Another great post, Laura. I use Merlin extensively but never rely on it exclusively. It’s helped me find some great birds, and disappointed me when it’s been inaccurate (sometimes ridiculously inaccurate.) It’s a wonderful app to supplement my knowledge and it’s helped me learn to ID more bird songs but it’s not infallible. Merlin is just another tool in my toolbox.
Merlin is great but it does make mistakes. In my experience, it often calls out Philly Vireo when it’s really a Red-eyed singing. That is such a common mistake that I’m concerned I will miss actual Philly Vireos by assuming it’s a Merlin mistake.
Have you used the BirdWeather PUC? What a wonderful device. I’ve had one for a month and it records birds 24/7 and you can listen to all its recordings on the phone app. Just this morning it’s recorded 1691 detections of 33 species as it sits on the deck of our house in NW CT. All 33 species seem correct based on what we see and hear ourselves and listening to the recordings. But it does make mistakes, the most common one being Carolina Chickadee, which dies not occur anywhere near us. Our local land trust, aware of the occasional mistakes, in the Adirondacks has purchased two to monitor birds on a new acquisition.
Another great post, Laura. I use Merlin extensively but never rely on it exclusively. It’s helped me find some great birds, and disappointed me when it’s been inaccurate (sometimes ridiculously inaccurate.) It’s a wonderful app to supplement my knowledge and it’s helped me learn to ID more bird songs but it’s not infallible. Merlin is just another tool in my toolbox.
Merlin is great but it does make mistakes. In my experience, it often calls out Philly Vireo when it’s really a Red-eyed singing. That is such a common mistake that I’m concerned I will miss actual Philly Vireos by assuming it’s a Merlin mistake.
Have you used the BirdWeather PUC? What a wonderful device. I’ve had one for a month and it records birds 24/7 and you can listen to all its recordings on the phone app. Just this morning it’s recorded 1691 detections of 33 species as it sits on the deck of our house in NW CT. All 33 species seem correct based on what we see and hear ourselves and listening to the recordings. But it does make mistakes, the most common one being Carolina Chickadee, which dies not occur anywhere near us. Our local land trust, aware of the occasional mistakes, in the Adirondacks has purchased two to monitor birds on a new acquisition.
I haven't used that one! It sounds very useful as a simple, fairly accurate tool for conservation.