birding on private property

I couldn't agree more with David Geering's comments on obtaining 
permission to enter private property when birding. Several times I 
have been abused by landowners for walking past their property when I 
have been on a road or in adjacent public land, and it is usually 
because they see the binoculars around my neck and assume I am one of 
'those' birdos who walk all over private land without permission. 
Obviously the majority of birdos don't, but it just takes a few to 
give us a bad name! So please be careful, for everyone's sake. 

Lainie Berry
Department of Biological Sciences, Monash University