birding-aus

sensible birding in the top end?

To: Cheryl Ridge <>, Birding Aus <>
Subject: sensible birding in the top end?
From: Denise Goodfellow <>
Date: Fri, 21 May 2010 16:03:37 +0930
Hi Cheryl
Birding up in the bush can be perfectly safe as long as you take a few
precautions, re water, heat, snakes, buffalo and pigs.   Birding around
water and in town can be more risky.

Crocodiles: assume there are crocodiles in any body of water whether there's
a sign or not.  Also, in the dry crocodiles can be found quite a long water
from water.  Occasionally too, they're found in monsoon forest near water.
If you drop anything near a waterbody and need to retrieve it, use a long
stick, or if you have to bend down or squat, get someone to stand behind
you.

However, human beings are of more danger.  With 4000 itinerants and a
largely young population, Darwin has a higher robbery, rape and murder rate
than any other capital city in Australia.  Basically, don't go to isolated
areas in Darwin or other big towns, particularly in the morning or evening.
If you do find yourself in trouble, particularly with Aboriginal people, be
friendly.  Ask about family, where people are from.   I know what I'm
talking about.  For my efforts to prevent violence and in a couple of cases
tribal warfare, I was named Lawungkurr by elders, after a Dreamtime woman
still revered for her mediation skills.

Another risk are mosquitoes.  Birders are out at the same times as mozzies,
and having suffered a bout of the mosquito-borne Ross River virus, I can
speak again from personal experience.  It causes polyarthritis.  I couldn't
walk properly for over a year.

Despite the comments of some, I do know what I'm talking about.  I've been a
resident of the Top End for over thirty years and a buffalo shooter,
biological consultant, and birdwatching/natural history guide (27 years),
and a wildlife and safety adviser for television (including BBC, CCN, RAI,
Russian show "World of Animals" etc ).   I'm also a member of a
semi-traditional clan (western Arnhem Land) and have Ginga (saltwater
crocodile) dreaming.  One reason I have that dreaming is that to win the
trust of Indigenous women I was trying to represent (as an alderman on
Darwin City Council), I spent four hours snake-hunting in a huge muddy
billabong occupied by large crocodiles.  They didn't eat me and so my female
relatives assume we knew each other.

As a biological consultant I often took my toddler son into the bush to work
with me. Mind you,  I was very safety conscious and neither he or I ever
came to any harm.  To try to keep visitors safe I put a section on safety in
all my fauna books.

If visitors do want more personal advice on safety, ring me when you arrive,
and I'll try to arrange a meeting.
Regards
--
Denise Lawungkurr Goodfellow
PO Box 3460 NT 0832, AUSTRALIA
Ph. 61 08 89 328306
Mobile: 04 386 50 835

Birdwatching and Indigenous tourism consultant
PhD Candidate
Interpreter/transcriber, Lonely Planet Guide to Aboriginal Australia

Research survey:
For American birders -
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=h3NCqTwur3H_2bPlbFtk_2bSpw_3d_3d
For UK and other birders
-http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=adx6k4cK_2fqMWzw79jmrmzg_3d_3d

http://www.denisegoodfellow.com.au
http://www.earthfoot.org
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/baby-dreaming
www.fatbirder.com/
For copies of Birds of Australia¹s Top End or Quiet Snake Dreaming, visit
amazon.com



on 21/5/10 8:09 AM, Cheryl Ridge at  wrote:

> Hi folks
>
> I have been reading the replies to Jeremy Weiss's recent RFI which will
> possibly help us plan our own trip to Darwin 'one day'. Thanks.
>
> What I would like to know (ok I admit I am getting a little paranoid)
> is how to enjoy some "safe" birding in the top end? I would quite
> imagine some birders taking big risks as far as Crocs go because
> water often equals birds!
>
> Is it risky birding on one's own up there? Is it better to stick to
> cruises or have a guide?
>
> Is anyone willing to give some tips on how to enjoy the top end
> without getting into strife? We would be first time visitors
> and we are not twitchers needing to go off and find the
> rarest of rare birds if it entails great risks....but would
> love to enjoy some of the local wildlife and photography.
>
> Same would apply to Cairns - another area we have not yet been to.
>
> Thanks in advance
>
> Cheryl Ridge
> ===============================
> www.birding-aus.org
> birding-aus.blogspot.com
>
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