I don't imagine anyone being offended by this point of view. Although given
the aggressive response I got last week at Kambah Pool at telling a group of
4 very tattooed guys that they should not take their dog there, some people
do find it offensive that considerations towards nature, abiding by
regulation or civic responsibilities should be expressed.
This below seems to me to assume that the sole purpose of these hides is to
make them suitable for bird watchers, watching birds. That seems just a bit
presumptuous to me. They are there for those purposes, and for other
reasons, or maybe particular designs or modifications were chosen to make
them less appealing to being used for other reasons (as I and others wrote
about before). And these were considered as higher priority (though I still
wonder why the change was that high priority).
I also think that birds are a lot more resilient than maybe some of us like
to think. Being looked at is hardly a major threat. Think of the Buff-banded
Rails (normally a shy bird that when exposed to minimal human interactions)
who become very tame, scrounging on picnic tables at places like Green
Island, or learn to go into people's gardens (several recent examples around
Australia) or become very tame in zoos, as do most birds, fairly rapidly, in
captivity.
Philip
-----Original Message-----
From: Geoffrey Dabb
Sent: Friday, 4 January 2013 7:03 AM
To:
Subject: FW: [canberrabirds] Inadequacy of Cygnus Hide at Kelly's Swamp
Peter - I entirely agree. Unfortunately an obstacle to rectification are
those who insist that 'it makes no difference to the birds'. Hours of
controlled observation would be required to verify this. If that is right,
why don't managements everywhere build hides without rear walls? A quick
test is 'the Little Grassbird Test'. However this has the disadvantage of
requiring a Little Grassbird. I would agree that a completely motionless
observer in a corner would 'make no difference' in 95% of instances.
However it is difficult to achieve motionlessness while (a) you are entering
or leaving a hide or (b) someone else is.
-----Original Message-----
From: milburn
Sent: Friday, 4 January 2013 12:50 AM
To:
Subject: Inadequacy of Cygnus Hide at Kelly's Swamp
The recently compromised Cygnus Hide at Kelly's Swamp may as well be a plate
glass shop window! The birds are about 1.5 metres below the hide so the
ludicrous screen that attempts to block out back-lighting needs to be at
least doubled in height if it were to be effective. Even then the
sieve-like flooring would not provide an effective screen between birds and
would-be bird observers. It amazes me that after 25 years, at least, of
being a brilliant bird hide that it has been now so badly buggered up! The
most effective use of the hide in its current configuration is to peer
around it rather than attempt to enter it!!
I apologise to those who might find this point of view offensive. I have
refrained from additional criticism in the fervent hope that this gross
misjudgement might be rectified forthwith.
Milburn
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