Alan Morris 13/3/03 7:34 AM
> I would like to ginger up the debate on bird hides and so ask the question, is
> the proposed bird hide necessary at all?
Hi All,
I'm really with Alan on this one. Probably one of the most important reasons
you would build a hide in many places is to provide shelter for the
observers. My view has been for some time that perhaps the very best reason
is to channel observers into one viewing point, rather than have them spread
out like a dog's breakfast, and disturbing birds. And it works. People
naturally gravitate towards a hide, and so as the years pass, it's important
to keep viewing obstructions away from hides, or people won't use them. And
I also agree with Alan on the point he makes about bricks and mortar being a
tangible legacy for politicians large and small, whereas who will remember
that Councillor Joe Blow initiated an EIS which resulted in good management
of a reserve? You can hold an opening for a hide, but you can't hold an
opening for a good management plan, and you certainly can't see it.
We solved (well, tried to solve) the issue of vandalism at the Kakadu Beach
wader roost hides, by leaving the sides open to the elements, but providing
backing to prevent silhouette. Not all sites would accommodate what we did.
In fact, you can traverse the path between the two hides without disturbing
the birds at all!
cheers,
Jill
--
Jill Dening
Sunshine Coast, Qld
26º 51' 152º 56'
Ph (07) 5494 0994
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