birding-aus

Re: birding-aus Seabird watching trips and leadership

To: "Philip A Veerman" <>
Subject: Re: birding-aus Seabird watching trips and leadership
From: "Frank O'Connor" <>
Date: Fri, 01 Oct 1999 17:45:09 +0800
At 15:21 30/09/99 +1000, Philip Veerman wrote:
>The response I heard was that those leading knew their stuff really well but
>there was something of a deficit in explaining much to those others on
>board, what was what and what was going on.

You must remember that these trips are not commercial ventures.  They are
privately organised.  In the case of Perth trips, I divide the cost of the
trip by the number of people (including myself) and round up to the nearest
$5.  I include the cost of phone calls, stamps, fish scraps, etc in the
total cost.  After 16 trips I now have a kitty of $140 that goes towards the
$200 deposit for the next trip.  This kitty has varied from -$5 to +$220
over the time.

As we leave the wharf, I introduce the visitors to WA, and I introduce the
people with most knowledge (not me!).  But there is little time at the
start, as you are running around collecting the money, checking that
everyone has turned up, paying for the boat, and talking to the skipper
about various arrangements.

I try to call out any new species for the day (if I am made aware of them!).
There have been times when people at the front of the boat have seen birds
or cetaceans without calling back to the others.  Usually because the bird
has simply flown straight past.  I usually try to ask one of them to take
charge and ask the skipper to stop the boat or change course if something is
seen.

And after a trip I mail out (email where possible) the trip report to all
people on the trip.

However, people need to be proactive and help themselves.  SIMPLY ASK!
Everyone on board is always willing to help, or to refer the question to
someone with better knowledge.  We all remember what it was like when we
first started.

I have been on a Brisbane pelagic, and other trips with Mike Carter, Tony
Palliser, Peter Milburn and others who organise the trips.  You would not
find more helpful people, but you have to ask.

As others have said, you get tired very easily on pelagics, plus you are
looking for birds yourself.  It sometimes surprises me how many people don't
spend their time scanning but wait for the birds to be called, but maybe it
is motion sickness or the effects of the tablets, etc.

____________________________________________________________
Frank O'Connor
8C Hardy Road
Nedlands  WA  6009
Phone : +61 8 9386 5694
ICQ : 14655047
Email : 
Birding WA http://www.iinet.net.au/~foconnor

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