Now here's a topic to liven up the list. I was involved as a mere
volunteer (cannon fodder??) in the initial setting up of cannon netting in
Australia, but I got disenchanted and left fairly promptly. In the early
days, so many birds were decapitated by the leading edge of the net that I
was unable to justify to myself the use of the technique. After the net
was fired, the main man (we all know his name, or can find out, so I don't
need to mention it) used to rush ahead of the group, and stuff his pockets
with the dead birds before too many people saw them. I'd have to concede
though that we have learnt an enormous amount about the global movements
and physiology of waders from these studies. Would simple observations
have provided this in the long run? Maybe so, but in any case the
"collateral damage" sustained during cannon-netting is very hard to
stomach, and even more difficult to justify.
Lawrie Conole
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