Hi Chris,
Your last sentence is exactly what I was about: without the photos I
was worse off. And it's quite possible that my colleagues missed small
waders yesterday, and that they didn't show up in the pics. I'll never
know.
It's interesting what you say about Broome. I have experimented with
on-site counting of tern flocks against counting still and video pics
of the same flock at home on the screen. Both have their positive and
negative aspects. I would always go for being there, but photographic
backup can enhance some aspects lost whilst in the field. I notice, for
instance, when I am absorbed with counting a flock my mind is so
fixated on bodies that a slightly different species can pass me by. I
am reminded that I picked up a Lesser Crested on the screen last
winter, having missed it in the flock of Cresteds in the field. I am
constantly reminded of my fallibility. I just do my best.
Cheers,
Jill
Jill Dening
Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia
26° 51' 41"S 152° 56' 00"E
Chris Sanderson wrote:
Hi Jill,
I agree its better than nothing, but you are always better off having a
person who knows what they are doing on site. Particularly in
situations with big waders many species of little waders can hide
amongst their legs and be completely out of view in photographs, only
glimpsed in flashes that make ID difficult but not impossible (not to
mention counting!). I think we worked out in Broome that at some
points during roosting as little as half of a flock might be in view
and identifiable (i.e with enough body/head/bill showing for a positive
ID). If you rely on a photograph you potentially lose a lot of
information. But it is definitely better than nothing, I agree.
Regards,
Chris
On Thu, Dec 4, 2008 at 5:51 PM, Jill Dening <m("bigpond.com","jdening");">>
wrote:
Hi
Everyone,
Yesterday I was leading three tinnies on a shorebird roost run up the
Pumicestone Passage (SEQld, separates Bribie Is from the mainland).
This is a regular run involving the Caloundra and Caboolture local
government authorities. They provide boats and drivers and council
people keen to learn, and with another shorebird specialist, I guide
them through the labyrinth of mangrove-lined channels, covering about
10 or so roosts, where we conduct counts for the Qld Wader Study Group.
There are so many places to go that we have to go in different
directions here and there to cover all the roosts on the same tide. The
purpose of taking non-environmental officers along is to show them the
possible unconsidered effects of the planning or development decisions
which they may make at their desks.
But yesterday my faithful shorebird offsider had a clash of commitments
at the last moment, and I was reduced to sending to a couple of roosts
two council people who were unable to identify all the species,
especially the small species. Keen, but not experienced enough yet.
Suddenly I thought if they could photograph any birds they were unsure
of, I could ID them later, as long as they got the numbers. And it
worked! It meant I had to have faith that they wouldn't trip with a
couple of thousand dollars worth of my photographic equipment, but they
are careful people. The terrain is wetland at high tide.
So it makes me realise that people doing shorebird surveys don't really
have to be conversant with all the species as long as they have a
decent camera. Last night I was able to establish that they had
Greenshank in the flock of 200 Eastern Curlew which they found. And
that the "Red-necked Stint" was in fact a female Red-capped Plover.
I was really stoked, and I mention it in case any of you finds yourself
in the same situation sometime.
Cheers,
Jill
--
Jill Dening
Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia
26° 51' 41"S 152° 56' 00"E
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