possibly a canopy specialist.

I’ll let you enjoy the full article in David P. Edwards, Richard E. Webster, Rose Ann Rowlett. ‘Spectacled Flowerpecker’: a species new to science discovered in Borneo?. BirdingASIA 12 (2009): 38–41

Birding Asia is a great magazine for anyone interested in the birds of the region. Not only great. It is essential. And Oriental Bird Club supports a number of conservation projects. If you your not a member of Oriental Bird Club, please consider becoming one now!

I found several things remarkable with this discovery.

A new species found in a well birded area!
The description is made and letting the world know, before the species has been scientifically described. There is no specimen – only photographs – and the discoverers have chosen to share their finding, both to alert that there may be specimens mislabeled in collections and that proper scientific collected specimen could/should be secured after proper permits have been attained.
If you follow standard listing rules – you can’t count it, because it still lacks a formal name. Isn’t it time birders set their own rules as a community. (Will be treating this issue in one of the last posts of the Social Media For birders Workshop.
With shouting out this discovery, it also shows that there is so much to discover and that the destruction of rain forest may be faster than new species can be described. Maybe this fast treatment will set a standard for other discoveries in the future. I am not saying they should not be properly collected. Only that the birders can help collect important information if the secrecy of new discoveries are avoided. I don’t think anyone would try to scoop the authors and describe the species on their own when a specimen is obtained. That someone would look awfully silly and get the disrespect from the whole scientific community and the birders combined.
It’s seems to be a canopy specialist. Maybe dependant on the fruit of mistletoe.

Excellent done! And congratulations Richard Webster, David Edwards and Rose Anne Rowlett

Birdingblogger 3. She is funny!

Birdingblogger 3. Who am I?

Photo credits: Susan Myers

A bird without a name