Stephen, you write delightful prose. I'd love to see a book of different
people's favorite moments and (separately) favorite pictures. Our
generation will have HANANZB as our answer to John Gould's classic but it
would be lovely to complement it with the spirit as well as the science,
the people as well as birds. It can be a lovely world, can't it?
Pat Macwhirter
>Dear All
>
>I'm stimulated to write about some favorite birding moments by the
>recent threads discussing nationality and relative importance of
>birdwatchers. I guess anyone who enjoys watching birds enjoys
>watching birds. Many of us also enjoy a drink and a game of football.
>
>My favorite moment (or the current favorite moment) happened a few
>years ago in Western Samoa. As I enjoy writing as much as
>birdwatching I was making a pilgrimmage to the grave
>of Robert Louis Stevenson and gazing occasionally at the birds in
>the trees which shade the track up the mountain. It was a
>short, hot walk up and I sat at the foot of the grave to rest,
>cooling in the srong breeze which flowed up from the sea. Luckily I
>was the only person there and I could relax completly. A few moments
>after arriving I noticed three white tailed tropic birds hanging in
>the breeze, moving up and down like notes on a score sheet, their
>long tails stretched out behind them. The birds played (if thats the
>appropriate word) in the breeze for several minutes before gliding
>away.
>
>I know the birds are not rarities, but they are beautiful and seeing
>them in that setting completed a perfect moment birdwatching.
>
>Cheers
>
>
>
> Stephen Martin
> State Library of New South Wales
> Sydney, Australia
>
>
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