Would it be possible for someone with appropriate knowledge to post a
simple list of things that the average birder could do to help on the
average family holiday while out doing some birding? And how to go
about it?
How about something that can be found in the b-aus archives (with
appropriate subject line) and aimed at the less experienced birder
who perhaps doesn't know about the birds australia atlas for example?
Whilst atlassing isn't directly publishing by that person, it
certainly contributes and i'm sure alot of people are still not aware
of its value.
No doubt there are other things, how to take notes etc that someone
could write up for the benefit of all?
Cheers
Dave
PS - sorry Chris, this isn't really a direct response to your
excellent email. I think if more courses were offered cheaply there
might be a bigger uptake.
On 28/05/2008, at 1:51 PM, Chris Lloyd wrote:
I agree with much of what Lawrie Conole has said on the subject but
would
just add there has been a decline in other aspects of 'amateur' (the
original meaning and the use of the word in Italian, is very
different to
that now understood) ornithology. The number of banders is a source
for
concern for example. Reading 1960s editions of "The Bird Bander"
gives an
interesting picture of the 'amateur' basis of much of the
historical data
collection which underpins current ornithology. Perhaps we need
more access
to skills such as morphometrics, banding, behaviour and counts for
those who
do not want to undertake university courses? But in a 'time poor'
society
would there be enough takers if short courses in these subject
areas were
more freely available? Would people maintain the skills through
regular use?
Would we get more data and analysis of data if this were to occur?
A NZ
group I am a member of regularly runs week long field study courses
and they
get more skilled volunteer time as a consequence. I also noted
teaching bird
behaviour and physiology to wildlife rehabilitators for four years
that a
small but growing group of bird watchers attended the courses.
While I can understand Steve's desire to move quickly through Pete
Milburn's
data on the landscape the pelagic birds are found in. He may be more
interested if he was trained (apologies if this is not necessary
Steve) and
involved in the collection of such data. There are many 'train
spotters' out
there (and good luck to them there sighting are valuable
biogeography) who
tick the Diomedea exulans gibbsoni (apologies to L. Smith) but have no
interest in coming down the ladder while one is being inspected and
detected
on the deck until you show how feather moult changes the appearance
of old
and new plumage and hence why mis-identification can occur. My
point being
that interest levels (and thereby potential contribution levels)
rise with
more skills and knowledge. If would be interesting how much more we
gain if
all the birders going out to the Darling could do a quick test for
sediment,
nutrients and algae while they visited spots that professional
scientists
may only see when they are funded or there is an 'event'. Ciao
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