Hi all
Alex, Peter and Andrew are demonstrating that they are
idiots! Recognized for their constant personal attacks
on anyone with different views they are grinding and
carping in the only way they know how to defend the
indefensible. It is hard to believe that some who
should know better can simply laugh off the tragic
predicament of this Curlew Sandpiper maimed by
leg-flagging. One must hope they are never involved in
bird banding policy when they demonstrate such
uncaring attitudes.
Alex wrote "just very curious because look like she
find mutilated birds every day" No Alex, I am a he,
not a she and this is the first time I have found a
mutilated bird caused from leg flags. Yes, I have
expressed concern in the past about the wader
leg-flagging program. That is because I have an
interest in waders and believe banding researchers are
doing far more harm than good, but this is the first
evidence of actual harm that I have seen.
This is because the suffering and losses caused from
leg flagging is not easily observed. Most of the
banded birds just disappear and are not seen again,
presumed dead. Others have reported similar things on
this forum but what this recent observation proved to
me is what an atrocious death is suffered by
unfortunate birds that are leg flagged.
The distressful circumstances of this Curlew Sandpiper
were not described in my original note to avoid
accusations of my being too emotional to participate
objectively about this subject. But then objectivity
is clearly absent in the minds of those attacking me
so for any who wish to know the circumstances relating
to this event, a description follows.
The maimed bird was seen approximately half a
kilometre south of the Point Cook park boundary
towards Altona. It was located mid afternoon sitting
among seaweed near the top of the beach with several
other Curlew Sandpipers and Stints. As we approached,
except for this one bird, all of them stood up and
slowly walked away towards the water. That is what
attracted my attention to it.
This bird fluttered across the sand away from me. Its
left leg was dangling and the lower leg (tarsus),
sharply bent outwards. The bird rose into the air but
it soon flopped down again a short distance away. Then
it attempted to stand up briefly on what was clearly a
broken leg at the first main joint where there was an
orang/yellow coloured plastic flag above. There was no
right leg to be seen. In such circumstances, this bird
would have used its good leg if it had one and it
appeared to be missing.
Shortly after this, the bird fluttered across the
ground again before rising and flying away some
distance to the south, still with its broken leg
dangling. My immediate reaction was a desire to help
the unfortunate maimed bird but there was nothing I
could do except to leave it alone. My concern was
followed by anger. This animal was in distress caused
by people who participate in leg flagging waders. And
it occurred to me that this unfortunate bird was
probably just one of tens of thousands of other
leg-flagged waders suffering a similar fate.
All I can do is bring these terrible circumstances to
the attention of the birding community, hoping there
will be some objective conclusion by the powers who
control these things towards a prohibition on leg
flagging small waders and help avoid this unnecessary
suffering in future.
Cheers
Kym Bennet (with one T)
Carnegie, Victoria.
http://www.yahoo.promo.com.au/hint/ - Yahoo! Hint Dropper
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