It was very misty and ethereal in Talybont on Thursday morning first thing with plenty of bird chatter. As an experiment I ran Merlin app in the back garden for a while to see what might be about.
Besides the expected regular small passerines and thrushes, I was intrigued
to read that yellow-legged gull, willow warbler, tree sparrow and pintail were
present.
Strange what a bit of unusual weather can do.
Dave Thomas
A cautionary tale.
The above report made me smile, but there's a valid point to it
If Dave wasn't an experienced birder he may have believed the nonsense thrown up by Merlin.
The moral is - do not rely on apps.
At the risk of sounding obvious: buy a field guide, get a copy of your county bird report, learn your local birds, go out with an experienced birder, etc, etc.
Merlin and other apps have their uses, but they can come up with some howlers.
I could go on, but won't.